People wanting to attend nursing school need to have a high school diploma, or a GED before they can apply. For students that are in high school and have decided to pursue a career in nursing, it is possible to tailor a schedule to include courses that will have been beneficial when it comes time to enter nursing school.

These courses include algebra, biology, chemistry, physics, and high school English. It is important to contact a school before applying to find out what courses will be the most helpful. Of course many schools are looking for students who go beyond the classroom, and are looking for people who are involved with the community as well as having a little medical experience.

Once a student has decided to attend a nursing program, it is important to choose a program that is the best fit. The first option a student has is to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

This is a program that takes anywhere from six to twelve weeks, and students learn the basics of the medical field. This includes learning about taking vital signs, drawing blood, nutrition, infection control, anatomy, and basic nursing skills. People who receive their CNA certification work as orderlies, health aides working in patient’s homes, or patient care technicians. Students who working as a CNA must be supervised by a nurse while they are working.

The next highest level of education and certification a student can obtain is becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or a Licensed Vocational Nurse(LVN). To enroll in these programs a student must sign up for a state approved program which lasts for a year. LVN and LPN classes are usually offered at either a community college, or a local technical school. This program is more in depth than a CNA course as it involves bit classroom time and clinical practice. Student’s studying to become an LVN are also taught how to administer patient’s medication, as well as first aid. LVN’s and LPN’s take a patient’s vital signs, administer injections, provide wound care, and observe patients.

The highest level of nursing a student can obtain is becoming a registered nurse (RN). There are two types of degrees for RN students, either a two year associates degree, or a four year bachelor’s degree. The program must be accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Committee, and when a student completes the program, they must pass the National licensing exam known as the NCLEX-RN. Registered nurses are the highest paid nurses, but also have the most responsibility as they can work in operating rooms and intensive care units, as well as working in a doctor’s office.

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Hospital nurses can never be accused of having too much time on their hands. They have a task-oriented routine which keeps them busy from the moment they sign in until the moment the nurse on the next shift arrives to take over.

During the day shift, a nurse is typically responsible for as many as five to seven patients. During a night shift, this number may increase to ten to twelve patients. The exception to this rule is nurses who work in the intensive care unit, who are assigned only one or two patients at a time.

Routine nursing duties include making sure each patient gets his or her medication on time, performing wound care and doing regular assessments of patients with injuries or patients whose conditions are changing. Although the nurse is not personally responsible for checking vital signs–nursing assistants typically take on that task–the nurse does receive a report on any patient whose vital signs are outside normal limits, and the nurse is responsible for notifying the doctor of any changes and initiating any interventions the doctor orders.

Another of the important nursing duties is acting as a liaison between the patient and his or her doctor. For instance, if a patient complains of pain, the nurse makes an assessment, checks current medications, and calls the doctor to ask for new orders such as initiating or increasing an analgesic.

The nurse also helps prepare patients for upcoming procedures by administering the correct medications and monitoring food and fluid intake.

If a patient transfers to another floor in the hospital or another facility like a rehabilitation center or a skilled nursing facility, the nurse telephones the nurse who will be receiving the patient to give a report on the patient’s needs and condition. If a patient is being discharged home, the nurse gives him or her any written prescriptions and goes over the doctor’s final discharge instructions.

The nurse may also be called away from his or her routine at any time to help with emergencies, such as a patient who has become extremely agitated or gone into cardiac arrest.

Finally, before leaving at the end of the shift, the nurse documents every event that occurred in a patient’s care so that any other healthcare professional who looks at the chart will be able to assess the patient’s condition at a glance.

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