Nursing Careers

Nursing is a career filled with endless personal and professional rewards. If you choose nursing, you are choosing to spend your life helping others, using skills that blend scientific knowledge with compassion and caring. There are few professions that offer such a rewarding combination of high tech and high touch.

Nursing is the nation's largest health care profession, with 2.6 million registered nurses (RNs), and many more needed in the future. Nurse: are the largest single component of any hospital staff - the primary providers of hospital patient care - and, they deliver most of the nation's nursing home care. They work in a variety of other settings as well (See nursing opportunities.)

With the aging population growing steadily, there will be no shortage of jobs for nurses well into the future. In most parts of the country, the average age of nurses is growing, meaning that more nurses are retiring, thus furthering the nursing shortage. So, as the current crop of Baby Boomer-age nurses nears retirement, fewer trained nurses are in the pipeline to replace them. This translates into more job opportunities with the potential of higher starting salaries.

What do nurses do?

professionals, and serve as the advocates for patients and families.

Ongoing advances in technology - which are helping people live longer, healthier lives - have made nursing
even more rewarding to those who like developing their skills in this area. Nurses do:

 

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Assessments: Nurses gather information about the patient's physical condition, emotional state, lifestyle,
family, hopes, fears, etc.
Diagnoses: Nurses identify the patient's problems or needs, which often are emotional or spiritual, as well as physical.
Planning: Nurses find ways to address these problems and set specific goals for improvement.
Whenever possible, burses encourage patients to participate in planning their care.
Implementation: The nursing plan is put into effect. For example, nurses may administer medication  and treatments, or teach patients how to care for themselves; e.g, showing them how exercise might improve their flexibility after surgery.
Evaluation: Nurses regularly review the results of the plan and make adjustments when necessary.
 

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Nurses care for patients in the following way:

Nurses help bring babies into the word, and they take care of new moms before and after childbirth.
Nurses help sick an injured people get better, and they help healthy people stay healthy.
Nurses perform physical examinations.
Nurses give medications and treatments ordered by doctors.
Nurses are concerned with the emotional, social, and spiritual conditions of their patients.
Nurses teach and counsel patients, as well as family members, and explain what they can expect during the recovery process.
Nurses provide health care teaching and counseling in the community.
Nurses observe, assess, evaluate, and record patients' conditions and progress, and they communicate patient condition information to doctors and other members of the health care team.
Nurses help patients and families determine the best mix of health and social services - hospice, home care, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and others.
Nurses design and complete quality assurance activities to ensure appropriate nursing care.
Nurses help terminally ill patients die with dignity, and they help family members deal with dying and death.
 

bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) - are almost guaranteed jobs right out of college and can be assured of a secure career well into the future.

Income potential

The national average for entry-level RNs with a four-year degree is $31,000 to $41,000 per year. That's $15 to $20 per hour. Compare this to average starting salaries for new graduates in:

• Accounting - $37,000
• Marketing - $34, 000
• Economics - $38, 000
• Teaching - $25, 735

Salaries increase as nurses gain experience. When you consider the pay a nurse receives for working shifts and overtime, many nurses make much more than their base salaries. Nurses who go into management and advanced clinical practice can earn even more.

• Nurse managers average $50,000.
• Mid-level managers make about $65,000.
• Nurse executives average $85,000, and can make much more.
• Nurse anesthetists earn about $72,000.
• Nurse practitioners average $52,000.

Nursing opportunities

Nurses today have more options than ever before about what kind of work they do, where they do it, and when they work. About 50 percent of nurses work in hospitals. The rest work in many other settings, including:

• Long-term-care centers (rehabilitation, nursing homes, hospice)
• Community health clinics
• Freestanding outpatient and surgery centers
• Medical offices (eye doctors, dentists, obstetricians, surgeons, and others)
• Home care (visiting nurses, private duty nurses)
• Nursing schools (as professors)
• Corporate health centers (occupational safety, consultants, educators)
• Insurance and managed care companies
• Other companies (pharmaceutical, medical technology, biotech, and others)
• Research centers (research nursing)
• Schools (including K-12, university clinics)
• Military
• Peace Corps and international service organizations
• Hospital regulators (conducting surveys, inspections)

Nursing opportunities in hospitals

Where do nurses work in hospitals? Practically everywhere! They work in:

• Nurse researchers, who study ways to improve nursing methods, evaluate patterns of patient care, 
  and more;
• Nurse practitioners, who perform many advanced medical functions that once only physicians were
   permitted to do; and,
• Psychiatric nurse practitioners, who perform functions that once only psychiatrists were permitted to do.

Preparing for a nursing career

Nursing schools require a high school diploma and a sound academic standing in high school English, algebra, chemistry, biology, physics and psychology. An understanding of computers and technology also is a great asset.

Nurses also need:
 

Volunteering at a local hospital is a great way to learn more about the career and can help you get into the nursing school of your choice.  Contact your local hospital about volunteer opportunities.

In addition to taking SATs and other tests, many nursing schools require a pre-admission test called the NLN Pre-Admission Exam. Your guidance counselor will have information about when and where this exam is offered.

Nursing School

Students interested in nursing should apply to state-approved and accredited schools of nursing.

Courses include classroom instruction in biology, chemistry, physics, the social sciences, nursing theory and practice, and the humanities. In addition, students get supervised clinical hands-on experience in hospitals and other health care settings.

Students need good study habits and excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Confidence, determination, and an eagerness to learn will guide you in your pursuit to help and heal others as a nurse. There are more than 1,500 nursing programs in the United States. Three types of training programs prepare you for different roles once you graduate:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) - a four-year program offered at colleges and universities around
   the country.
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) - a two-year program offered at many community and junior
   colleges. Some hospital schools of nursing and universities offer ADN degrees.
• Hospital Diploma - a two- or three-year program based in hospital settings. Many diploma schools are
   affiliated with junior colleges where students take basic science and English requirements.

The BSN gives you the most opportunity for advancement and the most flexibility of the three types of degrees and is required for those interested in a master's degree in nursing.

A master's degree is required for those who want to practice in advanced specialty areas. Fields that require a master's degree include:

Licensing

• Graduates must pass a national licensing exam to become an RN.
• The exam is offered through the Board of Nursing from the state in which you plan to practice.
• Some states require continuing education or practice to maintain a nursing license.

Continuing education

Science is always finding new treatments, new medicines, and new procedures to help patients. Think of all the new treatments developed since you were born - tremendous breakthroughs in heart care, cancer care, and treatments for all kinds of new and old diseases. So, keeping up with the latest in the medical and nursing sciences is essential. All nurses take continuing education courses on a regular basis.

I've graduated. Now what?

New nurses receive on-the-job training in hospitals and other health care settings through orientation programs, in-service training, and practicum's. All newly employed nurses are encouraged to ask questions. With the help and support of more experienced nurses, they participate in the nursing process from the beginning.

If you choose to become a nurse, you will discover a career filled with endless personal and professional rewards. Good luck!
 

RVU's newest degree offering "A Bachelor's (BSBA) in 
Health Care Management"
 

addition, successful completion of the program will also allow the student to earn six Professional Certificates, without any additional credit hours or tuition costs. NOTE—in order to qualify for the Bachelor's degree this like others at RVU is a 'Associates Plus Two' program and is based upon the premise that all Associate Level course requirements have been met through either an equivalent Associates degree program or actual Associates degree required classwork.

RVU's newest offering --- BSBA

This unique program prepares students for a variety positions in the planning, directing, coordinating, and supervising of health care delivery.   RVU trained health cares supervisors will be trained and prepared to deal with today’s ever increasing complexities in our integrated health care delivery systems.  Topics that deal with the restructuring of workloads, coping with every more sophisticated technological innovations, and an increased focus on preventive care will serve as the core of this course. Here are training centers around the working health care manager, positioning that individual to improve efficiency in health care facilities and the quality of the health care provided.  While at the same time keeping attuned to all administrators face in their day-to-day challenge of managing within a legal and ethical framework that constantly questions every move. Students may seek positions in hospitals; nursing homes; long-term care facilities; health maintenance organizations; physician group practices; surgery, diagnostic, and rehabilitation clinics; the insurance industry; governmental and schools and educational institutions agencies.

All courses are taught by professors who are well established Health Care Management professionals, which gives students not only a strong academic base, but also access to hands-on real-world experience. These invaluable opportunities to glean insights and practical perspectives are one of the things that sets RVU above other educational institutions.

PHYS 2901 Advanced Anatomy and Physiology for Health Care Professionals - 3 semester hours
PHYS 2902 Laboratory/Clinical Research - 1 semester hour

This course is a survey course of human physiology including functional anatomy. This course will be presented using an organ system approach and will cover cellular physiology, cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and the reproductive and nervous systems. This course emphasizes the correlation between anatomical structure and function, clinical application, and usage of correct anatomical terminology. Topics include cellular anatomy with an emphasis placed on the structural organization of the integument, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, renal, reproductive, and nervous systems. Students apply these concepts in the anatomy laboratory setting using resources such as Cadaver dissection, radiographs, MRI, CT scans. A Laboratory/Clinical Research program is also a part of this course.

NUR 3100 The Nurse as an Academic Scholar - 2 semester hours

additional skills that will be emphasized. This class will involve active participation in cooperative team/group activities as well those centered on individual activities. This course is a prerequisite for most Nursing courses.

NUR 3160 The Nurse as a Professional - 2 semester hours

This course focuses on the role transition to professional nurse as provider of care, manager of care and member of the profession. The responsibilities of the nurse as an advocate, provider, teacher, manager, researcher, and leader are explored. The student is introduced to the concepts of the Neuman's Systems Model as a theory of practice. Ethical and legal principles, socio-economical concepts, and political principles guiding the profession are introduced. The student is expected to utilize written, oral, and electronic communication skills in transitioning to the professional nurse role.

Prerequisite for NUR 3160: NUR 3100

NUR 3020: Health Assessment across the Lifespan - 3 semester hours
NUR 3021: Health Assessment Research - 1 semester hour

Building upon current assessment skills, the student in this course will engage in a holistic model of health assessment and physical examination, diagnostic reasoning, and clinical judgment that includes nursing models and theories of wellness and health maintenance. Using a life cycle approach the student will become familiar with the usual and expected developmental tasks for each age group, and seek to build upon the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strengths of a client/patient. Consideration of racial and ethnic differences, as well as the uniqueness of each gender will be of crucial importance when gathering assessment data for a complete health history and physical examination.

NUR 3030: Alternative Health Promotion: Integration of Complementary Therapies- 3 semester hours
NUR 3031: Alternative Health Promotion Research - 1 semester hour

The integration of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies with conventional practices enables a nurse to provide holistic care that encompasses the body, mind, and spirit. This course will integrate the therapies of the Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes on Health with current nursing practices to construct a wellness model for health promotion and client-nurse collaboration. The five categories of CAM therapies that will be explored are: (1) Alternative Medical Systems, (2) Mind-Body Interventions, (3) Biologically Based Therapies, (4) Manipulative and Body-Based Methods, and (5) Energy Therapies.

NUR 3050: Nursing Research in Professional Nursing Practice - 3 semester hours
NUR 3051: Nursing Research - 1 semester hour

This course posits the professional nursing student as a consumer of research who is engaged in evidence based practice. Emphasis is placed on the ability to seek, locate, analyze, evaluate, and utilize resources that are related to the scientific knowledge base of nursing. Fundamentals of nursing research are presented through research topic selection and problem identification, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, qualitative and quantitative methodologies, data analysis, evaluation and utilization of research findings, and ethical aspects of research, which are included in class discussion. Students are challenged to refine their critical thinking skills in order to analyze, critique, and evaluate published research for utility in practice. This process culminates in an integrative review of the literature for selected nursing foci and related health topics.
 

analyze and apply contemporary models of leadership and management to selected foci in the nursing and health care arenas. In this course, the student is guided toward the leadership challenge of designing outcomes-based, client-focused environments that are oriented toward excellence in nursing practice and patient care.
 

factors that influence community health and resource allocation. Health promotion, disease prevention, and health education are operationalized as principle interventions within the context of community health. In the mentored clinical practicum, the student collaborates with community health practitioners from a variety of settings in order to gain a greater understanding of issues that face individuals, families, and groups in both local and global communities.

BLAW 2103    LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF BUSINESS    3 SEMESTER HOURS

There are 20 lessons and 3 exams in this primary business law course.  Students in any paralegal, pre-law, nursing, business, and/or accounting undergraduate program will find this class invaluable.  Designed to be real world, and not simply text book, this introduction to the legal environment of business is a must for anyone wanting a better understanding of basic legal/business workings.  Topics covered in this survey course include: the foundations of the American legal system, including business ethics and corporate social responsibility; the regulatory and competitive environment of business, including labor and employment law; intellectual property law including copyrights, trademarks, and patents and protection of those assets;  medical malpractice and violation of privacy law; and private law affecting business, including contracts, agency, and the law and various types of business organizations.

Instructors: Dr. Steinberg JD, Dr. Dolenz JD, or Dr. Combs JD

Limited Options

Before the current concentration and reanalysis began, the only courses offered were through a couple of local hospitals. These were the combination of a few week programs along with distance learning courses. As those involved in the early reviews noted, more flexible programs were needed. Almost immediately it was felt that participants should be able to:

• Attend a full or part-time proctored courses, or
• Undertake a distance learning program that could be offered by competent colleges

Returning Practitioners

As well an analysis of the varied clinical learning environments had to be thrown into the mix. It was felt that the use of local press, web pages, open days and some leisure arenas, would serve to promote the RTP programs. One of the keys that came out of these initial attempts to bring former nurses back into the health care environ was a one-stop recruiting process. The reason for this process is simple: candidates can apply and be admitted to their chosen program, undertake a clinical placement and take up subsequent employment at the health care facility of their choosing.

As an incentive to encourage former practitioners to return to health care practice, some facilities are even offering sign-up bonuses, and incentives.

The RVU Department of Health Sciences is very active in assisting those former practitioners as they upgrade and update educational and certification-licensing requirements by hosting a plethora of continuing education courses, distance learning options, and in-class opportunities. At RVU the entire purpose of the Health Sciences Department is geared to helping those who wish to be of service to others in the myriad of care positions available in today's world.