An Associate of Science in Nursing degree is a basic two-year degree program that is usually offered by community and/or junior colleges. There are several four-year universities and colleges throughout the United States that offer an ASN degree. Graduates of this program are qualified to complete the examination required to become a Registered Nurse.

Some ASN programs can be completed through hospital based nursing schools. Associate of Science in Nursing programs require at least two-years of study for completion and combine both clinical and nursing classes with standard education classes like English and College Algebra. This type of program will prepare nurses to function as leaders and providers of various nursing functions such as hands-on care, educational programs, surgical assistance and a host of others.

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Graduates of an Associate of Science in Nursing program work collaboratively with other members of a health care team in both hospital and clinic settings, as well as facilities that serve medical specialties like cardiac care and oncology. ASN graduates possess knowledge of therapeutic nursing, patient communication and education, medical culture, medical ethics and medical education. ASN graduates serve as patient advocates and provide care either themselves, or via delegation from a supervisory role.

Associate of Science in nursing Graduates also gain knowledge and education of care administration in the physical clinic or hospital setting through a variety of clinical studies that must be successfully completed prior to graduation. The ASN program affords students a great deal of professional and personal growth and development while preparing graduates to take on the responsibilities of the nursing profession and continuing education. Graduates of an ASN program are qualified to provide basic, general nursing duties and are a vital part of the health care team.

Successful completion of an ASN program will earn the graduate an opportunity to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) in order to gain qualification to practice in the medical field as a Registered Nurse. The duties of a Registered Nurse are more in depth and the opportunities afforded one for successfully passing this national exam are highly beneficial and lucrative.

Obtaining an associate’s degree of science in nursing will also prepare students to go forward and continue their education by embarking on a program to complete a bachelor’s of science in nursing or a BSN. Most schools offer an accelerated program for obtaining a bachelor’s degree if the applicant has already successfully completed an ASN program. These accelerated programs will allow applicants to complete their bachelor’s degree in as little as twelve to twenty months.

You will easily be able to find many various programs and other qualifying information via some basic online research. If you have never considered the possibility that an Associate of Science degree in nursing might be right choice for your education, we highly encourage you to do a little homework and focus on the wonderful opportunities this degree program can offer to current students and graduates alike.

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Whereas a typical RN assists in health care, an APRN is a primary health care provider. Although in practice the duties of a physician and APRN may be very similar, there is a fundamental difference in approach. Physicians seek to fix medical problems, often through medication and/or surgery, APRNs seek to help patients cope with problems and live the best life they can live. This distinction is a matter of emphasis and approach, as typically APRNs’ capacities overlap with physicians. For example, both have the capacity to prescribe medication.

The APRN will typically work in a primary care facility or clinic, and will be certified in a specialty relevant to the practice of the clinic. Like physicians, APRNs typically specialize. Thus APRN’s duties vary according to their specialty and the specialty of the clinic in which they work.

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An APRN is not a nurse per se. Some states consider RN duties as within the scope of an APRN’s duties, many do not. While the employer has some say in whether an APRN can assume these duties, one must refer to the nurse practice act of the state in question for an authoritative answer as to whether an APRN can assume typical RN duties.

The APRN may diagnose actual or potential health problems as well as changes in overall health, plan treatment for patients, implement the plan, and evaluate their planned treatment’s success on an ongoing basis. They will also evaluate the patient’s health status on an ongoing basis. They will typically provide supportive and restorative care, and counsel or teach the patient as well.

APRNs collaborate with a physician in order to implement the total health care regimen. Whereas APRNs typically collaborate with physicians, in many states, there is no legal requirement for collaboration with a physician except in dispensing medication. However, like MDs, APRNs are generally supervised by MDs rather than by RNs or other APRNs. An APRN’s authority is considered delegated by the supervising physician, although this does not require the physician’s presence.

An APRN may, in collaboration with a physician, prescribe, dispense and administer medication and corrective measures and may request, sign for, receive and dispense drugs, such as professional samples. In order to be able to prescribe and administer drugs or controlled substances, the APRN must maintain current certification with the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists. During surgery, an APRN may only prescribe and administer medication if the physician supervising the prescriptive activity is physically present within the clinic or institution hosting the surgery.

The duties that may be performed by an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) vary from state to state. The requirements vary also. Typically, the APRN is expected to hold a master’s degree, and must be licensed in the state in which they practice. Additionally, APRNs must specialize in order to be licensed. Generally, however, there are broad similarities from state to state in both the requirements and duties of an APRN.

To summarize, APRNs work is very similar to what a physician does in a primary care practice. Unlike the physician, whose emphasis is repairing tissue and curing disease, the APRN focuses on overall quality of life.

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If you are thinking about beginning a career as an LPN or LVN then you are joining one of the fastest growing fields today. First, it’s important that you realize that there is no real difference between an LPN, Licensed Practical Nurse, and an LVN, Licensed Vocational Nurse. However, while most states in the union use the term LPN, two states, California and Texas, use the term LVN. This position features a long list of duties that are both difficult and rewarding. Knowing that you are helping people is one of the best perks of the job. Also, it features great job security as nurses are always in need and that need is always growing.

Because LPN and LVN mean the same thing, you don’t need to be confused about whether or not they require different education levels or feature different duties. LPNs and LVNs care for the sick, injured, or otherwise disabled. They are under the supervision of either a doctor or an RN- Registered Nurse. Their most common duties usually involve bedside care. They may measure and record vital signs, gives injections or enemas, monitor catheters, dress wounds, and even give alcohol rubs and massages. Their duties may also include making patients comfortable, bathing patients, dressing patients, assisting with hygiene, or feeding patients who are can not do so on their own.

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LPNs and LVNs may take test samples, perform routine lab tests, and record fluid and food intake records. They are also responsible for the cleaning of any equipment. They may also be trained to assist doctors and RNs in the many procedures they perform such as tests and procedures. There is a large amount of information that LPNs must gather and record from patients such as negative reactions to treatments and medications. They must record the patients’ health history and how they are feeling at the time. They will then use this information to fill out forms and referrals along with any other needed paperwork. They also share this information with doctors and nurses so they can come up with the best methods of treating the patient.

LPNs will often work in many different forms of health care as the duties they perform are quite general. They may work with the doctors and nurses to figure out the needs of the residents in the area where they operate and devise methods of meeting those needs. They may have to take appointments, keep records, and perform similar office responsibilities. LPNs may also work for home health care facilities. In this position they may be required to prepare meals and help instruct family members on how to properly perform simple nursing tasks. In certain states in the country, LPNs may be allowed to give prescribed medications to patients, inject intravenous fluids, and provide other care to needy patients. If you think you would enjoy helping people and performing these kinds of duties on a regular basis for 40 or more hours a week, then being an LPN/LVN may be the perfect career for you.

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There are many reasons why a career in health care can be an attractive prospective. Whether you have a natural instinct for taking care of other people, or are looking for an interesting career that provides great opportunities, nursing is an excellent option to pursue. Before taking your first steps in order to become a Certified Nurse Assistant, however, it is important that you learn more about the training that will lead to your CNA certification, as well as what you can expect as a part of your daily duties once you are employed as a Certified Nurse Assistant.

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Working in the world of health care can be, in turn, challenging, rewarding, exciting and frustrating. Many people are drawn to a career in health care because of the daily interactions they will have with the patients for whom they care. Those patients rely upon the knowledge and skillful actions of their health care professionals in order to enhance their quality of life while providing measures of relief for whatever medical problem they are facing. Although there are many happy outcomes in the field of health care, there are also times when patients are lost. It can often be difficult to balance maintaining positive relationships with patients while remaining detached from sad occurrences in order to stay focused. Certified Nurse Assistants will deal with this challenge on a daily basis.

Certified Nurse Assistant Training

Certified Nurse Assistants must train to meet certain federal and state health regulations before they can enter into their newly chosen profession. On the federal level, Certified Nurse Assistants are governed by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation act of 1987. Each state in the United States has additional regulations that further refine the national standard as well. At a minimum, training to become a CNA requires at least 75 hours of instruction time that is split between classroom learning and clinical hands-on experiential learning. There are many topics that you will cover during your Certified Nurse Assistant training.

When you first begin your Certified Nurse Assistant training, some of the important topics that will be covered are learning what patient care involves and really understanding the patients you will care for as a CNA. Certified Nurse Assistants are involved in the day to day care of many patients, and learning to recognize what those patients are going through, often in long-term health care settings, will help you to become successful in you profession. Additional training will help you to learn more about anatomy and physiology as it pertains to the care you will administer to your patients.

Compassion cannot be taught, it is a quality you must already have when you become a Certified Nurse Assistant. What you can learn through this training however, is how to best care for individuals who may be difficult to understand or who may not be appreciative of your care. Many people who are terminally ill or require constant nursing care will express their fears and frustrations in ways that seem mean or grouchy. While training to become a CNA, you will learn techniques to deal with this type of behavior while continuing to deliver the highest quality of care.

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During your Certified Nurse Assistant training, you will also learn the ins and outs of working in various health care settings. Often, you will have a set number of hours where you will receive hands on training in a certain facility. So many functions go into a patient’s daily care and by experiencing the wide variety of activities to expect, you will become more knowledgeable about what will be expected of you later on.

Certified Nurse Assistant programs will also help you to understand certain common ailments or occurrences you will regularly encounter once you have entered your profession. It is through this understanding that you will be able to provide the highest quality of care possible on a day to day basis later on.

Certified Nurse Assistant Duties

The daily duties of a Certified Nurse Assistant can be drastically different from day to day. One of the largest factors that will determine what you average day is like will be the type of setting in which you work. Within a hospital setting, your pace of work will often be more frantic, as the needs of your patients will be more urgent. You will see different patients on a day to day basis and likely not work with the same patients for any great length of time.

Within a nursing home setting, the pace of your work will likely be less frantic. The residents of your facility will likely remain fairly stable, allowing you to form long term relationships with those people for whom you provide care. Patients in a nursing facility often require the same types of care day in and day out, allowing you to be able to predict how your time will be used on a regular basis. Within a nursing facility, you will often also get to know the families of the patients for whom you are providing care. This can help you to better understand not only your patients but also the ways in which you can go over and beyond your typical duties to provide an extra level of care and compassion.

Certified Nurse Assistants can also work in home health settings. In this type of position, you would travel to the homes of your patients on a set basis, whether daily or several times per week. Being invited into someone’s home adds an entirely different dimension to the care you will provide as you will be able to see your patient outside of a purely clinical setting. It will be your responsibility to not only respect your patient’s surroundings but also to ensure that the care you provide is appropriate for the setting you are in. As a Certified Nurse Assistant, you will also need to be watchful of any factors within a patient’s home environment that may affect their ongoing care.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant can be both challenging and rewarding. With valuable training and hands-on experience, you will find that you’ve entered a profession that will affect you profoundly for a lifetime!

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A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a licensed health care practitioner trained as both a nurse and midwife, and certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. Normally, the CNM has a master’s degree in nursing. However, licensing requirements vary from state to state.

Midwives provide an alternative approach to health care for women, while still working within the established framework of medical science. Midwives can be primary care providers. Typically they provide more personalized care than can be expected from a primary care MD or specialist MD. They approach puberty, birth, and menopause as normal aspects of a woman’s life rather than as medical emergencies that need to be cured or repaired. They often emphasize counseling and education over medical intervention.

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CNMs are primary healthcare providers for women of childbearing age. They may perform routine annual gynecological exams. They also perform family planning services and preconception care. Additionally, CNMs may provide counseling in health maintenance and disease prevention, and even menopausal management.

The personalized approach provided by midwives may be preferable in the case of adolescent health care. CNMs, as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team, help guide teenagers toward healthy behaviors and lifelong positive lifestyle choices, supplementing parental influence, especially where the subject matter may seem too awkward or delicate for the teenager to discuss with parents.

The primary focus of midwifery is expectant women, and CNMs provide a range of clinical services for pregnant women, new mothers and newborns. They manage labor and deliver infants. CNMs are involved in almost 8 percent of births in the United States and 96 percent of these births are in hospitals.

Midwives emphasize natural childbirth as much as possible. Typically, midwives care for patients in a private and comfortable birthing center, or even in the comfort of the patient’s own home. Additionally, they are often part of hospital labor and delivery teams. A patient may choose to utilize the services of a midwife whether they intend to give birth at home, in a birthing center, or a hospital.

In addition to their emphasis on natural childbirth, midwives are often preferred by expectant mothers because of the lower costs, including lower maternity care costs, the availability of payment plans and sliding-scale fees, all while accepting most health insurance plans. While the details of CNM licensing may vary from state to state, they can prescribe medication in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Midwifery is an appropriate choice for low-risk pregnancies, which constitute 60 to 80 percent of pregnancies. The other 20 to 40 percent could potentially have complications, and may require the intervention of an MD. Since it is not always clear when a pregnancy may involve complications, midwives routinely consult with obstetricians, perinatologists and other specialist MDs, and will refer patients to the appropriate MDs should complications arise.

With their medical as well as counseling training, CNMs provide for both the routine medical and emotional needs of women patients, and can refer patients to qualified specialists for matters beyond the scope of their expertise.

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Nursing is a demanding career; however it is one of the most rewarding career choices anyone could make. People in doctor’s offices, hospitals, and other medical establishments can benefit from your help when you get your nursing degree. Plus, with the nursing shortage, you are virtually guaranteed to be able to get a job after you obtain your degree.

Registered nurses can work in a variety of environments; they can work in doctor offices, hospitals, dental offices, nursing homes, clinics, schools and so many other types of medical establishments. Because of the nursing shortage, once a nurse obtains their RN degree, they will be able to select where they want to work; it will be their choice. There are always dozens of job positions available for RNs, so any RN will be able to choose which job position is best for them.

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Making the choice to become a Registered Nurse (RN) could be the best decision of your life; and it doesn’t necessarily involve a terribly long course of study, either. In fact, there are three ways in which a person can qualify as a RN:

• Get a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) - This method involves completing a 4-year college program. Usually, the first one or two years at college are spent learning general education requirements (requirements necessary for any type of degree). The last two to three years are spent on nursing courses. Many nursing jobs that offer the highest salaries and the best perks call for a nurse to have a BSN.
• Get an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) - This is also known as an Associate’s of Science in Nursing (ASN). An ADN is a 2-year program that allows a person to begin working as a RN after completion. This type of degree typically focuses on technical nursing skills; not on the theories of nursing. A great many nurses seem to prefer this program because it involves more hands-on practice rather than simply textbook-type work.
• Diploma Program - This type of program is usually through a hospital. Students take two to three years to complete the program. The program involves science support courses, nursing theory and clinical practice.

After the successful completion of one of these three methods, a person needs to take an examination. This is the national licensing examination known as the NCLEX-RN. Passing this examination will certify a person as a RN.

After becoming a RN, many nurses decide to complete continuing education programs. While some nurses already have their BSN’s, some choose to continue schooling to earn those degrees to open up more job possibilities. Others might choose to study a nursing specialty so that they can work in a specific type of nursing field like pediatrics or oncology.

If you choose to become a RN, you will be able to help a great number of people on a daily basis and you will be glad you took this step, and so will the people that you are able to help.

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Ask just about any nurse and they willl tell you they find their job to be quite satisfying. Most nurses; even those who routinely work double shifts and overtime due to staff shortages, are really quite happy with their jobs. There are many rewards to being a nurse… emotional and otherwise.

The job rewards begin almost before a nurse even starts working, in many cases. There is a nationwide nursing shortage, and hospitals and doctor offices all across the country are in need of good nurses. New nurses can do some searching and choose whatever job is best for them, rather than resorting to taking whatever job is available. They can also choose among jobs in nursing homes, dentist offices, and other medical establishments. The nurses have the pick of the market, and that is quite nice.

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This means that nurses can often negotiate for the best job terms. Some job positions offer recruitment bonuses such as tuition repayment assistance, daycare assistance, and relocation assistance. Others offer cash bonuses of anywhere from $2,000 up to $20,000. Any of these types of perks make for a very nice way to start a new job!

Of course, the bonuses and perks aren’t the reason why these people decided to become nurses in the first place, though. People decide to become nurses because they want to help other people, and if you think about it, nurses are really the ones who are there to help people more often than many doctors. A nurse is the one who takes a person back to a doctor’s office examination room, and she is also the one who takes any preliminary information about the patient’s medical history and problems. They take the patient’s blood pressure and temperature and writes down all information on the patient’s chart. A nurse is vital to the operation of absolutely any doctor’s office.

That right there is the main reason why so many people decide to devote their lives to nursing; they want to make a difference in people’s lives. They certainly do that in any doctor’s office or medical establishment. If any patient thinks back to their last visit to a hospital, chances are they will remember that they spent more time conversing with the nurses than with a doctor. Without nurses, patients in hospitals would never receive the care they need.

The rewards of nursing are many. Yes, the hours are long. Yes, the job is difficult and demanding. However, there aren’t many jobs that give you as much inner satisfaction as nursing can. With a nursing career, a person can explore a variety of different job possibilities, without having to earn a different degree. Job security is nearly guaranteed, and job advancement possibilities are almost without limit. Perhaps the best reward of all is the people. Nursing gives you a chance to help all types of people through all types of tough life situations. You can make a difference in people’s lives, and you can be a vital member of a team. The world of nursing is filled with rewards.

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