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Monthly Archives: May 2010
Help Solve the Nursing Shortage: Second Degree BSN Nursing Programs
Author: Jeff Morrow
Title: Help Solve the Nursing Shortage: Second Degree BSN Nursing Programs
Article: The changing U.S. economy and the desire of many working people to ‘make a difference’ after the events of September 11 have contributed to a growing interest in nursing as a career. Additionally, over one million new and replacement RNs will be needed in the United States by 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In response to these factors, nursing schools are offering new ways to attract and quickly train more nurses while maintaining the quality and integrity of nursing education overall.
A popular approach is the second degree nursing program. Sometimes called accelerated nursing programs, they allow individuals who already have a baccalaureate degree (BA) from an accredited university or college in an area other than nursing to obtain the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in under four years. These programs are offered at both baccalaureate and master’s degree (MA) levels.
Second degree programs accept all course units successfully completed by students in their first degree. This effectively fulfills the prerequisites of a BSN plan. Many second degree BSN programs can be finished in 12 to 18 months, while MSN programs designed for non-nursing graduates usually take three years to complete. The accelerated nature of these programs makes them especially appropriate for people who are looking to make a career change, but the pace of the programs can be challenging. They usually involve intense instruction periods and include the same number of clinical hours as those given to students in traditional programs.
Typical second degree nursing students tend to be older and more motivated, with higher academic expectations than students who enter traditional nursing programs right out of high school. Students in second degree nursing programs generally have high grade-point averages and nearly always pass their licensing exams on the first try.
Admission standards for second degree nursing programs are high and usually require a 3.0 GPA at minimum. Persons interested in such programs must make a formal application to the educational institution of their choice and meet all of its admission requirements. College transcripts are reviewed to ensure that all prerequisites for a second degree nursing program are met.
According to second degree program educators, most applicants meet the arts and social science prerequisites of their programs, while some do not meet the natural sciences requirements. To help these students, most second degree nursing programs offer these prerequisites just before the start of the accelerated program. Personal interviews with representatives of the Department of Nursing at the given educational institution are usually required as well.
Upon completion of an accelerated or second degree program, students are eligible to take the licensing exam for RNs, the NCLEX-RN, which is required by the Boards of Nursing in all 50 states and U.S. territories.
In 1990, there were 31 second degree BSN programs and just a dozen accelerated MSN programs in existence in the U.S. Today there are 205 BSN programs and 56 MSN programs. A second degree BSN nursing degree is a great way to help solve the nursing shortage and obtain job securiy. Find more information about second degree BSN programs or RN jobs .
Jeff Morrow writes about employment issues for nurses.
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Solutions to Finish Your Degree
Author: Art Gib
Title: Solutions to Finish Your Degree
Article: Due to different life circumstances, individuals may enter the workforce soon after high school or prior to finishing their bachelor degree before completing their college degree. Many find it difficult to return to a traditional brick and mortar university after being away for so long or having never gone. In addition, individuals may not live close to a brick and mortar university or may find it inconvenient to find the time to attend classes and do homework with full-time work and family schedules. Online colleges are a viable solution for these individuals. Online colleges offer a variety of programs, including those in information technology, education, and health care to name just a few.
However, not all online colleges are equal-some are not even accredited. The time spent searching for an online accredited college is time well spent and would save much more considerable time and heartbreak than students who may find themselves already enrolled in a online college program that is not accredited and may not be recognized by the employers or industry where they would eventually like to work. Accreditation adds further validity to a college degree.
Online accredited colleges have met stringent requirements for their accreditation’s-the same ones that traditional brick and mortar universities have to meet. For these reasons, it is easier to find employment with a degree from an online accredited college instead of an online diploma mill.
Perhaps the biggest benefit to online accredited colleges is the flexibility. Students can study in their own homes or place of their choosing and can access their program anywhere that has Internet access, whether it is from a public library, at home, or even while traveling. Students can often set their own pace and motivated students find the completion of online programs easier. It is common for online accredited colleges to enable the student to interact with other students and faculty members as they go through their program as additional layers of support. So while the program is online, the students are supported and offered assistance as they work through their program.
Another benefit is the cost as most online accredited programs are usually less expensive than many public or private universities. Again it would be wise to search out the different online accredited colleges to find the right fit. Interested individuals should also see what scholarships or financial aid the different online accredited colleges offer students to help save even further. Art Gib is a freelance writer. To get more information about online degree visit http://www.degreesearch.org. They provide information about online degree programs and accredited online colleges.
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Most Living Cheap Advice Is Pure Garbage!
Author: Scott Siegel
Title: Most Living Cheap Advice Is Pure Garbage!
Article: If you have looked for information on how to live cheap, you should have discovered that most advice on living cheaper is pure garbage. The material found out on the internet in most cases is absolute nonsense.
Here is an example. There is an ebook on the internet that supposedly tells you 101 ways to get cash in an emergency. Here is some of the advice that ebook suggests.
One of the first things suggested is to turn your hobby into cash. Walk the neighbors dog or weave baskets. Are you kidding me? What neighbor is going to pay you to walk their dog today? Remember, the premise of this book is to generate emergency cash right now.
Sure, go next door to Joe’s house and tell him you will walk his dog for five dollars. Joe will probably tell you to get lost. His suggestion of where you should go will consist of much stronger language.
While you are there, why don’t you sell him one of the baskets the book recommended you sell. “Ok Joe, so you don’t want me to walk the dog, but here, buy this basket I just made, I’ll give you a great price.”
It is amazing to me that people can actually write such trash and then turn around and expect people to buy it. Here is another great suggestion. “Spend more wisely,” is the miraculous solution to your immediate cash needs. That will work!
Nice to know, when your car breaks down and it will cost you $800 dollars to get it going that you will be able to easily find the cash to take care of it as long as you just spend more wisely.
Here is another way to generate immediate emergency cash. Plan ahead, put money away for a rainy day so it will be there when you need it. Ok, so now they tell you to plan ahead. Your cash shortfall is solved if you just plan ahead.
Too bad they didn’t give you that amazing advice two years ago, you might have had enough to fix the hole in the roof you just discovered. It just might take a while but with planning you can get your roof fixed in about a year or two. Meanwhile, get a few buckets till you have saved enough.
Here is more advice offered to save money for an emergency. Spend less than you make. Wow, what a concept. Spend less than you make. The first question is, how exactly is that going to give you emergency cash right now? The second question is, how are you supposed to do that?
But they solve that question too because the next advice offered is: seek out a higher paying job! Of course, why didn’t I think of that. Just go out and get a higher paying job. How stupid of me not to realize that was all that was needed.
You can clearly see from these examples what kind of useless information you will find when looking for real answers on how to live cheap. If you ever see a book called 101 Ways To Raise Emergency Money, run the other way.
If you see any book that has a title even close to it, beware! This particular book is out there and is offered to others who want to have their own book to sell. They put a slightly different title on it and put their name on it as the author and now they are the expert selling a book showing you how to get cash fast.
When you look for information online about living cheap or saving money, make sure you take a good look at the source. See who wrote it. See if they wrote anything else. See if there is any guarantee on your purchase. If you are not satisfied, make sure you can get your money back.
There are good ways to live cheap. There are strategies and real advice you can learn from that will help you live a better life for a lot less money. You just need to find the right source.
When you really learn to live cheap you will find that you can utilize practical and comprehensive methods to make your dollars go farther. When you learn how to do that you will find that you are not living cheaper, you are really living richer! Living cheap expert Scott Siegel can show you how you can live cheap! Learn how you can master the art of cheap living. See how in the guide to living cheap. Visit LivingCheapGuide.com
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Mind Mapping Yourself Into Focus
Author: Suzanne Holman
Title: Mind Mapping Yourself Into Focus
Article: Mind mapping can seem like such a disorderly process. You pull out a big sheet of paper, get the markers rounded up, and start writing, drawing circles and lines in
all directions. How can this help with focus?
Lack of focus is one of the key sources of struggle for most people. Sometimes it takes thinking “out of the box” to get some direction. Have you been avoiding the “hard stuff” and keeping busy with the routine tasks? Has not being sure of what to do next kept you stuck at the starting line?
Perhaps you feel pulled back and forth by stimuli in many directions. This could be caused by emails and phone calls coming in from people with other priorities. They want your input and they want it now! In an office setting you may have coworkers walking in to chat about work subjects or just their upcoming golf game. How do you decide where to focus your energy?
Are there too many ideas to implement all at once? How can you narrow it down to what you can manage?
There are a number of solutions to these challenges and today we are focusing on the mindmapping process.
Tony Buzan explains Mind mapping in his popular book, How To Mind Map: Make the most of your mind and learn how to create, organize, and plan. His book came out in 2002, but he wasn’t the first to use this type of organizing. The Greeks developed many systems to organize and recall facts, using imagination and association. Imagination and association are two keys factors for why mind mapping works so well to organize and clarify your thinking.
Mind mapping gives you an overview, displaying large amounts of data in one place. You are able to see new creative pathways and integrating information. And a mind map is even enjoyable to look at and read.
Mind mapping recreates the way we were designed to think. We don’t have outlines and structured charts in our brain. There are millions of connections going from one concept to another. These connections are what helps us to recall past learnings and integrate new ideas.
Although there are software programs for mind mapping on the computer, I prefer to use the tried and true method of a large sheet of paper and colorful markers. Once I start with a central core to an idea, I come up with lots of details going out from that core. These connect with other concepts that may give more understanding to that core idea. Then you can create connections for possible solutions to a problem.
What I find is that my thoughts then flow from these key “sentence starters”. I find myself coming up with much fresher, more creative ideas than when I am trying to fit my thoughts into the linear outline form. Would mind mapping be a help to you in getting your focus? I would enjoy sharing my experiences of mind mapping with you and develop strategies with you for your business using the process. You”ll find me, Suzanne Holman, the Exuberant Productivity Coach on the web at Exuberant Productivity.com I know you”ll enjoy some of the other resources on my site to support you in creating a healthy bottom line plus quality time for family and FUN!
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Becoming A Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse
Author: Ann Knapp
Title: Becoming A Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse
Article: Licensed Practical Nurses are very much in demand in lieu of America’s nursing shortage. The program for becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse is approximately one year or less.
Financial aid is available for this training program as well as many other sources of funding. Licensed Vocational Nurses/LPN’s make only a few dollars less than Registered Nurses. This is perhaps due to their scope of practice is less inclusive than that of Registered Nurses. By 1994, LPNs earned over $14 per hour on average. There was a short decline in wages of not only LPNs but for RN’s as well during the years between 1994 and 1998.(1) In the year 2001 LPNs were making between $17.78 and $21.15. In 2007, a graduate RN who had passed their state boards made approximately $22.50 per hour. Licensed practical nurses held about 749,000 jobs in 2006. About 26 percent of LPNs worked in hospitals, 26 percent in nursing care facilities, and another 12 percent in offices of physicians. Others worked for home health care services; employment services; residential care facilities; community care facilities for the elderly; outpatient care centers; and Federal, State, and local government agencies. About 19 percent worked part time. (2)
The scope of practice for LPNs vary from state to state as mandated by the State Board of Nursing. In general, the LPN is able to feed and bathe the patient, empty Foleys, J-pegs, colostomy bags, take a patient’s blood pressure, temperature (orally or rectally), exercise patient via assisting patient with walking, pass medications, change dressings of 2 day post- operative wounds as well as dress bedsores at stage II decubitus ulcer, report patient changes to the nurse, transport patient, give some injections (though not I.V.Push), hang IV bags, give massages and administer enemas.
LPNs can monitor patients for untoward reactions to medications or treatments and report findings to the RN. The RN is then responsible for follow up and to re-assessing the patient. The LPN works under the guidance and supervision of the RN. The RN’s license is jeopardized if the LPN does more than their job description if given instructions to do so by the RN. The LPN can help with regard to patient teaching, such as dietary suggestions for diabetics, and importance of tight glycemic control.
In most cases LPNs find employment in nursing homes, medical clinics, doctors offices and hospitals.
LPNs are required to pass a state licensing exam (NCLEX-PM) upon graduation from Licensed Practical Nursing Program.(2) A high school diploma as well as a nursing entrance test is required to gain admittance into the program. In 2006 there were over 1,500 State-approved LPN training programs in the U.S. In times past nursing programs were offered directly through hospitals. This type of practice has been replaced by individual nursing schools. LPN curriculum requires that the student review, learn, be tested upon and apply critical thinking in an actual heath care settings. Courses include anatomy and physiology, medication calculation, pediatric nursing, maternity nursing, medical surgical nursing, nutrition, psychiatric nursing and CPR.
Further education is encouraged for graduate LPNs/LVNs. Hospitals, nursing homes and sometimes medical clinics will often pay for furthering the education of an LPN/LVN to becoming an RN. In many cases, it is much easier for an LPN/LVN to obtain their Registered Nursing Degree. This is in part due to their prior patient care experience and the fact that many Registered Nursing Programs require that LPNs/LVNs attend a one year program to complete their R.N. Degree. This is the road that many LPN/LVNs take. They get their LVN/LPN and then go for their RN Degree while they are already working in the field. Pass the Nursing Entrance Test the first time with our guide at Nurses Learning Center. Written by a Professor of Education for nurses, the guide has over 600 pages with details answers to every question.
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Computer Courses – An Elixir For Success
Author: James Copper
Title: Computer Courses – An Elixir For Success
Article: In a world that runs on computers, it is not hard to imagine the need for computer courses. There are thousands of courses available today. All these computer courses can be divided into three categories; namely, for beginners, basic level and for the advanced users. While the beginner’s courses focus on teaching the preliminary subjects associated with the computer, such as switching on and off and operating a computer, the basic courses are formed on the premise that the learner has some knowledge of computers and their operation. However, the basic courses do not go deep into the application of specific software.
The advanced courses on the other hand, are designed to teach and apply specific software and their management. These courses are important only if you need to know specific branches of the computers, such as those for enhancing career related skills. Again, the caution that should be observed while looking for a computer course is that the names of the courses may not reveal the actual topic. For example, web publishing and web designing are two different subjects and have vastly different syllabi.
Computer courses are offered on a variety of subjects. For example, the courses may offer general computer skills and hardware troubleshooting to office software. These courses are essential for all – the beginners as well as basic users. Moreover, there are courses on business and financial programs, website design and internet skills. You’d need the business and financial programs if you are working in a department that frequently uses business and finance software. However, with the growth of internet, internet skills are also becoming one of the most sought after subjects. Additionally, there are courses on multimedia, digital photography, desktop and web publishing, networking, databases and programming. These courses are specific and require the basic knowledge of running particular software that is necessary for specific operations. However, one needs to understand that these are widely varying subjects. For example web designing and database administration are two different subjects.
There is a variety of courses in the context of their duration and study techniques. Online courses are useful for those who want to have self-paced study of the chosen topic. These courses are available on the internet and can be taken up by anybody who wishes to learn about a particular subject of interest. These courses offer the freedom of self study in desired mode but have a deadline for completing the course so that people understand that they cannot be too slow in learning the topics. Some of these courses may also include paper handbooks or audio materials.
The short term courses are aimed at people who want to learn about specific subjects within a shorter period. Some examples would be ‘computer hardware and support’, ‘the internet and email for beginners’, and ‘basic computer skills’. These usually end within a span of few weeks.
There are also certified courses and degree and diploma programs. The hardware and networking courses fall in this category. These are for advanced users who wish to master their chosen field of study. Most of the career oriented courses are of this type. These have standard tests and evaluating procedures that have certification on successful completion of the course.
It is up to the user to take up a computer course according to the need and field of study. In general computer courses are a very important part of life today and their importance is bound to only grow rather than decrease in value with passing time. James Copper is a writer for http://www.computer-it-training.co.uk where you can find information on computer courses
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Can Gardeners Be Called Professionals?
Author: Peter Finch
Title: Can Gardeners Be Called Professionals?
Article: With concrete jungles making their presence felt, people are now looking out for homes that have a small garden attached to it just so they have that little bit of greenery to soothe tired eyes. Apartment blocks plan their buildings so that there is space for landscaping and gardening. For these gardens, one needs people to care for and maintain them. Gardeners, as professionals, are a minority breed, but at the same time it is the oldest profession around today.
So how would one define a gardener? You can say that he is a person involved with the planting and subsequent maintenance of the plants. This person can belong to any race and any profession. They can be hobby gardeners in small residential homes where one would find a tiny vegetable patch along with flowering plants or they could be part of an orchard involved in the production of fruit and vegetables and maintaining greenery for commercial use.
One would be surprised to know that even this profession has a long and old history. The 18th century saw many gardeners who pioneered this profession and went on to acquire critical acclaim for their contribution to this field. They built their idea around the theory of no dig.
This profession can also be categorized. There are the maintenance gardeners who look after small gardens and there are head gardeners for large estates. Then there are landscape gardeners who specialize in landscapes.
Lets start with a head gardener who also goes by the name Curator. These are people who have a medium to large staff under their command and they work mainly in botanical gardens, very big private home gardens, public parks, museums, garden islands, theme gardens etc. This then broadens the job description to include activities related to the construction industry, landscaping and designing companies etc and involves an ability to communicate effectively so the end product is perfect. They need to be clued up on rockery, fernery, lawns, climates that will affect the flora and fauna etc.
Next we have landscape gardeners who are people qualified in conservation and restoration of the land. They also deal with places like golf courses where landscaping is required, keeping the natural habitat in mind. UK has a special landscape institute where people are trained to excel in this field and they earn an undergraduate degree for the same.
Now we have a new breed called celebrity gardeners. Percy Thrower from Britain tops the list today. These are people who have gained popularity through their knowledge of gardening that has been showcased on television thereby bringing the world of plant lovers into an elite circle.
You can be all thumbs when it comes to gardening or you can be green fingers but in reality all you need is a keen sense of color and truckloads of enthusiasm. Whether you are dealing with miniature gardens or bonsai ones – you are the creator and nature is there to assist you. Take on the profession of a gardener – its rewarding and fulfilling. Get all of the latest in gardeners know how from the one and only true gardeners resource at http://www.organicgardeningexpert.com/ Be sure to check out our gardeners pages on our web site.
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Become a Nurse: Nursing Degrees
Author: Jeff Morrow
Title: Become a Nurse: Nursing Degrees
Article: To become a nurse, all states require that an individual must have a nursing degree from an approved educational institution and pass a licensing exam before being able to work as a nurse. Every state has its own particular requirements as well, and these may vary significantly, so a check of state regulations is necessary when planning an education in nursing.
To enter a nursing program, it is necessary to have finished high school or to have a GED. Prospective nursing students may enhance their chances of being accepted into accredited nursing schools if they take subjects like algebra, biology, chemistry, and physics in high school.
There are several kinds of nursing degrees. In addition to the Registered Nurse (RN) degree, there are the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocations Nurse (LVN) degree, and the Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN).
LPNs/LVNs usually get their degrees by training for one year at a hospital, graduating from a vocational-technical school, or by taking classes through a community college program. The ADN typically takes two years and can be obtained through a community college.
ADN programs train nurses for specific sets of clinical practice, while the course work covers both technical areas and nursing theory. Many ADNs ultimately return to school to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or other advanced degree.
The BSN requires four years at a traditional college or university]. It covers broad clinical practice areas, nursing theory, human development, psychology, chemistry, biology, and nutritional science. Nurses with BSNs may go on to obtain Master’s degrees or various specialty certifications, including Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).
Prospective students may also enroll in diploma programs, which are essentially work-study options still offered by a few hospitals in the United States. Diploma programs take about three years to complete. Many LPNs eventually become RNs via tuition-reimbursement programs offered by many hospitals. And there are accelerated RN degree programs available to prospective students who already have a Bachelor’s degree in areas other than nursing.
In addition to course work, students must also participate in supervised clinical experience programs. Such programs are usually completed in hospital departments, nursing care facilities, or ambulatory clinics. All RNs and LPNs must pass licensing examinations. These licensing exams — the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN -
To become a nurse, many nurses also enter the profession by starting out as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) which requires a short stint in schools and passing of a state regulated exam. Then, while working as a CNA, they can pursue a variety of nursing degrees. Jeff Morrow writes about nursing careers. Find the right accreditated nursing school for your career, and learn where you can find nursing degree programs with no waiting lists. at My-Nursing-Career.
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