Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Fruitland Park FL

How to Select a Nursing College near Fruitland Park Florida

Fruitland Park FL surgical nurse assisting surgeon Locating the right nursing program near Fruitland Park FL may feel like a complicated endeavor, especially if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may already know, in order to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the proper education and training in order to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you research and assess the qualifications of each college you are thinking about before enrolling in your ultimate selection. Regrettably, too many potential students base their decision solely on the cost of tuition and the proximity of the school. Picking the least expensive college or the one that is nearest to your house is no doubt not the most ideal way to select a nursing program. There are several crucial additional factors to check into before you make a decision where to enroll in classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first review what the job of a registered nurse is in our medical system, along with the nursing degree choices that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Activities

Fruitland Park FL Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical settings, including Fruitland Park FL hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general job is to assist doctors in the treatment of their patients. Having said that, the specific duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise as well as where they work. A few of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Observing patients
Conducting physical examinations
Coordinating care
Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Instructing patients and their families
Managing health records and charts

Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more advanced job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for example, must hold a Master’s Degree and often work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat common illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There is more than one degree option to choose from to become a registered nurse. And in order to become an RN, a student must enroll in an accredited school and program. A student can obtain a qualifying degree in just two years, or continue on to achieve a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short descriptions of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Fruitland Park FL area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is commonly a two year program offered by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many utilize the ADN as an entry into nursing and afterwards attain a higher degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more in depth training than the ADN. It is usually a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be eligible to complete an accelerated program based on their prior training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program might wish to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the employment market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is normally a two year program after obtaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.

Once a graduating student has received one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in order to become licensed. Further requirements for licensing fluctuate from state to state, so don’t forget to check with the Florida board of nursing for any state requirements.

LPN and LVN Courses

Fruitland Park FL LPN assisting patient There are essentially two academic accreditations offered that provide instruction to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be concluded in the shortest time period, commonly about 12 months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and usually require 2 years to complete. The advantage of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more comprehensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the kind of credential you seek, it needs to be Florida approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the syllabus adequately prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Certificates

In contrast to some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to obtain a college degree. CNA instruction can be acquired at Fruitland Park FL area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The duration of the training program can take anywhere from one to 3 months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to have at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which must be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimal amount of training mandated and that each state has its own requirements. So it’s essential to make sure that the course you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but also those for Florida or the state where you will be practicing. One tip is to contact the health or nursing board for your state to make certain that the training is state approved. Along with the training, each state requires a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there can be other requirements as well.

Things to Ask Nursing Colleges

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Fruitland Park FL Now that you have decided on which nursing degree to pursue, as well as whether to attend your classes on campus near Fruitland Park FL or online, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout Florida and the United States. So it is essential to decrease the number of schools to select from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school and the cost of tuition are probably going to be the first two points that you will consider. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your final decision, use the following questions to see how your pick measures up to the other programs.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program in addition to the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Aside from helping make sure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not available in Fruitland Park FL for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Some states require a specified number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s essential that the school you are attending not only provides an exceptional education, but also readies you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Florida or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the reviews are for all of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. In addition, get in touch with the Florida school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Fruitland Park FL healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the RN programs you are considering what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to finish their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were displeased with the program and dropped out. It’s also essential that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the Fruitland Park FL healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain a position.
Internship Programs. The best way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a certain number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Find out if the schools have associations with Fruitland Park FL hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the positioning of students in internships.

Nursing Online Programs

woman attending nursing school online in Fruitland Park FL Attending nursing programs online is growing into a more preferred way to get training and earn a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend school for some Fruitland Park FL students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus alternatives. Even other expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your job and family obligations have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Fruitland Park FL?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Fruitland Park Florida area. If that is the case, then the following information may prove to be both educational and useful regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Fruitland Park, Florida

Fruitland Park is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,186 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 4,293.[2] It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,186 people, 1,192 households, and 890 families residing in the city. The population density was 421.3/km² (1,092.1/mi²). There were 1,288 housing units at an average density of 170.3/km² (441.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.08% White, 7.16% African American, 0.56% Native American, 1.32% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.

There were 1,192 households out of which 37.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.07.

Enroll in the Right Nursing Program near Fruitland Park FL

Fruitland Park FL nursing student Picking the right registered nursing degree program is perhaps the most important first step to beginning a new career in the healthcare industry. There are many factors that you need to consider when choosing a nursing school. These variables will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and financial status. As we have highlighted in this content, it is essential that you select an RN college and a degree program that are each accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to create a shortlist of schools to choose from so that you can make your final selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a licensed RN in Fruitland Park FL.