Modern nurses follow the footsteps of Florence Nightingale in providing professional patient care in various work settings such as hospitals, clinics, health care institutions, hospices and offices of individual physicians. They take care of those who are ill, suffering from diseases or injuries and those who are disabled. They are often indispensable and assist physicians in discharging vital duties.

Individuals interested in a career in nursing can choose from several online nursing degree programs such as Associate, Bachelor and Master’s degrees. Doctoral programs are also available. Other programs include Certified Nursing Assistant [CAN], Licensed Practical Nurse [LPN] and Registered Nurse [RN]. Conventional nursing education has also transformed itself through online channels leveraging latest internet technologies.

The Associate degree in Nursing [AND or ASN] is often the stepping stone for students to kick start careers in nursing. The program focuses more on equipping students with technical skills rather than theory. Moreover, it is a shorter duration program spanning 2 years available through campus and online modes. It is often viewed as a money spinner since it allows students to enter the work stream faster. The program also assists nurses in preparing to take the qualifying exam for Registered Nurses. Course content includes subjects such as anatomy, physiology, behavioral sciences, microbiology and basic math.

Opportunities for career progression greatly depend on the level of specialized education nurses complete. A Bachelor degree in Nursing [BSN] provides an edge to employment opportunities and future advancement. Graduates of this program are highly competent and provide professional nursing care in various work settings. The program normally spans 4 years and is available dual mode through campus and online channels. Some elements of the course work are pathophysiology, biochemistry, statistics, assessment of health, health care budgeting and health care.

Experienced nurses may look forward to leadership and administrative roles. A Master’s degree in Nursing [MSN] paves the way for crystallizing their aspirations. The program lasts for 2 years and students can pursue it through campus and online modes. Career paths include nursing managers and nursing administrators. The degree equips nurses for advanced roles in various health care settings. Graduates in this program can enter educational channels, collaborate in research and implement advanced practitioner nursing. Subjects include curriculum development and evaluation, leadership and ethics, current health care issues, advanced health assessment, nursing management, health care epidemiology and infection control, to name a few.

License requirements and qualifying exams apply to practice in the field of nursing. Salaries are lucrative and vary on variables such as level of education, experience, location and employer. As per Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses drew median annual earnings of $50,000 in 2004. The top end went up to $70,000. Specialized and formal education like BSN and MSN programs can improve salary ranges even further.

Net to net, nursing is forecasted as the number one occupation, growing faster than average of all occupations through 2014. Advanced level of education ensures that nurses stay ahead of their competition and improve their compensation packages, employment opportunities and career advancement.

In the last few years, nursing has emerged as one of the most preferred professions. It is counted among one of the largest healthcare occupations, employing more than 2 million jobs. In terms of salary, the earnings are above average and better, particularly for advanced practice nurses, who have additional education or training.

If we talk in context of growth and future prospect then it is one of the top occupations in the United States that have offered the largest numbers of new jobs and opportunities in recent times. However, in the recent years, nursing as a profession has gained tremendous popularity. It won’t be wrong to state that today nurses are more than just healthcare professionals. They have actually become the symbols of courage and sacrifice.

Not too long ago, there was the time when nurses were considered and treated very mediocre to doctors and surgeons, but in present circumstances things has changed drastically. These days nursing profession has great respect and nurses are given very much importance. This major transform in the perception towards nursing has helped in the rising of the emergence of television shows focusing on the different aspects of nursing, especially in the United States.

Television has always been one of the most influential mediums in the human history. Since its introduction, we have all witnessed different sorts of dramas, serials and mega serials, but television shows that were based on the life of nurses and healthcare professionals has always pulled the attention of viewers and gained high TRP ratings.

In fact, it was during 1950s when television viewers witnessed various medical dramas, and many of those were focused on the life-saving heroics of physicians. And, one of the initial shows that gained wide popularity was “The Doctor”. Featuring nurses in different peripheral roles, this television show was telecasted on NBC and one of the most favorite programs in1952-53. “Medic”, was another television program telecasted on the same channel in 1954-56, which too received a tremendous response from viewers. The key feature of this show was it presented different cases from the records of the Los Angeles County Medical Association that were highly emphasized on the nursing background.

During the period starting from 1962 to 1965, the television industry witnessed numerous prominent shows exclusively focused on the professional and personal life of nurses. Now out of this, the most popular show was “The Nurses” which was telecasted on the CBS. This program series was filmed in the New York and primarily emphasized on the practiced lives of nurses performing their duties in a big urban hospital. The key performer of the program was the Shirl Conway who played Liz Thorpe- the character of an older and experienced nurse, and Zina Bethune who played Gail Lucas- the character of a young and naive nursing student. However, it was the year 1964, when Dr. Ted Steffen (Joseph Campanella) and Dr. Alex Tazinski (Michael Tolan) brought some new facets to the show that ultimately resulted in the change of the title of the series. And, finally the title of the program was changed into “The Doctors and the Nurses”.

After this, in the year 1968, a TV series called “Julia” was premiered on NBC. This television program was truly significant and it was starred by Diahann Carroll who played the role of a Julia Baker, an adolescent and independent black woman who was in nursing profession and performing her duty in the medical office at Astrospace Industries. The key feature of this program was it stemmed around the interaction among different member of a nursing group. Finally, the portrayal of nurses on television improved with a new series named “St. Elsewhere” (1982-88, NBC). In 1990s, another equivalent of “St. Elsewhere” called “ER,” was telecasted. The program was created by best-selling author Michael Crichton, who was even a physician. In recent years, Grey’s Anatomy has been yet another television show that is primarily revolves around the nursing industry.

Thus, portraying nurses on TV has always been a major trend to make actors respectful and appreciative of the real thing. TV creators may be reluctant to acknowledge the medium’s dismissive attitude toward nursing, but many actors who have portrayed nurses are aware of the fact that it takes lot of effort to understand the character. Playing the role of nurse is never that easy as in real professional life one has deal with sudden circumstances that could be very difficult. Over the last few years, medical reality shows have gained popularity in the US that was based on the characters of nurses, and in the near future, it won’t be wrong to expect more and more such powerful TV portraits of nurses.

Find the perfect Nursing School or Nursing Program today and start your path to a rewarding career.

Nursing is one of the few industries that continues to grow rapidly. It is counted among one of the most rewarding and satisfying careers in the United States. It is a career that offers both women and men numerous alternatives for professional growth and individual happiness. In fact, working as a nurse, you could be the one of the key professionals working along with the physician as the key member of the patient healthcare team. Now in order to be a nurse, there are many different types of nursing programs available. And, therefore with the increase in opportunities and programs, the competition has increased, which in turn has resulted in the introduction of various important examinations. If you are one of those who are looking forward to make a career in nursing then here are some of the important exams that you might have to appear:

Nurse Entrance Test: The NET is an entrance test to the associate of science in nursing program. This test is very similar to any other entrance exams, but plays a major role in measuring your knowledge and determines how liable you are to succeed in a nursing program. The areas that are measured includes mathematics, reading comprehension, reading rate, social skills, test-taking learning style, and stress profile.

National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®): It is a standardized national nursing exam for registered nurses and primarily controlled by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The exam is very vital for entry level RNs and areas that are measured in the exam are nursing competencies, medical knowledge that are very essential for working as a Registered Nurse. This exam is primarily administered by the Computerized Adaptive Testing.

National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN®): It is yet another important examination that is used by the Boards of Nursing to examine the entry-level nursing proficiency of candidates for licensure as Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses. The areas measured in the exam are verbal skills, which focus on the both word knowledge and reading comprehension; Mathematics, which targets basic calculations, algebra, conversions, geometry, graphs, and Science, which tests chemistry, biology and physics.

Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) Examination: It is another computer-based nursing examination and mainly includes 175 multiple choice questions. Now the key point to note is its score is based on the answers given out of the 150 question, and its passing score is 109. If a candidate scores a passing number, the CEN certification is provided. It is basically considered as one of the major examinations that help in measuring the application of emergency nursing skills and knowledge.

CCRN Examination: The CCRN is the most renowned significant care credential in the world. Administered by AACN Certification Corporation, this is one of the most important and critical care nursing certification for Adult, Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Nurses. Basically, it is a 3-hour test consisting of 150 multiple-choice items and based on a Role Delineation / CCRN Validation Study. The exam is given via Computer Based Testing and conducted at almost 100 Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP) assessment centers all across the United States.

Commission of Graduate of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Certification Exam: The CGFNS Certification is one of the most vital certifications required by worldwide educated nursing professionals to perform nursing in the United States. The CGFNS Certification is an exam that is generally required to test the knowledge of various areas of nursing. Scoring good marks and passing this examination guarantee that the candidate educated in foreign nations are qualified to meet immigration, licensure, and other vital criteria required in the United States.

Though, the examinations mentioned above are not that easy to pass, but with correction preparation, you can easily pass any of these important nursing examinations and enjoy the various rewards of this profession.

Nursing is a profession which combines the best of caring skills and medical knowledge. They work in various community and smaller private clinics, intensive care units and different emergency centers. They also offer support in cosmetic practice centers and play a key role in health campaigns.

For those interested in this profession, there are many schools in Canada which provide proper training and other job opportunities. They can work in the medicine sector, hospital care or holistic recovery services. They provide empowerment and proper guidance to students to find the best opportunities according to their own nursing specialties.

The eligibility criterion to get admission into any of the Canadian nursing school includes a diploma or B.sc in nursing and with at least one year of clinical experience. They are also required to pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam (CRNE) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). There are various schools in Canada which offer specialized courses. So if you are really looking to attain a degree in this profession then here are few major schools in Canada that you can consider:

Vancouver Career College: In this school, students can learn hands-on experience, skills and knowledge under the various nursing career oriented training programs. The school incorporates the most updated programs, application and techniques in the nursing courses. The skills acquired while training can help the student to incorporate those in practical use. The students are groomed to meet various industry needs and their career skills are sharpened.

CDI College: With over 250,000 graduates, alumni and years of experience, the college provides different nursing career training. It renders a focused and relevant training to the students through expert faculty members and learned professionals.

Besides these, there are several other Nursing Schools in Canada which offer specialized nursing courses and help groom professional nurses who help in the health sector. If anyone has interest in caring for people who require medical attention-be it emotional, physical, psychological, social or spiritual, he or she can opt for career in nursing. These days, Canadian Schools offer proper programs and training in nursing and help students grow into full time professionals.

Serving in the military is a noble profession! Serving as a military nurse is even nobler! The nurses have a purer mission in war than others. They serve like ‘angels’ to soothe and comfort the injured. Nursing is a profession that demands courage, compassion and above all, composure.

The history of military nursing can be traced to the time of Florence Nightingale, an English nurse. Her major contribution was during the Crimean War (1853-56), where she worked to improve the conditions of the injured soldiers. She had trained the women volunteer nurses and worked in Turkey where the main British camp was based. Nightingale believed that the death rates were due to poor nutrition and supplies, overworking of the soldiers and poor living conditions. This influenced her and she advocated the importance of sanitary living conditions. Consequently, she reduced deaths in the army during peacetime and turned attention to the sanitary design of hospitals.

International Nurses Day (12th May) is celebrated on her birthday each year. Nightingale laid the foundation stone of professional nursing with the principles summarized in the book ‘Notes on Nursing’.

Members of the Army Nurse Corps worked all around the world at all levels of the Army. The Army Nurse Corps began on 2nd February 1901. In 1902; the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service replaced, by royal warrant, the Army Nursing Service. In 1908, the United States Navy Nurse Corps was established. These nurses had served in the World Wars as well as Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1918 , Ms Lenah Higbee was awarded the Navy Cross for distinguished service in the line of her profession and unusual and conspicuous devotion to duty as superintendent of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. She was the first living woman to receive this honor. She had served during the First World War too. An U.S. Navy combat ship, USS Higbee was named in her honor. It was the first time for a naval ship to bear the name of a female member.

In 1938 ,the Nurses Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery was erected in Section 21 (the “Nurses Section”) to honor nurses who served in the armed forces during the First World War. Over 600 nurses were buried at Arlington alone. In 1942, in Banka Island massacre, twenty one Australian nurses, survivors of a bombed and sunken ship were executed by bayonet or machine gun by Imperial Japanese Army soldiers on February 16 proving that they are next to none in sacrifice! In 1943, Erna Flegel, a German nurse, became “Hitler’s nurse” in January and served in that capacity until his suicide at the end of the World War II.

In 1949, the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps was established to facilitate the services of nurses in US led wars. In 1950, the Korean War got started and many nurses from the U.S. too served in the war. The US Military nurses had also contributed significantly to the Vietnam War (1959-75) and the Persian Gulf War (1990-91).

Wars are a continuing phenomenon and no one can really stop them. Military nurses not only serve the injured in the wars, but these committed souls also try to alleviate the pain of the suffering soldiers in whatever way they can.

Pursue your own career with a Degree in Nursing.

If the present picture of Vocational Nursing (LVN) is taken in the account then one can easily find that how rapidly it has emerged as one of the best and growing career options in the nursing field. Moreover, many experts from health care industry believe that in next few years the employment opportunities in vocational nursing will sour up. Today the career in LVN offers huge options for qualified nurses in schools, colleges, home health agencies, convalescent homes hospitals, doctor’s offices and clinics. These opportunities are inspiring many young students of the United States to enroll in a vocational nursing program offered by several universities of the United States.

Work Responsibilities
Usually, the work responsibility of vocational nurses mainly involves the caring patient who is sick, injured or disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. The required nature of the direction and supervision in vocational nursing may vary according to job setting. Nevertheless, some of their basic works encompass preparing and giving injections and enemas, dressing wounds, giving alcohol rubs and massages. Adding to this, many of the vocational nurses even play a major role in measuring and recording patients’ vital signs such as weight, temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration. There are many other responsibilities that a vocational nurse has to perform, which generally varies and depends according to the workplace.

Job Prospects
As per recent observations made by the leading health care industry experts of the United States, this field is expected to grow 14 percent in next few years. In fact, in response to the long-term care needs of increasing elderly population and the general increase in demand for health care services, it is expected that home health care agencies will offer a large number of new vocational nursing jobs. Apart from that, replacement needs will also be a major source of job openings, as many workers will leave the occupation permanently at their retirement age.

How to Become a Vocational Nurse
Making a career in the vocational nursing is not so difficult. All that matters are selecting a right vocational nursing program; earn a degree from a well recognized university. Anyone can get admission in this course as the minimum qualification required is a high school diploma or its equivalent. Nonetheless, some programs also accept candidates without a diploma. During this year-long practical course, it is very important for students to participate in both the classroom study and supervised clinical practice. Where classroom study covers basic nursing concepts, clinical practice is usually done in a hospital.

No doubt, a program in vocational nursing can prepare you for a rewarding career and direct you to the successful career path. Specializing in this domain needs proper training and so the selection of conceptualized curriculum of the respective program is an important part. Making a right selection of nursing program can provide a better foundation for consistent utilization and acquisition of knowledge required for doing well in vocational nursing.

Today it is really hard to deny the fact that nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. Though the ratio of nursing schools or the programs related to nursing has increased drastically in the next few years, it is actually hard and not that easy to get an admission into nursing college. Nevertheless, if you have made up your mind to make a career in this profession, here are few easy yet important steps that might help you get into nursing school.

Step No: 1

Try to apply for the admission in your respective nursing field as soon as possible. In fact, early application can help you and increase the chance of getting into a nursing college. These days, many schools follow an early admission deadline process, which play a great role and directly increase the chances of getting your application form accepted if submitted before the deadline.

Step No: 2

Make sure you read carefully every single instruction mentioned in the admission policy. This is very important because when you apply for an admission process you must actually meet the criteria established by the school. You must be eligible enough and meet all the qualification required or asked by the nursing Institute. In case, if you fail to meet any of criteria set by the school then the chances of getting into a nursing Institute /school can get disturbed. It can automatically get you denied before you actually start your nursing school.

Step No: 3

Your honesty can also play a very important role in getting an admission into best nursing school. Never show or present any false info about your study or past experience if any. Your dishonesty can throw you out of the nursing school. Adding to this, your admission process can also put on hold, so it is equally important that you honestly present the authenticate information during your application process and fill in the correct info for any questions.

Step No: 4

Always make sure that you get transcripts right on time. Today almost every leading nursing Institute/school in the United States asks sand requires students to provide transcripts from their high school or other colleges if they have attended. Unfortunately, if you fail or unable to have these transcripts by or before the deadline then this can surely be yet another reason to get your application put on hold. Therefore, it is very vital you ask for them the way in advance.

Step No: 5

Show your certification proof. These days many nursing colleges in the United States are looking for students who have first aid, CPR or even a CNA license. So, in case if you have any of those certifications, make sure you present it, and also it’s up to date.

If nursing school and becoming a nurse are really what you want, don’t hesitate! Never get scared of the competition. Your proper research and good education from a good nursing school can actually you succeed your career in nursing.