Types of Nursing Courses

Imagine you are a patient in a hospital

Imagine you are a patient in a hospital. People are coming and going all day long. You can see them through the open door to your room. Many of them come in to see you or your neighbor on the other side of the curtain. So who are they besides your doctor? Some people come in and say, "Hello, I'm your nurse today." But do you know that are different levels of nurses working in the hospital?

There are registered nurses, the RN. These are men and women who have gone through a 2, 3, or 4 year programs. They have an associated degree or a baccalaureate degree. There are licensed vocational nurses, LVN or some states called them LPNs, licensed practical nurses. They have a license to practice as a nurse at this level. Their programs are anywhere from 12 to 18 months long. There are nursing assistants, NA. They have training that may be 3 months to 6 months.

All three groups can say that they are the nurse. The difference is what they can do. Each state has a nurse practice act that defines what they can and can not do in practice. The RN can do the most types of interventions and administer the majority of medications. The RN does most of the care that involves an intravenous (IV) line including the medications that are put into it, such as antibiotics, electrolytes, steroids, etc. He or she also does advanced care with central lines that are inserted under the skin and go directly to the heart

Some of the LVN courses that a person would take are similar to what the RN takes but more abbreviated. An LVN may take 22 weeks of pharmacology versus an RN student taking a semester or year of it. Courses would include: A Fundamental Nursing class which would explain a little history of nursing, basic care, theories that the practice is built on and basic concepts about the body. Built on the knowledge from that class, students will take a medical/surgical class where they will learn all about the pathophysiology of certain diseases and disorders. Once a student has this information, the next few classes that they take would include: Obstetrics/Maternity, Pediatrics and Psychiatric nursing. It is much easier to understand these courses once a person has an understanding of medical/surgical care.

Types of Nursing Courses

By: R Govindan

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