Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - South Dayton NY

How to Find the Right Nursing College near South Dayton New York

South Dayton NY surgical nurse assisting surgeon Searching for the right nursing college near South Dayton NY may feel like a challenging undertaking, particularly if you aren’t sure what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already understand, for you to practice as a registered nurse, you need to obtain the appropriate education and training to become licensed. So it is critically important that you research and evaluate the qualifications of each college you are contemplating before enrolling in your final selection. Unfortunately, too many potential students base their determination entirely on the price of tuition and the proximity of the school. Selecting the least costly school or the one that is nearest to your residence is undoubtedly not the most reliable way to select a nursing program. There are several essential additional things to investigate before you make a decision where to attend classes. But before we explore that checklist, let’s first review what the role of a registered nurse is in our healthcare system, together with the nursing degree choices that are available.

Registered Nurse Job Functions

South Dayton NY Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the most extensive occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical settings, including South Dayton NY hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic job is to support doctors in the treatment of their patients. However, the specific duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or area of expertise in addition to where they work. A portion of the duties of an RN may include:

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

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

Nursing Degrees

There is more than one degree option offered 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 receive a qualifying degree in just two years, or advance to achieve a graduate degree for a total of 6 years. Following are some short explanations of the nursing degrees that are offered in the South Dayton NY area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is usually a two year program made available by community colleges. It preps graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ the ADN as an entry into nursing and subsequently earn a more advanced degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) provides more extensive training than the ADN. It is typically 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 might want 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 typically a two year program after achieving the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.

After a graduating student has earned 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. Various other requirements for licensing can vary from state to state, so don’t forget to contact the New York board of nursing for any state mandates.

LVN and LPN Courses

South Dayton NY 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 completed in the shortest amount of time, generally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd option is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and normally require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, aside from offering a higher credential and more extensive training, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the type of credential you seek, it needs to be New York approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests 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 Programs

In contrast to some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to attain a college degree. CNA instruction can be obtained at South Dayton NY area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the training program can take anywhere from just one to 3 months, leading to either a certificate or a diploma. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to have at least 75 hours of training, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimum amount of training required and that every state has its own requirements. So it’s important to make certain that the training program you enroll in not only meets the federal requirements, but additionally those for New York or the state where you will be practicing. One recommendation is to get in touch with the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the training course is state approved. Along with the training, each state mandates a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there may be additional requirements as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in South Dayton NY Now that you have selected which nursing program to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near South Dayton NY or on the web, you can utilize the following checklist to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within New York and the United States. So it is important to reduce the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a manageable list. As we earlier mentioned, the location of the school as well as the cost of tuition are probably going to be the initial two points that you will consider. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your selection measures up to the field.

Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the degree or certificate program along with the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Besides helping make sure that you receive a premium education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided in South Dayton NY for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements for registered nurses differ from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) along with graduation from an accredited school. Certain 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 delivers an excellent education, but also preps you to satisfy the minimum licensing requirements for New York or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Look at internet rating services to see what the reviews are for each of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews too. Also, get in touch with the New York school licensing authority to find out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can call some South Dayton NY 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 looking at 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 important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only substantiate that the school has a superb reputation within the South Dayton NY medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain a position.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually 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 a working relationship with South Dayton NY hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placement of students in internships.

Online Nursing Schools

woman attending nursing school online in South Dayton NY Enrolling in nursing colleges online is emerging as a more in demand way to get instruction and acquire a nursing degree. Many schools will require attendance on campus for part of the training, and virtually all programs call for a certain amount of clinical rotation hours conducted in a local healthcare center. But since the rest of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient answer to finding the free time to attend college for many South Dayton NY students. Pertaining to tuition, many online degree programs are cheaper than other on campus choices. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more affordable. And numerous online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. So if your work and family commitments have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, it could be that an online nursing school will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near South Dayton NY?

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

New York State Route 322

New York State Route 322 (NY 322) is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 83 in Balcom Corners, a hamlet within the Chautauqua County town of Villenova. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with U.S. Route 62 (US 62) in the Cattaraugus County town of Dayton. In between, the route passes through the village of South Dayton.

NY 322 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to its current alignment. Originally, maintenance of the Cattaraugus County portion of the route was split between the village of South Dayton and the county, the latter of which co-designated the highway as County Route 3 (CR 3). The state of New York assumed ownership and maintenance of the Cattaraugus County segment in 1980 as part of a highway maintenance swap between the state, the county, and South Dayton.

NY 322 is classified by the New York State Department of Transportation as a rural collector road. It serves as a connector from NY 83 to US 62 by way of the village of South Dayton. Most of the traffic along the route is made up of non-commercial vehicles; trucks account for only nine percent of all traffic along NY 322. The roadway has an asphalt surface that is two lanes wide and varies in width from 21 feet (6.4 m) to 22 feet (6.7 m). NY 322 travels through flat, open land outside of South Dayton and through residential areas within the village.[3]

Enroll in the Right Nursing School near South Dayton NY

South Dayton NY nursing student Deciding on the right registered nursing college is potentially the most crucial first step to beginning a new career in the health care field. There are various factors that you need to consider when choosing a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and financial status. As we have stressed within this article, it is important that you pick an RN college and a degree program that are both accredited and have exceptional reputations within the medical community. By using 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 final selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and desire to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in South Dayton NY.