Whenever you are faced with the decision of whether or not to go back to school that can bring up a lot of anxiety. It is certainly not a small decision; it can involve a very big commitment of time as well as money. There are a lot of things to consider and you don’t want to rush into this kind of life altering decision.
If you are considering going to nursing school, there are some things that you need to know in order not to be caught by surprise or ending up down the road realizing that you made a big mistake after already investing a lot of effort.
If you want to eventually become a registered nurse you can almost be guaranteed a job in this current market and for the foreseeable future. As our population aging and people are living longer, the pressures on the current health care system continue to increase and therefore job opportunities are being created all the time.
There are a lot of good options when it comes time for you to decide on a California nursing school. The US has a lot of excellent schools and educational facilities and no matter where you live, there is most likely somewhere relatively close by that offers the course you need, at least to get you started on your nursing career.
While you are still in high school, it’s a great idea to plan ahead and at least take courses so that you can have the basics in math, English and various science courses. Then once you get into post secondary courses you will study pharmacology, physiology, pathology and anatomy, chemistry, microbiology, nutrition, behavioral sciences, among others.
California nursing schools are generally run through universities and colleges although some hospitals also offer nursing training. In the beginning you can work toward an Associate of Science degree in nursing which can be offered through community colleges and usually involve a two-year program.
As part of your nurse training, you will also complete a practicum which might involve working in a hospital maternity, surgery, psychiatry or pediatrics departments. It’s also great if you can also get some hands-on nursing experiences in other facilities such as nursing care facilities, ambulatory clinics, public health departments or home health agencies.
After you graduate from school and start working you will be required to complete tasks in your daily work such as: performing diagnostic tests and their analysis, giving treatment and medication, educating patients about different medical conditions, operating medical hardware, and assisting patients with rehabilitation and post-treatment health care.
You could also decide to specialize. This might look like becoming a specialist in an area such as critical care, taking care of patients who have had cardiovascular, pulmonary or respiratory failure. You could also decide you would like to work in a very faced paced environment such as an emergency room at a hospital, focusing on treating patients with life-threatening health conditions.
Maybe you are not ready to become a full registered nurse so you could choose to graduate as a licensed practical nurse instead. That means you will spend less time in school and get a job sooner. You can take just one year and then work under a doctor’s supervision at a medical clinic and then go back to nursing school in California in the future if that seems like a good longer term plan.