Have you always dreamed about becoming a nurse and want to know more about school programs? Nursing is a wonderful career choice and provides tremendous job satisfaction. Selecting a program is a big decision, one that will impact the rest of your life. Here are five factors to take into account when selecting a nursing program.
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Consider the Accessibility of Classes and Clinicals
Selecting a nursing program is exciting, and you’ll want to think about logistics and preferences early on. For example, do you have a certain learning style and prefer some class formats over others?
You might already know that you thrive in online learning and are interested in remote or hybrid courses. Or, you might prefer in-person learning in a class setting with fewer students.
If you do choose to attend an onsite nursing program, would you have to commute or do you need to attend school close to your home? Living in a dormitory can be an option, and some students thrive when they live on-campus. Others find dorm life distracting.
Clinical locations and schedules are another logistics factor to consider. Will you be able to commute to the different locations? Are evening clinicals available? You might be able to choose from among several clinical location options, but you’ll have to see if that’s the case program by program.
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Does the Program Incorporate Technology in the Curriculum?
In the past, whether a school emphasizes technology in nursing would not have been a central criteria for selecting a nursing program; it’s something to consider now. Technology impacts nursing in a huge way, allowing RNs to improve care, communication and efficiency in their practice. Healthcare technology plays an important role in remote appointments and telehealth, smart devices for patient monitoring and nursing education in the community.
Learning about the use of technology in nursing practice might come in handy as you think about specializing in the future. Nursing informatics manages medical information and data to promote improved patient care. For example, using sophisticated electronic documentation can speed up and improve responses to patient status changes. RNs and informatics nurses need to know how to use technology appropriately to guard patient confidentiality, as well.
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Is the Nursing Program Accredited?
Accrediting bodies evaluate nursing programs to make sure they meet specific state and national standards. The goal of accreditation is to ensure quality nursing education across schools and programs and help ensure curriculum is up to date with emerging knowledge and practices. To receive accreditation, nursing programs in the United States must meet the standards of either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
While it’s possible to get a nursing license if you attend a non-accredited program, there are several drawbacks to consider. For one, you will be ineligible to receive federal financial aid. This can be critical since most students need some form of aid to cover the costs of tuition, fees and textbooks. Class credits from non-accredited nursing programs typically don’t transfer if you decide to attend a different school. You may have a hard time being accepted into graduate programs in the future if your undergraduate degree is from a non-accredited school. In sum, attending an accredited versus non-accredited nursing program can hugely impact your future.
Remember, school accreditation and nursing program accreditation aren’t one and the same. Even though a university or school is accredited by a state or national body, you still need to check if their nursing program is accredited by ACEN or CCNE.
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Look Up NCLEX Pass Rates.
The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) determines if a nursing candidate is prepared to practice entry level nursing. Choosing a school that prepares you to be an effective nurse is tantamount to selecting a program that best prepares you to pass your licensing examination. This is why it is crucial to study NCLEX pass rates as you compare programs. NCLEX pass rates are a critical gauge when evaluating the quality and rigor of a nursing school’s curriculum.
On a different but related note, check to see if your prospective nursing programs offer NCLEX preparations courses or resources. It’s never too early to start preparing for the big examination, and all the better if your nursing program of choice has tools in place to help you along!
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What Kinds of Student Support Services Does the Nursing Program Have?
While nursing school may not be easy, having a strong support system can make things feel manageable. Friends, family and classmates will probably serve as your central support system, and you’ll also want to find out what resources are available through the nursing program. For example, does academic advising occur only at the beginning of school terms or continue throughout courses and clinicals? You’ll want to have someone to lean on if you have curriculum-related concerns, questions about your program or just need the listening ear of a mentor. Also, find out what kind of learning support centers each nursing program has and what their students’ resources encompass.
Another thing to consider is if the school provides career advising. Some schools employ one person devoted to career services, and it’s not uncommon for very large institutions to have an entire office focused on career services.
Choosing a nursing program is exciting and a big decision that will impact the rest of your life. The trick is to know what to look for, which factors are most relevant to you as you select just the right school for yourself!
Sources:
- https://nurse.org/education/nursing-school-accreditation/
- https://journals.lww.com/nursingmadeincrediblyeasy/fulltext/2014/07000/the_role_of_informatics_in_nursing.12.aspx
- https://www.ncsbn.org/exam-statistics-and-publications.htm
- https://www.allnursingschools.com/how-to-get-into-nursing-school/choose-the-right-school/