subject: Typical Day Of An Entry Level Nursing Degree Student [print this page] Have a bachelor's degree? Heard of how you can become a nurse quickly via one of the many accelerated nursing education programs around the country that allow people with a bachelor's degree in any subject the opportunity to earn their Registered Nurse (RN) license?
Wondered what it would be like to be a student in such a program? Read on.
Many entry level nursing degree programs such as these allow you to train for the RN licensing exam (the NCLEX) in less than two years, often as little as 18 months.
Which means your education will be intense.
Most such programs recommend that students focus only on their coursework, quitting any jobs they may have and devoting themselves full time to their studies. Students will be able to work full time as a nurse once they have their RN license, studying part-time for the master of science in nursing (MSN) degree portion of their MSN for non nurses program.
That said, a day in your nursing education will see you spending a lot of time in lectures, taking tests and meetings with your faculty and classmates. One of your typical days will be spent in class while the remainder of your time each week will be spent learning "clinical" skills.
You can expect a considerable amount of work after class, as well. Spending two, three, four or even more hours of homework each night is not unheard of.
You'll also spend some time in your program's simulation lab where you'll work on case studies of actual patients so that you may master your critical thinking skills. You'll also possibly work on computer-programmed mannequins so that you can learn patient care skills before coming in contact with actual patients.
The most exciting part of your MSN for non nurses education will take place in an actual medical care setting such as nursing care facilities acute-care hospitals, community-health and public health organizations. You'll be working in your "clinicals" for eight to 12 hours in a day, possibly as often as two days a week.
In many ways, your life will become consumed by your studies and you'll need to prepare your family and friends for the amount of time your nursing program will take -- you just won't be as available to them.
Yet the sacrifice will be worth it, for in just a few months you'll be working full time in a lucrative career field while working toward the MSN portion of your entry level nursing degree.
