VLACS Session: A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student By Kaylee Gray

VLACS Session: A Day in the Life of a Nursing Student By Kaylee Gray

Introduction Graduated from VLACS in 2017 after being a full-time student for half of sophomore year and all of junior and senior year. Kayle e Full time senior nursing student in a four-year RN, BSN program at Rivier University Part time Patient Care Technician at a hospital

Head to toe physical assessments What does a nurse do? Obtaining health histories Tending to patients physical and emotional needs Health education Coordinating care with other health care professionals and specialties (nurse in the middle of the spiderweb) Staying up to date on changes in health care, medications, treatment plans, evidence-based practice (always learning!!) Vital signs SO much more!!

Hospital Offices Where can nurses work? School Clinics Public health offices Senior living facilities Home health settings Ambulance Helicopter

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): Nondegree diploma. Can help a nursing student get into the field quickly. CNAs learn how to provide basic care and help with daily activities. Programs are about 4-12 weeks. Types of Nursing Programs Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Nondegree diploma. Found at vocational schools, hospitals, community colleges. Works under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN). Can do some tasks an RN does, but not all. Programs are about 1 year long. Must pass the NCLEX-PN for LPNs. Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN): Minimum schooling requirement for becoming a registered nurse. Programs can be found at community colleges as well as four-year colleges, and also online programs. Can provide all the tasks that a Registered Nurse would be responsible for, as well as supervising LPNs and CNAs. Hospitals want a BSN and may pay part of the cost of returning to school. Programs are typically 2-3 years long. Must pass the NCLEX-RN. Pay may be less than an RN with a bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN): four-year degree in Nursing to become a Registered Nurse (RN). Performs all of the responsibilities of a Registered Nurse. Higher pay than an ADN degree. Not required to go back to school unless you want to go for a Masters Degree. LPN-BSN programs and RN-BSN programs available. Programs are typically 4 years in length. Must pass the NCLEX-RN Master of Science in Nursing (MSN): Graduate programs for licensed RNs who already have a BSN. Allows a nurse to specialize in a role such as a nurse practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CNA), Nurse Educator, and so on. Programs are typically 2 years in length.

Week in the Life of a Nursing Student Classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays Studying/homework and work as a Patient Care Technician on Mondays and Wednesdays Clinical on Friday Sim Labs every 2 weeks Exams every 2-3 weeks Personal life

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References Gwynedd Mercy University. What Do Nurses Do? Gwynedd Mercy University. https://www.gmercyu.edu/academics/learn/what-do-nurses-do. Nursing Degrees Explained. (2020, October 13). https://www.allnursingschools.com/how-to-get-into-nursingschool/degree-options/.