Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Stevensville MI

How to Choose a Nursing School near Stevensville Michigan

Stevensville MI surgical nurse assisting surgeon Selecting the right nursing college near Stevensville MI may feel like a difficult undertaking, especially if you don’t know what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already know, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you must receive the necessary education and training to become licensed. So it is essential that you study and determine the qualifications of each college you are contemplating before enrolling in your ultimate selection. The fact is, too many potential students base their selection exclusively on the price of tuition and the nearness of the school. Selecting the least costly school or the one that is closest to your house is undoubtedly not the best way to pick a nursing program. There are various key additional considerations to investigate before you make a decision where to enroll in classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first discuss what the role of a registered nurse is in our healthcare system, along with the nursing degree choices that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Functions

Stevensville MI Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the healthcare delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, including Stevensville MI hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general duty is to aid doctors in the treatment of their patients. However, the particular duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or specialization as well as where they work. Some of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Overseeing patients
Conducting physical examinations
Managing care
Overseeing LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Informing patients and their families
Taking care of health records and charts

Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more complex job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), as an example, must hold a Master’s Degree and commonly work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can administer primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degrees Available

There is more than one degree option offered to become a registered nurse. And in order to become an RN, a student must attend an accredited school and program. A student can receive a qualifying degree in as little as 2 years, or advance to obtain a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short summaries of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Stevensville MI area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically a two year program offered by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in medical centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately attain a more advanced degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more in depth training than the ADN. It is usually a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their previous training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may wish to advance to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is usually a 2 year program after attaining the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

After a graduating student has acquired one of the above degrees, he or she must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) so as to become licensed. Further requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so be sure to get in touch with the Michigan board of nursing for any state mandates.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

Stevensville MI LPN assisting patient There are essentially two scholastic accreditations offered that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be finished in the shortest time frame, typically about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to earn a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma alternative and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you pursue, it should be Michigan approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC warrants that the course of study properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that most graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Training

In contrast to some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to earn a college degree. CNA education can be obtained at Stevensville MI area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The duration of the instruction can take anywhere from 1 to three months, leading to either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are required to receive at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimal amount of training mandated and each state has its specific prerequisites. So it’s important to make sure that the course you enroll in not only fulfills the federal requirements, but likewise those for Michigan or the state where you will be practicing. One tip is to contact the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the education is state approved. As well as the training, each state requires a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there may be other prerequisites as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Schools

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Stevensville MI Now that you have determined which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Stevensville MI or online, you can use the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you probably are aware, there are many nursing schools and colleges within Michigan and the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we already discussed, the site of the school along with the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the first two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your only qualifiers. So prior to making your final decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the other schools.

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 ensure that you obtain an excellent education, it may help in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Stevensville MI 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) together with graduation from an accredited school. Certain states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are attending not only delivers an outstanding education, but also prepares you to comply with the minimum licensing standards for Michigan or the state where you will be working.
Reputation. Look at online rating companies to see what the assessments are for each of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Also, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some Stevensville MI healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their opinions 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 complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also imperative that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Stevensville MI healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to obtain experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical environment. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Find out if the schools have associations with Stevensville MI hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Nursing Online Schools

woman attending nursing school online in Stevensville MI Enrolling in nursing programs online is growing into a more popular way to receive instruction and earn a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare facility. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient solution to finding the time to attend classes for many Stevensville MI students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more economical. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your job and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Stevensville MI?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Stevensville Michigan 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.

Stevensville, Michigan

The village was platted in the 1840s by Thomas Stevens, who was a prominent banker from Niles, Michigan, and owned a large tract of land in the area. A.D. Brown made a later addition, and in 1893 the village was incorporated. In 1906, Stevensville's population was 250.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 1,142 people, 526 households, and 315 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,098.1 inhabitants per square mile (424.0/km2). There were 584 housing units at an average density of 561.5 per square mile (216.8/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 94.6% White, 2.1% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 0.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 526 households of which 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.78.

Select the Right Nursing Degree near Stevensville MI

Stevensville MI nursing student Picking the right registered nursing degree program is arguably the most important phase to beginning a new career in the medical care field. There are a number of factors that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career objectives, lifestyle, and financial situation. As we have stressed within this article, it is essential that you pick an RN school and a degree program that are each accredited and have excellent reputations within the medical community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to choose from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a practicing RN in Stevensville MI.