Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Holland OH

How to Choose a Nursing School near Holland Ohio

Holland OH surgical nurse assisting surgeon Locating the best nursing college near Holland OH may feel like a difficult endeavor, particularly if you have no idea what to search for in a good degree program. As you may presently understand, in order to practice as a registered nurse, you need to receive the proper education and training to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you research and assess the qualifications of each school you are thinking about before enrolling in your ultimate selection. Unfortunately, too many prospective students base their decision exclusively on the price of tuition and the distance of the school. Deciding on the least costly school or the one that is closest to your home is undoubtedly not the most reliable way to choose a nursing program. There are a number of crucial additional aspects to check out before you decide 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, as well as the nursing degree choices that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Activities

Holland OH Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the most significant occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in numerous different medical settings, including Holland OH hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic role is to aid doctors in the care of their patients. However, the particular duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise in addition to where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

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

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

Nursing Degrees Available

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 two years, or continue on to attain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some brief summaries of the nursing degrees that are offered in the Holland OH area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is commonly a 2 year program made available by community colleges. It prepares graduates for an entry level position in nursing in healthcare centers including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many use the ADN as an entry into nursing and subsequently obtain a higher degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more extensive training than the ADN. It is normally a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be able to complete an accelerated program based on their prior training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may want 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 acquiring the BSN. The MSN program offers specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

When a graduating student has attained one of the above degrees, she or he must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed. Additional requirements for licensing change from state to state, so don’t forget to check with the Ohio board of nursing for any state requirements.

LPN and LVN Certificates and Degrees

Holland OH LPN assisting patient There are generally two academic accreditations offered that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that may be finished in the shortest time period, normally about one year, is the certificate or diploma program. The second option is to attain 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, besides offering a higher credential and more in-depth instruction, 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 Ohio approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or any other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC attests that the core curriculum properly prepares students to become Practical Nurses, and that the majority of graduates pass the 50 state required NCLEX-PN licensing exam.

CNA Courses

In contrast to other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to obtain a college degree. CNA instruction can be received at Holland OH area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The duration of the instruction can take anywhere from 1 to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to receive at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which must be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Bear in mind that this is the minimum amount of training mandated and that every state has its own requirements. So it’s important to make certain that the program you enroll in not only fulfills the federal requirements, but likewise those for Ohio 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. In addition to the training, each state mandates a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there might be other requirements as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Programs

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Holland OH Now that you have decided on which nursing degree to enroll in, and whether to attend your classes on campus near Holland OH or on the web, you can utilize the following guidelines to begin narrowing down your options. As you undoubtedly realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges within Ohio and the United States. So it is important to lower the number of schools to select from in order that you will have a workable list. As we previously mentioned, the site of the school as well as the cost of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two things 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 selection compares 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 recognized accrediting agency. In addition to helping verify that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not offered in Holland OH for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing criteria for registered nurses vary from state to state. In all states, a passing score is needed on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) in addition to graduation from an accredited school. Many states require a certain number of clinical hours be completed, as well as the passing of additional tests. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing requirements for Ohio or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews as well. Additionally, contact the Ohio school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Holland OH 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 schools 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 unhappy 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 favorable reputation within the Holland OH medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students obtain a position.
Internship Programs. The most effective way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Almost all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. Many states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Check if the schools have associations with Holland OH hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placement of students in internships.

Online Nursing Classes

woman attending nursing school online in Holland OH Enrolling in nursing schools online is emerging as a more popular way to obtain training and earn a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and almost all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this option may be a more practical solution to finding the time to attend classes for many Holland OH students. Concerning tuition, many online degree programs are less costly than other on campus choices. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And many online programs are accredited by organizations like the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your work and household commitments have left you with very little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing training program will make it more convenient to fit a degree into your busy schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Holland OH?

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

Holland, Ohio

Holland is a village in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. Holland is a suburb of Toledo. The population was 1,764 at the 2010 census. Holland is home to the J.H. Fentress Antique Popcorn Museum.[7][8]

The first name of the village was Drakes, which possibly came from the name of a family or was in reference to the large number of geese that did and still fly over the area. Later the crossroads called itself Hardy, which is probably taken from Samuel Hardy, who was one of the signers of a document (along with Thomas Jefferson, Arthur Lee and James Monroe) that ceded the northwest territories of Virginia to the government of the United States. He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1783-1785 and had been a lieutenant governor of Virginia.

The name of Holland has been thought to have come from the fact that ditches being dug in the 1850s to divert the swamp water reminded people of the canals of Holland. Some have said the name was given because of the large number of Dutch people in the area, but there were more New Englanders and New Yorkers in the early settlements than there were Dutchmen. The most likely derivation of the name comes from a story about Franklin Hall (an early house builder in the area) that states when he platted the land for the building of his houses, he asked that it be called Hall Land. Supposedly, the clerk or other official changed the “a” to an “o” and eliminated one “l”, thus Holland.[9]

Pick the Right Nursing Degree near Holland OH

Holland OH nursing student Deciding on the ideal registered nursing college is probably the most important first step to starting a new career in the healthcare industry. There are numerous variables that you should take into account when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently contingent on your current career goals, obligations, and economic situation. As we have stressed in this article, it is essential that you choose an RN college and a degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your dedication and ambition to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Holland OH.