Articles

Nursing Schools pose serious challenges and - considering the nature of a nursing career and Medical Training - they're really a trial-by-fire. I am involved in a nursing programme and I will graduate the LVN programme in August, 2007. I attend evening and weekend classes, to continue to do my current job as well. It's hard, tiresom, even frustrating at times - yet often magical after all. It may be quite easier if you could attend a full time school without working, but it's impossible to survive. You will miss spleed and forget to have a life for up to a couple of years.

To work in the medical field, you need a real experience since no Medical Training is complete if it misses the possibility of interacting with actual patients. I found out - both observing my learning curve and looking at my students, that regardless how literate you are, clinical practice is required to be a good nurse. The dummies we use to simulate procedures such as injections, insertion of NG tubes, catheters and tests neither can give you the sense of a real body nor give you good or bad feedback, depending on which procedure is concerned.

Is it absolutely critical to evaluate the nursing school you are taking into account for attending, and considering the different Nursing Careers that you may embrace. Assure yourself that you will appreciate the level you wish to gain. Is LVN enough for what you aim to? Are there alternative nursing caereers which are better tailored to your needs?

You have to verify if the private Nursing Schools have the accreditation you need if you want to branch into other Nursing Careers later down the road. Does that program give you an AA or BS? Does it give you a state-specific license only? What credits can be transferred to a community college or to a university if you choose to go onto a Bachelor's or Master's degree?

Another consideration is COST! Private Nursing Schools are certainly easier to get into, but they are a great deal pricier than a community college. I had to go this route because my local community college has a waiting list for the RN program out to 2011! I had to pay more to get training in a reasonable time frame.

And finally, I would like to offer one suggestion-- sign up for the tour and perhaps try out being a student for the day. Attend a class and make an effort to interact with teachers and other students in order to get a good feel of the type of environment the school offers. This will give you a good idea of what it'll be like for the next two years that you'll be attending the school. With this experience, you may even decide that it's not for you. Take note of the pace and structure of teaching and decide whether it's suited to how you learn. Also pay attention to the staff; are they helpful? Judging the environment earlier on will give you a glimpse on how satisfied you will be once you enroll.