Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Fair Play SC

How to Choose a Nursing School near Fair Play South Carolina

Fair Play SC surgical nurse assisting surgeon Finding the best nursing program near Fair Play SC may seem like a difficult undertaking, especially if you aren’t sure what to search for in a good degree program. As you may already know, to practice as a registered nurse, you must receive the appropriate education and training to become licensed. So it is essential that you research and determine the qualifications of each college you are thinking about before enrolling in your final choice. The fact is, too many future students base their decision entirely on the price of tuition and the distance of the school. Going with the least costly school or the one that is closest to your house is no doubt not the best way to decide on a nursing program. There are a number of key additional aspects to check into before you determine where to enroll in classes. But before we examine that checklist, let’s first review what the function of a registered nurse is in our medical system, along with the nursing degree choices that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Activities

Fair Play SC Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the most significant occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical settings, including Fair Play SC hospitals, family practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their basic duty is to assist doctors in the treatment of their patients. Having said that, the particular duties of a registered nurse will depend on their job or specialization along with where they work. A few of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

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

Nurses with a more advanced degree may have more complex job duties and responsibilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), as an 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 routine illnesses or injuries.

Nursing Degree Options

There are multiple degrees available 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 acquire a qualifying degree in as little as two years, or advance to obtain a graduate degree for a total of six years. Following are some short descriptions of the nursing degrees that are available in the Fair Play SC area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is typically a 2 year program made available by community colleges. It readies graduates for an entry level position in nursing in healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately attain a higher degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) offers more extensive training than the ADN. It is usually a 4 year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their past training or degree and professional experience (RN to BSN). Those applying to the program may desire to progress to a clinical or administrative position, or be more competitive in the job market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is typically a 2 year program after receiving the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for instance to become a nurse practitioner or concentrate on administration, management or teaching.

When a graduating student has obtained one of the above degrees, he or she must pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to become licensed. Further requirements for licensing can vary from state to state, so make sure to check with the South Carolina board of nursing for any state requirements.

LVN and LPN Certificates and Degrees

Fair Play SC LPN assisting patient There are basically two scholastic accreditations available that provide education to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that can be concluded in the shortest amount of time, usually about 1 year, is the certificate or diploma program. The 2nd alternative is to attain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are more comprehensive in nature than the diploma option and generally require 2 years to finish. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with offering a higher credential and more comprehensive instruction, are that they provide more transferable credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing. Regardless of the kind of credential you pursue, it should be South Carolina approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some other national accrediting organization. The NLNAC guarantees that the core curriculum properly 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 have to obtain a college degree. CNA instruction can be acquired at Fair Play SC area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the instruction can take anywhere from 1 to 3 months, leading to either a certificate or a diploma. Under the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are required to obtain at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which need to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Bear in mind that this is the minimal amount of instruction required and every state has its specific requirements. So it’s crucial to make sure that the training program you enroll in not only satisfies the federal requirements, but also those for South Carolina 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 certain that the training course is state certified. In addition to the training, each state mandates a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there may be other requirements as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Schools

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Fair Play SC Now that you have selected which nursing degree to enroll in, and if to attend your classes on campus near Fair Play SC or on the web, you can utilize the following pointers to start narrowing down your options. As you no doubt realize, there are a large number of nursing schools and colleges within South Carolina and the United States. So it is essential to reduce the number of schools to choose from to ensure that you will have a workable list. As we previously pointed out, the location of the school along with the cost of tuition are most likely going to be the initial two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate choice, use the following questions to see how your pick measures up 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 agency. Aside from helping make sure that you obtain a premium education, it may help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided in Fair Play SC for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing requirements 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) as well as graduation from an accredited school. Many 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 enrolled in not only provides an excellent education, but also prepares you to meet the minimum licensing standards for South Carolina or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the evaluations are for all of the schools you are looking into. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. In addition, contact the South Carolina school licensing authority to determine if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can speak with some Fair Play SC healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their judgments 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 displeased 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 Fair Play SC medical community, but that it also has the network of contacts to assist students attain employment.
Internship Programs. The most ideal way to acquire experience as a registered nurse is to work in a clinical setting. Essentially all nursing degree programs require a specific number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour prerequisites for licensing too. Ask if the schools have associations with Fair Play SC hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Online Nursing Classes

woman attending nursing school online in Fair Play SC Attending nursing schools online is growing into a more popular way to get instruction and attain a nursing degree. Certain schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours carried out in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this alternative may be a more convenient answer to finding the time to attend classes for some Fair Play SC students. Pertaining to tuition, some online degree programs are less costly than other on campus options. Even supplemental expenses such as for commuting and study materials can be reduced, helping to make education more economical. And many online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for BSN and MSN degrees. Therefore if your work and family responsibilities have left you with limited time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your active schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Fair Play SC?

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

South Carolina Highway 59

South Carolina Highway 59 (SC 59) is a 15.6-mile-long (25.1 km) state highway in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The highway travels in a south-north orientation from just southwest of Fair Play north and then northeast to Seneca, completely within Oconee County.

SC 59 begins at an interchange with Interstate 85 (I-85) just southwest of Fair Play. The route heads northeast into town, and intersects SC 182/SC 243. After leaving town, SC 59 heads northwest and turns to the northwest to intersect SC 24. The road heads on its northeast trajectory until it meets its northern terminus, an intersection with U.S. Route 76 (US 76), US 123, SC 28 in Seneca.[1]

Established in 1942 as a renumbering of SC 181 and part of SC 182, SC 59 traversed from the Georgia state line to Fair Play, then north to Seneca ending at US 76/SC 13/SC 28. By 1963, SC 59 was truncated at I-85 due to Lake Hartwell submerging the route to Georgia. The portion south of I-85 that was not submerged were downgraded to secondary road Lakeshore Drive (S-37-11). In 2000, SC 59 was extended northwest along West North 1st Street in Seneca, to its current northern terminus with US 76/US 123/SC 28.

Enroll in the Right Nursing Program near Fair Play SC

Fair Play SC nursing student Picking the ideal registered nursing college is arguably the most important step to beginning a new career in the healthcare field. There are various factors that you must consider when selecting a nursing school. These factors will be prioritized differently contingent on your existing career objectives, lifestyle, and economic status. As we have highlighted in this article, it is critical that you select an RN college and a degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the health care community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a short list of schools to select from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the proper degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become a practicing nurse in Fair Play SC.