subject: Top 5 Considerations In Choosing a Nursing School [print this page] Choosing a nursing school program can seem overwhelming, as there are so many schools out there. All major cities and most smaller cities have at least one accredited nursing school, many with good reputations. The nursing school that you choose will determine far more than just the kind of education you receive. For example, a well-known nursing school with a good reputation on your resume can you acquire a higher starting salary when you are ready to enter the working world. If you are sure that you want to be a nurse, but have not decided where to study, here are five areas to consider when selecting a nursing school.
Location
The location of the nursing school that you choose can be a major asset, or make life at school more difficult than it needs to be. If you attend nursing school in a busy metropolitan area, you may find yourself presented with additional opportunities for outside training, mentoring and access to professional organizations to help you get a great start to your nursing career. Alternatively, a smaller school in a smaller town may offer you a more personal education, and leave you in a position to take on more responsibility after finishing school.
Accreditation
It is really important to find out if the schools you are interested in are accredited. There are 2 national accrediting organizations for general nursing: The Commission on Collegiate Nursing and the National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission. There are also different accrediting organizations for the certain specialties, such as the American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Accreditation and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs. Understanding the schools' accreditation will avoid unpleasant surprises later.
It is possible to get a good education from a school that is not accredited, but if you plan to use the credits from nursing school towards a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN) or a Masters Degree, you will be more likely to be able to transfer them if the school where you earned your nursing certification is accredited.
Hands-On Experience
How much hands-on experience will you get during your time in school? The more clinical experience you get during your training, the better prepared you will be for starting or continuing your nursing career. Find out how much time is dedicated to clinical rotations, and whether or not you will be able to observe and assist in the medical specialties that you are most interested in. Those opportunities will best prepare you to the specialties that you are targeting. This is another area where research hospitals affiliated with major universities can offer some big advantages for you.
NCLEX Success Rate
You should also inquire about the nursing school's passing rate for the all-important NCLEX exam. A high pass rate indicates a school that teaches well. If the failure rate is high for a particular school, you should really take a hard second look at applying there. Ask the school to provide records of test scores for the last few years to get a good idea of how well they actually teach. A school with a good record will readily supply them for you.
Cost
Tuition is the last factor that you should consider when applying to nursing school. Nursing school tuition can vary greatly from school to school. Of course, don't let the cost deter you if you find the perfect nursing school to fit your needs. Ask the schools about financial aid, work study programs, and don't forget to check with local hospitals and other organizations to find out about scholarships that might help defray the cost.
When you add up all the factors provided here, it will become a lot easier to choose the nursing school to best serve your needs.
