Accredited Online Universities Facilitate Nursing Education And On-The-Job Training!
It's not an easy road to become a nurse. The students have to attend four years at traditional or accredited online universities and then spend a year or more gaining hands on experience. If that was just you, then congratulations! You've graduated from nursing school and now you've walked the floors as an LPN for the last year or more. It's time to take National Council Licensure Examination (NYCLEX). Pass it and you are officially a Registered Nurse.
Taking the NYCLEX has its share of stories. Probably the most common is failing it the first time. The medical profession reports that nearly 15% don't make it the first time. Yet there are things an RN candidate can do to make taking the test a one-time experience. If you need more information about online college degree programs, look on the internet.
Probably the key thing an RN candidate has to overcome is his or her experience, or lack thereof. After all, they have only been on the floor taking care of patients for one to two years. It's virtually impossible for any RN to have hands-on knowledge of every aspect of her field in that period of time. In fact, most studies have show that at this point a nurse's knowledge is usually quite strong in the areas he or she's been working in. The things the nurse in college and hasn't used usually winds up a hazy memory by this time. The thing is the NYCLEX reviews every aspect of registered nursing, many times asking questions about things the nurse has not had to face. The nurse has to address this problem before signing up to take the exam.
Thus the nurse should review what departments she has worked in, and especially highlight the areas she hasn't. Sit down with a personnel director, supervisor or even a college career counselor about this. They can provide outsider insights about what's lacking. Then it's time to get truly busy.
Now it's time to take an online college prep course. Make sure to find out what their success record is before signing up. The higher the success rate, the better the school.
While one should not ignore any aspect of the prep course, the candidate should especially concentrate in the areas she didn't work in. Senior nurses report if they ran into any roadblocks during the exam, it was in those areas. Also make sure the prep course comes with sample questions. These drills are probably the most important parts of the entire course. True, they are not questions asked in the exam, but they are a hint about what to expect.
One other practical piece of advice is to consider online colleges for the prep exam. Young nurses are usually the last in line when it the shifts are handed out, and an online course doesn't care if it's taken at 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m., only that it's taken. This is where shift work and the dedication it requires can be in your favor. There is an abundance of information about accredited online university on the web.
One last important note: Even if you fail the first time, the profession is forgiving. Many of the best RN's in the field admit they had to take the NYCLEX a second, even a third, time. If anything, with further prep it made them better RN's because they now knew what they really were facing.
No matter if you are just entering this field or updating your resume, make sure you participate in accredited online universities. You can get your medical degree online and the work experience you need, but make sure the degree is worth the paper it's printed on.
