<p>Can someone explain to me the process of becoming a nurse? and the outcomes, like salary and all that? i have a decent amount of interest in becoming one, but i don't know how the programs work in college. Say i wanted to be a registered nurse, then what would i have to do in college?
sorry if this is a stupid question.</p>
<p>Try this…
[Nursing:</a> The Basics - Discover Nursing](<a href=“http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-the-basics2]Nursing:”>http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-the-basics2)</p>
<p>thanks! anyone else?</p>
<p>Nursing salary info:</p>
<p>[Nursing</a> Salaries | Nurse Salary by Degree and Specialty Type](<a href=“41 Trending Nursing Specialties (Types of Nurses With Examples)”>41 Trending Nursing Specialties (Types of Nurses With Examples))</p>
<p>First, plan to get your RN. You can do that at an associates or bachelors level. I highly recommend bachelors. From there, you have many options. You can continue school and go on to be a nurse practitioner, you can go into management, or a myriad of other things. I am a nurse. I love the flexability and the opportunities it has provided to me. Highly recommend it. </p>
<p>As far as salary, it is as varied as the opportunites available.</p>
<p>thanks guys!</p>
<p>If you are keen on becoming a registered nurse, there are three ways of going about it. You can pursue an [ADN</a> program](<a href=“http://www.collegeamerica.edu/healthcare/associates/nursing]ADN”>http://www.collegeamerica.edu/healthcare/associates/nursing), which lasts for about two years and is available at both four-year postsecondary schools and community colleges. The other option is to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which requires four years of coursework. The third and final alternative is to get a nursing diploma from a hospital-based school. After you graduate, sit for and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to get your RN license. </p>
<p>As for other information you needed regarding salary, job prospects, etc. the website of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is an excellent resource ([Registered</a> Nurses](<a href=“http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm]Registered”>http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm)).</p>
<p>Don’t know how it works now but when I was in nursing school, each semester had a particular focus and our theory classes and clinical rotation were based on each areas. So when we learned Pediatrics we did 2 days a week clinicals in Peds. When we did Adult Med-surg then the 2 days were in a Med surg unit. Maternity was the same.</p>
<p>The schooling was challenging even 30 years ago but interesting and you become bonded together with your classmates who are all going through it with you. I did a BSN program, so don’t know how the ADN ones work but if you think you want to go on and get a Masters eventually you will need to get a BSN first.</p>
<p>So I have another question about this… If you get your BA in say biology or something else, now would you go about getting a BS or BSN?</p>
<p>Also, what is the difference between a physician’s assistant and a rn? Thanks!</p>
<p>If you have a degree in biology you can go on and get your AA RN in 2 years I believe. To get a BSN you probably need 3 but I think most who already have a BS in something else do not go for a BSN. When I was in school (30 yrs ago) the first year of nursing school was all prereqs then the next 3 years were nursing classes solely for my BSN.</p>
<p>The diff between a NP and PA is tricky and varies by state. I pasted a link below but basically I think a PA is a physician extender practicing medicine. A NP is an advanced degree in nursing and can treat patients independently in a specialty area such as diabetes or maternity, but must have a relationship with a physician to confer with.</p>
<p>RN’s work in a multitude of settings. In the hospital, they manage care of a team of patients.No PA does that. </p>
<p>Nurses are in the role to promote health, return the patient to the highest level of functioning as possible The PA may come with the doctor and access the patient or check on the status of a patient and relay things back to the doctor but it depends on each state’s laws. (I have never seen a PA in a hospital, only clinics) The PA’s focus is like the doctor’s, practicing medicine.</p>
<p>[a</a> Patient’s Guide to The Physician Assistant - Physician Assistants vs Nurse Practitioners](<a href=“http://www.pg2pa.org/PA_NP.html]a”>http://www.pg2pa.org/PA_NP.html)</p>
<p>Thank you Lakemom! The salary for both is about the same though, right?
Also, do you happen to know any good pa schools?</p>
<p>You are welcome. This is a list from US College and World reports. Not all states have PA programs.</p>
<p>[Best</a> Physician Assistant Programs | Top PA Schools | US News](<a href=“http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/physician-assistant-rankings]Best”>http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/physician-assistant-rankings)</p>
<p>Salary for both varies WIDELY on location. In nyc, san fran, a rn can make around $40 an hour, give or take. In some areas $18/hr is not unheard of or even less. If you are living in a major east coast city, I can tell you the starting hourly rate for rns is about $25 -30 an hour. Almost all nurses are paid by the hour aside from those in management, state jobs such as state mental hospitals or prisons etc. Those working in nursing homes, hospital floors, etc will almost always be paid by the hour. You can be a nurse with a diploma program(phasing out or non existant in some areas), associates or bachelors. Many hospitals REQUIRE AND ONLY hire nurses with bsns esp in metro areas where there are tons of bsn programs. I think that is the best option for most young people interested in nursing. It takes about 4 years, if you get into the program right away. Some schools have you take pre reqs for 2 years, then nursing classes for the last 2. You can major in nursing in many colleges/universities. You can also have a BA OR BS in some thing else, AND take the pre reqs for nursing then do an accelorated bsn program (about a year or so). There is so much variation the best thing to do is look up the criteria for all the schools you are interested in. The process is you graduate from an approved school of nursing, then register to take the NCLEX , which is the licensing test for nursing. After that you will have a license, a requirement, to work as a nurse.</p>
<p>I have been a RN (BSN) for 6 years now. My original degree was in accounting several years ago. It took me a full year to get pre-reqs at a community college and then 2 more years in a nursing program …there are some accelerated programs when you hit the nursing part of it…but not sure how you would survive that…</p>
<p>Definitely look at pre-reqs for programs you might be interested in as they tended to vary by school when I was looking…there were slight variations in the ones I was looking at and ultimately played a role in which I was able to apply.</p>