Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Indian Lake NY

How to Select a Nursing College near Indian Lake New York

Indian Lake NY surgical nurse assisting surgeon Selecting the best nursing school near Indian Lake NY may seem like a formidable undertaking, particularly if you don’t know what to look for in a good degree program. As you may presently know, to practice as a registered nurse, you must receive the necessary education and training in order to become licensed. So it is critically important that you research and evaluate the qualifications of each program you are considering before enrolling in your ultimate selection. Unfortunately, too many future students base their selection solely on the price of tuition and the proximity of the school. Choosing the least costly school or the one that is closest to your house is undoubtedly not the most reliable way to pick a nursing program. There are various crucial additional things to explore before you determine where to attend classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first look at what the function of a registered nurse is in our health system, along with the nursing degree options that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Functions

Indian Lake NY Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the medical delivery system. RNs practice in numerous different medical environments, such as Indian Lake NY hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their general job is to support doctors in the care of their patients. Having said that, the particular duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or specialization in addition to where they work. Some of the duties of an RN may include:

Providing medications
Overseeing patients
Performing physical examinations
Managing care
Supervising LPNs, LVNs and nurse aides
Informing 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), as an example, must hold a Master’s Degree and generally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can deliver primary or specialty care services, prescribe medications, and diagnose and treat routine illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There is more than one degree option to choose from to become a registered nurse. And to become an RN, a student must enroll in an accredited school and program. A student can earn a qualifying degree in just 2 years, or continue on to obtain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief summaries of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Indian Lake NY area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level position in nursing in medical centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ 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 extensive training than the ADN. It is usually a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be allowed to complete an accelerated program based on their past 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 generally a two year program after achieving the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

Once a graduating student has attained one of the above degrees, he or she must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed. Various other requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so make sure to contact the New York board of nursing for any state requirements.

LPN Courses

Indian Lake NY LPN assisting patient There are generally two scholastic credentials offered that provide training to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that can be completed in the shortest time period, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The other alternative is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and commonly require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, in addition to offering a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they furnish more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. No matter the type of credential you seek, it should be New York approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the syllabus effectively prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Courses

Unlike many other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not have to earn a college degree. CNA instruction can be received at Indian Lake NY 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. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are required to obtain at least 75 hours of training, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Bear in mind that this is the minimum amount of instruction directed and that every state has its own prerequisites. So it’s essential to make certain that the program you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but additionally those for New York or the state where you will be practicing. One tip is to get in touch with the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the training is state certified. Along with the training, each state mandates a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there can be other requirements as well.

Things to Ask Nursing Degree Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Indian Lake NY Once you have decided on which nursing program to pursue, as well as if to attend your classes on campus near Indian Lake NY or online, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly are aware, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout New York and the United States. So it is essential to lower the number of schools to choose from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school as well as the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the primary two points that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So prior to making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to see how your pick compares 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 recognized accrediting agency. Aside from helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not provided in Indian Lake NY for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for registered nurses vary 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. Certain states require a certain number of clinical hours be performed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s important that the school you are enrolled in not only delivers an exceptional education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for New York or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Visit online rating companies to see what the evaluations are for each of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews too. Additionally, check with the New York school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Indian Lake NY 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 looking at 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 dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only verify that the school has a good reputation within the Indian Lake NY medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain a position.
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 certain number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for licensing as well. Check if the schools have associations with Indian Lake NY hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Online Nursing Classes

woman attending nursing school online in Indian Lake NY Enrolling in nursing schools online is emerging as a more preferred way to receive training and earn a nursing degree. Some schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this method may be a more practical solution to finding the free time to attend school for many Indian Lake NY students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be lessened, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. And so if your job and household responsibilities have left you with limited time to work toward your academic goals, maybe an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Indian Lake NY?

Perhaps you have already made your decision to attend a Nursing Program in the greater Indian Lake New York 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.

Indian Lake (New York)

Indian Lake is a 12-mile (19 km) long, 4,255-acre (1,722 ha) lake with a southwest to northeast orientation in the towns of Indian Lake and Lake Pleasant in Hamilton County, in the Adirondack Park of New York State, in the United States. The hamlet of Indian Lake is located 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the north end of Indian Lake. New York State Route 30 runs along the west shore of the lake. Most of the shore is part of the Forest Preserve. Indian Lake is fed by the Jessup River, and drains through the Indian River into Lake Abanakee, and from there through the Indian River to the Hudson River.

The State of New York operates a campground offering campsites in Indian Lake, most of which are on islands, that are accessible only by boat. The campground is 12 miles south of Indian Lake village on NY 30, and is open from mid-May until Columbus Day.

Fish species present in the lake are brook trout, lake trout, brown trout, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, northern pike, lake whitefish, black bullhead, yellow perch, smelt, pumpkinseed sunfish, and white sucker. There is a state owned hard surface ramp launch in the campground off NY-30, 14 miles north of Speculator, New York. There are also boat rentals available and a marina.[2]

Enroll in the Right Nursing School near Indian Lake NY

Indian Lake NY nursing student Selecting the ideal registered nursing school is probably the most critical phase to launching a new career in the health care industry. There are many variables that you should consider when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently depending on your current career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have stressed within this article, it is important that you select an RN college and a degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to select from so that you can make your final selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your hard work and drive to succeed, you can become a licensed registered nurse in Indian Lake NY.