Recent Articles of Interest

Nursing Schools are challenging, and with the nature of a nursing career and Medical Training, truly a trial by fire. I am enrolled in a nursing program and will graduate the LVN program in August 2007. I attend classes in the evening and on the weekend, to work around my current job. It is hard, tiring, sometimes frustrating, but sometimes magical! It would definitely be easier if you can attend school full-time and not work, but it's not impossible to survive. You WILL be sleep deprived, and forget about a life for up to 2 years.

Hands-on experience is vital to any type of Medical Training, and no training would be complete without it. My own experience and the observations I've made of fellow students proves that "book smarts" alone are not enough to be an effective doctor. Effective training simply has to include interaction with real patients. The mannequins we use to practice procedures like injections, insertion of NG tubes, catheters, and assessments are useful, but incomplete. Mannequins don't have the feel of a real body or give the feedback a real patient does (both positive and negative).

It's crucial and very much recommended for you to gather and analyze a list of Nursing Schools that you are interested in enrolling, as well as narrowing down fields of nursing you are considering. Make a note of your priorities and what you would like to accomplish. Will being a LVN be sufficient for what you're looking for? Are there other careers in nursing that you would do better in?

If you want the flexibility to pursue other Nursing Careers later, it is important to make sure whether a private nursing school has the accreditation you will need. What degree will you receive -- an AA, or a BS? Will your license be limited to only one state? If you choose to go on to a community college or university for a Bachelor's or Master's degree, how many credits can you transfer in?

Cost is another important consideration. It's easier to get into a private nursing school, but, they are also a lot more expensive than a community college program. I went with a private school because the waiting list for my local community college was too long. The next opening in the RN program was for 2011! I paid more so that I could get my education in a workable timeframe.

I have one more suggestion: go on any tours offered, and sit in on a class or two, if you can. Talk to the staff and the teachers. Take note of what kind of students attend the school. You are going to spend up to two years with these people. You need to know what you will be dealing with, and make sure you find a good fit. Make sure you like the style of teaching: is it challenging enough? Too difficult? What is the staff like? Will you enjoy the teachers? These are all factors in your level of satsifaction.