If you have chosen nursing as your profession, then you have chosen the right field, as nursing is a noble profession. However, before enrolling into one of the nursing schools, you must consider various factors related to it like the school's location, nursing programs etc.
Once you select nursing as your field, then you need to be a part of a lot of training programs to become a qualified nurse. You have to go through lessons given by qualified doctors as well as experienced and senior nurses to prepare for this profession. Some of the things that you might have to learn would be to assess and diagnose health problems as well as patient care. While selecting a nursing school, you must consider the various factors that are important and hence, you should be careful while selecting the programs. It is very important to select the best nursing school so that you get the finest education. Nursing education requires investment in time, money and lot of hard work.
You should always select a good nursing school that offers programs that matches your career endeavor. Below are some of the important points that need to be considered before choosing a good nursing school.
. Specialties- You should always select your favorite programs first and then decide upon the school that offers them.
. Location- Select a school situated in a good area.
. Sizes of the School- Some people prefer small schools for individual attention, but if you are looking for growth then you should consider the intellectual stimulation offered by larger nursing schools.
. Size of the Class- Always select a school that offers good student to faculty ratio for classroom as well as clinical studies. Small classes are good for nursing as they offer good clinical rotation during the courses and this factor is very important as compared to other prerequisites.
. Clinical Rotation- Check the school's clinical rotation timings and check whether they offer placements, as it is the best to get hands-on experience. You should always ask classroom details from the current students.
. Examination pass rates- Ask the current students about the examination pass rates and then check their past 5-10 years record. Passing percentage of a school indicates the faculty's capability and speaks volumes about the school and preparation styles.
. Accreditation- Check all the accreditation details to ensure whether the school meets all the medical standards set by national accrediting organization. It is always good to receive nursing education from a school that is well accredited.
. Tuition fees- Fees vary from school to school and from private to public schools, as well as from state to state. Hence, check whether the school you have chosen offers financial aid and if not then find a way out.
Students who wish to pursue nursing course in colleges should complete their secondary education, as this is the prime criterion of any nursing school. Before enrolling, the student needs to posses specific average grades in high school and complete some standardized test scores. Some nursing schools provide admission after conducting some internal assessment tests designed by the American College Testing (ACT) Company to confirm the admission eligibility.
