Nursing Pathway’s to a degree and career

Nursing Pathway’s to a degree and career

Two student viewpoints: “Nursing is not just medication administration; you are there for the patients when they are throwing up or have diarrhea. One must think about those things as well: can you handle that?” “Put on your seatbelt; you are in for a wild ride. You will feel emotions you have never felt before.”

Nursing as a major This major prepares students to be the frontline of health care RN’s design, manage and coordinate health care for individuals, families, and communities Attend to the sick and injured Rehabilitate, counsel, and educate patients Typically RN’s are working as part of a health care team

Pathway’s to RN Associate’s Degree (A.D.N.): 2 or 3 year program which prepares you for entry-level RN “bedside” work Bachelor of Science (B.S.N.): 4 year degree program which prepares you for a range of high-level opportunities in a variety of settings (doctor’s offices, hospitals, critical care, clinics, home health care, etc.) 2nd degree nursing programs: there are several pathway’s students can take if they already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field

B.S.N. Degree (4 year) Made up of liberal arts and science courses plus more in-depth nursing specific course work: theory, research, pharmacology, physical assessment, pathophysiology, and nutrition Receive training in many areas (you do not specialize, instead you cover all types or nursing): Community and public health nursing Medical-surgical nursing Maternal-child nursing Pediatric nursing Mental health nursing Nursing leadership and management

Is nursing right for you: Part 1 Do you like Science Making a difference in people’s lives Volunteer work A fast pace Both: autonomy/independence AND working in groups Challenges

Is nursing right for you: Part 2 Are you good at Active listening Caring and nurturing Critical reading and thinking Math Problem solving

Is nursing right for you: Part 3 Does this sound like you I am an extremely patient person I love to take the initiative in group work and activities I have really strong communication/verbal skills I love interacting with people all day, every day

Recommended high school courses English – 4 years Math – 4 years (including precalculus, calculus, or statistics) Lab Science – 3 years (biology and chemistry are required; additional courses in physics and/or anatomy recommended) History – 3 years Foreign Language – 2 to 3 years Additional coursework in: psychology, speech and writing, nutrition and health

Typical College Coursework Anatomy and physiology Microbiology Chemistry Psychology Pharmacology Fundamentals in practice in nursing Nutrition Sociology Mental health Environmental and occupational health Adult, pediatric and geriatric care Maternal/child and neonatal care Medical and surgical care Home health care

Nursing and College Admissions Every college is different in their requirements, deadlines, and evaluations. You must research each college and nursing program on an individual basis. Two applications pathway’s: Apply directly to the college and declare nursing as a major once there Direct entry nursing – apply specifically to the nursing program/school Apply to the school and then apply into the nursing program after three or four semesters there In general, nursing admissions evaluations will primarily focus on: Science and Math courses (including level of rigor) Grades Test scores (if required; often they will focus more heavily on the math score on SAT/ACT and science score on the ACT) Experience: internships, volunteer work, summer programs, work, etc.

Direct Entry Program Evaluation Nursing programs or schools often have slightly higher GPA/SAT averages than the general undergraduate population. To account for the fact nursing programs are more competitive, you should aim for SAT/ACT scores at the top of a school’s middle-50% range. This means that if your desired school’s middle 50% SAT range is 1300-1400, you should aim for a 1400 or higher, which would put you at the top of their applicant pool and make you competitive for the nursing program. Nursing admissions evaluations will primarily focus on: Science and Math courses (including level of rigor) Grades Test scores (if required; often they will focus more heavily on the math score on SAT/ACT and science score on the ACT) Experience: internships, volunteer work, summer programs, work, etc.

Nursing Admit Rates NCLEX results “Nursing school admission statistics are typically much higher than for the university as a whole, so a “possible" for general admission can be a "reach" for nursing.”

Testing and Nursing Testing averages are typically higher for nursing than other programs within a college Schools may focus more on the math score of an SAT or ACT Often times schools which are test optional are NOT test optional when applying for nursing Examples of Test Optional Schools that require SAT or ACT submission if applying to nursing: Endicott, Salve Regina, Colby Sawyer

Nursing Application Deadlines Nursing deadlines may be earlier than the regular deadline for a college Examples: Salve Regina: November 1 deadline for nursing (RD deadline February 1) Sacred Heart: December 15 deadline for nursing (RD deadline February 15) Colby Sawyer: December 1 deadline for nursing (RD is rolling and open until July 28)

Take Home Message! Admissions for nursing programs is typically more selective than admissions to the overall college/university Read the requirements and details of every program you are applying to There may be curriculum “pre-requisites” or recommendations for high school coursework Testing requirements may be different Deadlines may be EARLY