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Online Career Colleges » Health, Medical, and Nursing » Nursing, Registered Nurse
Nursing, Registered Nurse Degree Programs
Online Nursing, Registered Nurse
Looking for online accredited career colleges and universities offering Nursing, Registered Nurse degrees. Each program from a Online Career College, a post-secondary for-profit institution, offers an education with an in-demand career field. As total higher education enrollment decreases, student enrollment in courses and degree programs at online colleges continues to rise. Today, millions of college students choose to take some or all of their courses online. Nursing is a rewarding field and nurses, RN's, LPN's, LCNs and vocational nurses all enjoy helping others.
Online Nursing, Registered Nurse Degrees
Registered nurses: taking care of business
A registered nursing career offers the opportunity to work on the front lines of health care. Registered nurses can be found in almost any health care setting, from operating rooms to doctors offices to school clinics. No matter where they work, registered nurses play a key role in patient care, providing much of the hands-on care, instruction and treatment patients need to get -- or stay -- healthy.
Because they work in so many different settings, the job duties of a registered nurse, or RN, can vary quite a bit. General responsibilities of a RN may include the following:
- Observing and recording patient medical history and symptoms
- Establishing a care plan for patients
- Managing licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants
- Providing emotional support for patients and their families
The work schedule may include evenings or weekends and on-call hours. RNs are exposed to an array of medical conditions, and the work can be physically and emotionally taxing.
Registered nursing school and careers
To become a registered nurse, you need to earn a nursing degree and meet state licensing requirements. Nursing degree programs are available at the associate and bachelor's degree level. In rare cases, hospital-based diploma programs may be available.
Nursing schools combine classroom instruction with supervised clinical experience in hospitals or other health care practices. Basic courses include:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Microbiology
- Psychology
- Nursing practice and theory
As a registered nurse, you may decide to specialize in a particular area of nursing such as pediatrics, oncology or geriatrics. In some cases, you may need to purse additional certification to specialize.
After completion from an accredited nursing program, you need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN. You must meet state guidelines to keep your license current, which include renewal dates and ongoing continuing education.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for an RN was $64,690 in 2010. Overall, employment of registered nurses is expected to increase by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018, with significant job growth expected in outpatient care settings such as doctors' offices.
