Associate Degree in Nursing Requirements: What Are They?
In 2017, the population of the United States was roughly one-third of a billion people. Of these, approximately 77 million, or one-quarter, were born between 1946 and 1964. These are the citizens of the Baby Boomer generation, and they are reaching retirement age at the rate of seven per minute. All of these aging boomers need healthcare!
The role of the nurse in 21st century healthcare
In order to free up time for doctors to treat increasing numbers of senior patients, nurses are taking on more responsibilities, such as becoming more involved in diagnostic and prescribing functions. As the number of nurses grows, more nursing managers will be needed. New nursing frontiers have opened up in the areas of:
- Forensics
- Medico-legal matters
- Information technology
- Health policy
- Research
Technology, too, in the form of mobile apps, cloud computing, and telemedicine, is opening potential new pathways available to the modern ambitious nurse.
The working environment of the registered nurse
The modern nurse is no longer restricted to traditional stomping grounds of hospitals, doctor's offices, and outpatient care centers. Professional nurses are turning up for work in the great outdoors, mingling with and treating patients at activity camps (horseback riding, youths with cancer, sports camps), NASCAR races, cruise ships, and even Disneyland. Nurses could advise on script writing for Hollywood medical dramas and administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy to patients with blood vessel disease caused by poor control of diabetes or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hospitals are open 24 hours a day, every day; accepting a nursing job here usually means shift work and unsociable hours. On the plus side, there are more opportunities for overtime and on-call work. Other environments, like physicians' offices and outpatient clinics, have more or less ordinary business hours.
Requirements for earning a nursing degree
The aim of an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Degree (ADN) is to equip the student with the skills and knowledge of an RN, which is necessary to prevent illness, promote and maintain good health, and to restore their patients to good health and normal function. Core areas of instruction include:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Medical and surgical nursing
- Nutrition
- Pharmacology
- Microbiology
- Maternal and newborn nursing
- Nursing in the acute care setting
After earning your degree, you will need to successfully complete the RN-NCLEX exam through your state board of nursing. By passing this exam, you will be licensed to practice professionally as a registered nurse.
Preparing yourself for the challenges of nursing school
Preparing yourself academically for the rigors of nursing school takes forward planning. Any high school courses you can take in biology, chemistry, and mathematics will stand you in good stead. Good communication skills are also necessary. Nursing is physically demanding, involving hours on your feet and running around like a maniac, especially if you work in a hospital. Knowing how to keep yourself fit will not only benefit you personally, but it will also provide you with a good basis for teaching your patients.
Are you interested in becoming a nurse? If you want to make a difference in your community by earning an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing, consider ECPI University for your education. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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