Factors To Consider When Choosing A Nursing School
Finding the perfect nursing school is no easy task. There are a plethora of factors to consider such as location, curriculum, and cost. While some aspects may seem unimportant at first, many can significantly impact your success. In order to avoid a future of regrets it's important to be well informed so that you can make the best possible decision for yourself!
For example, you'll want an institution with high-quality faculty members who are certified and have extensive experience in their chosen field. You should also consider whether there is any chance of transferring credits or getting a job after graduating from this school (some schools will offer one and others won't). If the chances of transferring credits are significant, you'll want to search for a school that allows students to transfer credits as credit transfers between state schools.
While budget is a nice-to-have, it shouldn't be your first priority when searching for the best nursing school. If you're looking at private versus public schools there's no question as to which is better: private schools have more money in their budgets and can afford "nicer" facilities and equipment. However, you shouldn't feel pressured into applying only to the most prestigious schools because, even if they are free or close to that range of tuition costs, quality is often sacrificed for financial gain.
One thing is for sure – the more you know about a nursing school, the better your chances will be of finding an institution that fits exactly what you're looking for. Use these suggestions as tools to help you find the perfect nursing school, and we hope it will make all of your future decisions much easier!
1. Do your research into why this nursing school was established and operate under their guidelines.
2. Look into their accreditation and see if it matches up with certain standards. This will help you gain some comfort in knowing that the nursing program you are considering has been evaluated by a third party and is a legitimate program.
3. School officials should be transparent when someone asks "what if I decide to transfer my credits?" or "where is your job placement rate?" If a school is not forthcoming with this information (or at all), it's best to look for other options.
4. Look at their website for the most recent evaluations by the federal government (Hello, NACNC!), as well as select accrediting agencies.
5. Compare tuition costs and see if you can get financial aid from your state or federal governments to offset any costs that might be out of your control in coming years; these are usually based on economic need, and those in the lowest financial positions are most likely eligible to receive assistance.
6. Compare school facilities and staff education. Are they outdated, near the lower end of the spectrum? What types of equipment are they using (computers, printers, computers with internet access, etc.)? If you're looking at a school that has a new facility or is built in 2010 or beyond, it might make sense to visit their facility for an inspection personally before applying if you can.
7. Adhere closely to graduate certification requirements for entry-level nursing positions after graduation.
8. Investigate the school's graduation rate and how they select students to graduate; is it based on their performance in the clinical setting? Does their program offer any kind of job placement assistance or practice laboratory experience?
9. Lastly, find the best nursing school with a great school to prospective new grads! The best place to start your search is at nurse.com, because it will give you an overview of most state schools and make a few suggestions based on what you're looking for: graduate/masters-level education options, length of program (type of program), average salary after graduation and available jobs.
You should also see what's included in their curriculum, such as lab hours and practicum hours, as well as the types of clinical experiences they offer. Are there any clinical opportunities in rural settings, or urban areas? What about special populations you're looking for? Check out the most recent NCLEX pass rates to make sure your program isn't on the lower end of the spectrum (in any state) when it comes to maintaining their students education who are graduating from this school. Make sure there is an academic achievement code for each nursing school you're reviewing and that you understand what exactly it means.
4. What is the average starting pay for a registered nurse?
Some of the factors that help determine an individual's salary when entering the field of nursing are education, certifications, and years of practice experience. However, there are some statistics that can give you a general idea of what you'll be earning once hired after graduating from your chosen school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2011, 75 percent of registered nurses had over two years' experience. If you compare that to 2013 data, we find that 75 percent of all nurses spent between two and ten years in the field prior to becoming licensed.
On average, RNs with a two-year degree will make approximately $66,000. Compare that to the salary of an RN who has a master's degree, which is around $97,000 – just for that extra year of school. When you compare the data listed in the BLS' Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) from 2012 and 2013, there are some interesting similarities:
Employment of RNs is projected to grow 15% from 2012 to 2022. This is faster than average (11%) for all occupations.
During that same time period, employment of LPNs and LVNs should increase 22% and 14%, respectively.
Both LPNs and LVNs are expected to have greater employment growth than the average for all occupations.
Because of the increased demand for nurses, hospitals are looking to hire new registered nurses who have experience. If you want to earn more money, building a resume with more years of experience should be a priority moving forward into your career.
You should also keep in mind that the BLS uses data from the American Community Survey, which is collected by the U.S. Census Bureau February of each year. The data is updated annually, usually in September. There are several important points you should know about this:
It is only an estimate and not a hard number .
. It is not possible to know exactly how many of those RNs were employed by hospitals, as some may have had employment outside of the fields of nursing or in smaller parts of the country.
of those RNs were employed by hospitals, as some may have had employment outside of the fields of nursing or in smaller parts of the country. The data does not reflect any change over time and is only an estimate for a general comparison to the BLS' statistics from the previous year .
for a general comparison to . The data is not always comparable from year to year, as it can be affected by factors like unemployment rates and population changes.
Conclusion
Because thousands of current and future registered nurses are looking for info to assist in their decision, there is a lot of information out there to digest. Staying up-to-date is key, but so too are getting a fair overview of the average starting pay and experience data. Make sure you're in the right place when applying – and keep in mind that every nursing job has its own set of benefits, perks, and post-graduation options.
The BLS data can give you an idea about potential salaries for both entry-level positions as well as those with more experience. However, because it doesn't always reflect all nursing jobs available, it's best to do your research beforehand (with the help of nurse.