Nursing Schools Near Me | How to Become an RN - Jetersville VA

How to Enroll In a Nursing College near Jetersville Virginia

Jetersville VA surgical nurse assisting surgeon Searching for the right nursing program near Jetersville VA may seem like a formidable project, especially if you aren’t sure what to look for in a good degree program. As you may already know, to practice as a registered nurse, you need to acquire the appropriate education and training in order to become licensed. So it is vitally important that you research and measure the qualifications of each college you are considering before enrolling in your final selection. Unfortunately, too many potential students base their decision entirely on the cost of tuition and the distance of the school. Going with the least expensive college or the one that is closest to your residence is no doubt not the most ideal way to decide on a nursing program. There are many essential additional factors to investigate before you determine where to attend classes. But before we delve into that checklist, let’s first discuss what the function of a registered nurse is in our medical system, as well as the nursing degree options that are offered.

Registered Nurse Job Responsibilities

Jetersville VA Neonatal Nurse with baby Registered nurses are the primary occupation in the medical care delivery system. RNs practice in many different medical environments, including Jetersville VA hospitals, private practices, outpatient clinics, nursing homes and even schools. Their primary job is to support doctors in the care of their patients. However, the exact duties of a registered nurse will be dependent on their job or area of expertise as well as where they work. A portion of the responsibilities of an RN may include:

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

Nurses with a higher degree may have more advanced job duties and accountabilities. Nurse practitioners (NP), for instance, must hold a Master’s Degree and generally work more independently than their RN counterparts. They can provide 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 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 earn 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 brief summaries of the nursing degrees that are available in the Jetersville VA area.

Associates. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is generally a 2 year program offered by community colleges. It readies graduates for an entry level job in nursing in healthcare facilities including hospitals, clinics or nursing homes. Many employ the ADN as an entry into nursing and ultimately obtain a higher degree.
Bachelor’s. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) supplies more comprehensive training than the ADN. It is commonly a four year program offered at colleges and universities. Licensed RNs may be qualified to complete an accelerated program based on their prior 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 job market.
Master’s. The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is generally a 2 year program after obtaining the BSN. The MSN program provides specialization training, for example to become a nurse practitioner or focus on administration, management or teaching.

Once 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 change from state to state, so be sure to contact the Virginia board of nursing for any state requirements.

LPN Programs

Jetersville VA LPN assisting patient There are basically two scholastic credentials offered that provide instruction to become either an LPN or an LVN. The one that can be concluded in the shortest time period, typically about twelve months, is the certificate or diploma course. The 2nd option is to obtain a Practical Nursing Associate Degree. These programs are broader in nature than the diploma alternative and usually require 2 years to complete. The benefit of Associate Degrees, along with supplying 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 pursue, it should be Virginia approved and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or some 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 Certificates

Unlike other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to obtain a college degree. CNA instruction can be received at Jetersville VA area community colleges or at vocational or trade schools. The length of the training program can take anywhere from 1 to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated 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 training required and each state has its own requirements. So it’s necessary to make sure that the course you enroll in not only meets the federal requirements, but additionally those for Virginia or the state where you will be practicing. One suggestion is to get in touch with 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 might be additional requirements as well.

Questions to Ask Nursing Colleges

geriatric nurse with elderly patient in Jetersville VA Once you have decided on which nursing degree to enroll in, along with whether to attend your classes on campus near Jetersville VA or on the web, you can utilize the following pointers to begin narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are numerous nursing schools and colleges throughout Virginia and the United States. So it is important to decrease the number of schools to select from so that you will have a manageable list. As we already mentioned, the site of the school and the price of tuition are undoubtedly going to be the initial two factors that you will take into consideration. But as we also emphasized, they should not be your only qualifiers. So before making your ultimate decision, use the following questions to evaluate how your selection compares to the field.

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 organization. Besides helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it may assist in obtaining financial aid or student loans, which are oftentimes not offered in Jetersville VA for non-accredited schools.
Licensing Preparation. Licensing prerequisites for registered nurses are different from state to state. In all states, a passing score is required on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) together with 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 essential that the school you are attending not only provides an outstanding education, but also prepares you to satisfy the minimum licensing standards for Virginia or the state where you will be practicing.
Reputation. Check online rating services to see what the assessments are for each of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Also, get in touch with the Virginia school licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Jetersville VA 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 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 substantiate that the school has a favorable reputation within the Jetersville VA healthcare community, but that it also has the network of contacts to help students gain employment.
Internship Programs. The best 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. Various states have minimum clinical hour requirements for licensing too. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Jetersville VA hospitals, clinics or labs and assist with the placing of students in internships.

Online Nursing Degrees

woman attending nursing school online in Jetersville VA Attending nursing schools online is becoming a more favored way to receive training and attain a nursing degree. Some schools will require attending on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs require a certain amount of clinical rotation hours completed in a local healthcare facility. But since the balance of the training may be accessed online, this option may be a more practical approach to finding the time to attend classes for many Jetersville VA students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online degree programs are less expensive than other on campus alternatives. Even supplementary expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be reduced, helping to make education more easily affordable. 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 work and family commitments have left you with little time to pursue your academic goals, perhaps an online nursing training program will make it easier to fit a degree into your hectic schedule.

Attending a Nursing School near Jetersville VA?

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

Battle of Sailor's Creek

The Battle of Sailor's Creek (also known in whole or in part as Sayler's Creek, Little Sailor's Creek, Harper's Farm, Marshall's Cross Roads, Hillsman Farm, Double Bridges, or Lockett's Farm) was fought on April 6, 1865, near Farmville, Virginia, as part of the Appomattox Campaign, near the end of the American Civil War. It was the largest battle of the Appomattox Campaign and the last major engagement between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and local Richmond area defense forces commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army (Army of the Shenandoah, Army of the Potomac and Army of the James) under the overall direction of Union General-in-Chief Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant before Lee's surrender of his army to Grant at Appomattox Court House three days later.

The battle actually was a series of at least three large separate actions, including a running battle, fought mostly simultaneously but over varying periods of time on the same day. The battleground was a wide rural area of several miles in both width and length with creeks and bluffs at its western edge. Large units of the Union Army had pursued the Confederates after the fall of Petersburg, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia and the flight of the Confederate forces after the Third Battle of Petersburg. The Confederates were trying to get past the Union pursuers and head south to North Carolina in order to combine with the Confederate army under the command of General Joseph E. Johnston. On April 6, 1865 at Sailor's Creek, some of the pursuing Union units caught up with elements of the Confederate army. Not every unit of both armies fought in all of the engagements at Sailor's Creek because of the timing of the engagements and the large area in which they were fought, and some units of the two armies were too far from the battlefield to participate at all. Except for the archaic and superseded spelling "Sayler's Creek," the alternate names for the battle are names for the separate actions rather than the entire day's action.

As the day developed, increasing numbers of men from Union forces overtook large numbers of Confederate soldiers with their equipment and supplies moving in two separate columns. Approaching the area of the battles, these Confederate Army columns were spread out over several miles of two parallel roads a few miles apart as they moved west with their equipment and wagon trains. The Confederates tried to avoid moving over the rain-soaked terrain off the roads. Delays caused by the need to cross the two small bridges over Sailor's Creek and Little Sailor's Creek and the high bluffs on the far side of the creeks added to the delays. With wagons and equipment moving at different speeds, gaps in the Confederate columns also occurred. The gaps provided easy opportunities for Union Army attacks against parts of the Confederate columns in vulnerable positions. The terrain and choke points, especially at bridges, kept some Confederates on the same side of the creeks as the Union forces, which brought increasing numbers of men to the fight. The terrain, especially high bluffs, slowed and temporarily confined Confederate units on the other side of the creeks. Union forces were able to bring up larger numbers of men than the Confederates had remaining on the near side of the creeks and gain advantageous positions on the battlefield, where they could push the Confederates up against the creeks and the bluffs.

Pick the Right Nursing College near Jetersville VA

Jetersville VA nursing student Choosing the right registered nursing program is probably the most crucial first step to launching a new career in the medical care industry. There are numerous aspects that you need to take into account when picking a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your current career goals, obligations, and financial status. As we have emphasized within this post, it is essential that you pick an RN school and a degree program that are both accredited and have outstanding reputations within the healthcare community. By utilizing our checklist of qualifying questions, you will be able to produce a shortlist of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the appropriate degree and training, combined with your dedication and drive to succeed, you can become a practicing RN in Jetersville VA.