A registered nurse, or RN, often requires the most training of any nursing profession. The duties of an RN can include handling patient care in a wide range of specialty fields, from mental health and maternity to surgical and critical care. They can also take on tasks related to nutrition, pharmacology, and community health.
Another part of a RN’s job can be to take responsibility for delegating tasks to other nursing staff and assistants, and overseeing their duties. Trained registered nurses can obtain employment in many different environments, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, surgical centers, ambulatory centers, or even schools.
Directory of Registered Nursing Schools
Practical/Vocational Nursing
As a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) you will have the ability to perform a wide range of hands-on duties, including preventative, rehabilitative, restorative, and therapeutic nursing care. You can also learn the ins and outs of anatomy and physiology, common diseases and their related processes, and proper administration of medications.
LPN or LVN training can also equip you with a solid knowledge base of legal and ethical responsibilities associated with nursing, as well as the cultural differences involved in patient treatment. Upon completion of LPN/LVN training, you can be prepared to work in settings like hospitals, acute care centers, and government or community agencies.
Directory of Vocational and Practical Nursing Schools
Patient Care Technician
Patient care technicians work closely with other medical professionals in order to help keep therapeutic programs running smoothly. Whether you work with home medical services, or in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, or private practices, patient care technician training will give you the necessary skills and knowledge to help patients in the form of bedside care, EKGs, phlebotomy, or even CPR. You could also help to prepare patients for surgery, and supply post-operative care.
Patient care technician training can also prepare you to create, prescribe, and carry out rehabilitative care programs. You will also be able to confidently set up and operate related equipment, and help perform patient exams.
Directory of Patient Care Technician Schools
Nursing Assistant
If you would love nothing more than to join the nursing profession, but don't want to invest the time necessary to becoming a licensed or registered nurse, nursing assistant training offers you the perfect solution. You can train to work directly with patients and other medical professionals, providing patients with assistance in personal hygiene, eating meals, and other day-to-day activities.
Nursing assistant training can also prepare you to handle the monitoring of blood pressure, and equipment set-up, as well as pre and post-operative patient care. After gaining the necessary training, you can be prepared to work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practices, and even patients’ homes.
Directory of Nursing Assistant Schools
Training for Success
No matter which area of nursing attracts you, a solid education can go a long way in helping you reach your career goals.
Nursing training presents many options, from course choices to course length, and even scheduling. In the directory of nursing schools below, you can find programs of all kinds, from concentrated, short-term training that can get you into the workforce faster than you thought possible to comprehensive training that prepares you for state licensing and certification examinations.
If your goal is to secure a career in the nursing field, but your current commitments, such as a job, or family make it difficult for you to return school for the traditional full-time hours, you will be excited to know that many schools offer flexible schedules that can involve full or part-time, and day or evening training. Online programs can also be found, which allow you to train when and where it is most convenient for you.
To find out more about nursing career training, check out the schools and programs available to you through the directory of nursing schools.
