Home Health Care Nurse

Nursing students are sometimes confused about what kind of nursing degree to obtain. The two choices nurses most often consider are between an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) , which usually takes two years to complete, or the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which takes four years. Both of these nursing degrees lead to the Registered Nurse (RN) designation, but there are crucial differences between them. Choosing one over the other depends on financial factors, the length of time to be spent in an educational program, and long-term career goals.

The major differences between the two nursing degrees involve the length of time required to complete each program and the number of academic credits required. A typical ADN degree will take two years, compared to four years for the BSN – plus the time it takes to finish the prerequisites necessary to enroll in a BSN program. (This may not be a factor for individuals who already have Bachelor’s degrees (BAs) from accredited institutions, since accelerated BSN programs allow them to complete all requirements in 18 to 21 months.)

While nursing instructors had previously believed that the ADN degree was likely to be phased out, the fact is that some 66 percent of current nursing graduates complete training programs resulting in the ADN or Associate of Science (AS) degrees. These Associate degrees continue to provide health care facilities with capable nurses who can manage patient care. As insufficient numbers of nurses are graduated from four-year BSN programs each year to meet the needs of the health care industry, two-year Associate degrees are expected to remain important for some time to come. Read the rest of this entry »

Managing a staff of nurses is a challenging career that requires nursing and managerial skills. A nursing management career starts with being a licensed practical nurse and working your way up through years of clinical practice and advanced education. They also participate in management training that addresses specific issues that deals with employees, behavioral standards, and handling of legal issues that is associated with the supervision of the people working in the hospital environment. Nurse Managers or what used to be called as head nurses handle specific departments such as the intensive care unit or pediatrics.

Duties of a nurse manager

* Nurse Managers are responsible for planning, organizing, and directing health services in their department to ensure that the goals and objectives are performed consistently and that the services provided to the patients is of the highest quality and standard.
* They select, mentor, motivate, and direct the development and evaluation of the staff nurses. They are responsible for establishing and keeping track of quality improvement indicators and other information that concerns the patient care and services. They ensure that resources are available in order to provide high quality service and the on-time performance that is consistent with the facility’s standards. At times, they devise educational programs that are health related for the facility’s non-professional and professional staff.
* They participate, consult and collaborate with other units and healthcare providers in developing long term plans for health care programs. They interpret and communicate policies and procedures that the agency or facility puts in place to establish areas of responsibility and assignments among departments and staff.
* They are also responsible for developing budget estimates and handle other information pertaining to financial concerns and requirements. They approve and monitor expenditures and purchases to ensure that the budget guidelines are complied to.
* They are responsible in the staff maintenance. They assign nurses to particular cases and oversee the patient care to ensure that it remains at a high standard. They are also involved in creating treatment plans for patients and to coordinate the efforts of the medical team. This is to keep everyone up to date of the progress in the medical care and condition of the patient. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are thinking about a career change or advancement, consider nurse practitioner jobs. Health care positions are always in demand. With a nurse practitioner job, you’ll have greater autonomy, better wages, and be better able to help patients with their illnesses and injuries.

To become a nurse practitioner, you need to first complete the education training to become a registered nurse or RN. After that you’ll need more advanced training, which often includes a master’s degree and training in diagnosing and treating common problems. Although nurse practitioners do not attend medical school, they fill a much needed position between physicians and nurses.

Nurse practitioners can provide much of the same care that physicians do. They often work in close collaboration with physicians in settings like family practices, rural health care centers, and other care centers. Some pharmacies now have nurse practitioners offices within them to provide extra care to customers. Read the rest of this entry »