So you've decided you want to advance your education. Now the question is which school is right for you? Some people make their decision based only on finances, but there is more to consider. It's important to consider which careers you are interested in and what the normal career path is. The degrees or certificates required for each career will vary ...

When I decided, a little over ten years ago, to go back to college to pursue my bachelor’s degree, I viewed it as a necessary evil. I was contemplating starting my own business and believed I should “beef up” my credentials before moving forward. I saw the whole ordeal as a timely, expensive exercise that would yield me little more than ...

It's been said that life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. That's kind of what it's like for people who decide to become nurses after they've already gone to college. Perhaps you loved books so much you became a Literature major, happily earned a bachelor's degree but something didn't feel right. Sure, you could get a job ...

In my clinical experiences, I’ve found that it’s really hard to get the opportunity to perform a new skill. Picture it: New patient admitted to the floor, assigned to the nurse you are following, and needs an IV started. You (the student nurse): Can I start the IV? Nurse: Have you done it before? You: I’ve performed it several times in ...

You will be happy to find out that getting hired is truly “the easy step.” In nursing school, the employers come to you. as you will find yourself at many career fairs, with nurse recruiters from local hospitals trying to entice you with their cool pens and magnets. Do not be dazzled! Decide what you are looking for before the recruiters ...

Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. With all the classes and care plans and tests, it’s easy to get into a study rut, studying the way that makes you feel most comfortable. But if you keep studying that way, and you’re grades aren’t improving ... change it ...

So you’re sitting in the classroom chatting with friends before class starts, when the door swings open. At first glance, you think it’s your professor, she has the same body shape, same height, same stature. You turn away and then something makes you look back. You realize this person has on a horrible black shaggy wig, and so many layers of ...

There are nursing programs in the largest universities as well as the smallest community colleges. There are even online programs! So there's bound to be something for you. Here are the questions to ask yourself when selecting a school. Should I get an ADN or BSN? Deciding whether you want to go for an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree is ...

The Internet is overflowing with nursing school rankings, but just how are these lists composed? Many of them are ranked according to statistical averages of class size, number of teachers with Ph.D. status, tuition and program costs, outside funding provided to the school, ethnic breakdown, etc. When looking at rankings, keep in mind that many of them focus on different aspects ...

I am in my second year of a three-year BSN program, and yesterday our Health Promotion instructor posed an interesting question to our class. We were discussing various change theories and ways we can go about helping our clients make decisions. She wanted us to experience what it’s like for a client to use a structured tool to make decisions, so ...

By now you know that there is a nursing shortage. What people don’t think about is the shortage of nursing instructors that goes along with this. What does this mean for you? It means that you may be facing waiting lists and steep competition among prospective nursing students. You will need to do everything possible to make sure you get to ...

Noopa Kurian already had a degree in travel management and a job in her field when she applied to the nursing program at Stony Brook University. What she says she didn't have was job security. "I wanted to know that wherever I go, I'll be able to find a job," said Kurian, 28, of Lake Grove, who expects to earn a ...

Everyone knows the difficulty in getting into nursing educational programs. The problems with overcrowding in nursing programs have given rise to the use of lotteries and waiting lists. What prospective student has not experienced the problems inherent in waiting and waiting to enter an institution? And we all know the reason. The lack of nursing faculty has diminished the numbers of ...

Heading back to school for a nursing degree? Interest rates may be low for federal education loans, but don't let that lull you into complacency about the need for a budget, advises an article in a recent issue of Advance for LPNs. Among the commonsense advice in the article are these tips: [widget:340] • Send in your loan and scholarship forms ...

School is starting again. It’s back to the books, the studying, the commuting, and, maybe this year you are adding more clinical work to your schedule. It will take a lot of time out of your life and you may be anxious about it, but here are five big pluses to completing those clinical rotations and some pointers on getting the ...

The alarm goes off at 5:30 am, and you could swear you went to sleep five minutes ago. First a quick shower, followed by the finishing touches on that homework assignment due tonight over coffee and breakfast — if there’s time. Then it’s off to work, a solid eight-plus hours of time where you’re busy with charts, rounds and other assorted ...

I think it’s pretty safe to say that we all love those teachers who challenge us to see a different side of nursing that we’re not familiar with. The ones that are passionate about what they do (and what we want to do), and help us find ways to utilize the tools and information at our fingertips to help us get ...

As you begin your course of clinicals, you will need to be prepared with basic nursing equipment. Plan for this expense along with tuition, books and other fees. Check with your institutions for any specific requirements as to color and design before purchasing. NOTE: Some schools require that you wear a specific uniform and may require that you purchase your basic ...

Now that school is out for the summer, it’s time for some much needed R&R. My guess is that although you’re loving your time off, you may be trying to fill the void in your life that was once consumed by mounds of books and endless study sessions. Here are a few ways to make this summer the best one yet! ...

There is what they teach you in nursing school, and then there is what you learn in the ‘real world’ of nursing. Sorry my fellow student nurses, there IS a difference. I used to chuckle when the ‘seasoned’ nurse would make a comment like that when we were at clinicals during nursing school. Now I chuckle because they were so right. ...