The right to choose treatment sparks debate amongst many medical professionals and plays a great part in nursing ethics. A nurse ultimately wants the best for a patient at all times. When a medical professional presents a patient with a medical option it is up to the patient to decide whether or not they want to pursue it. Some patients decide that they would rather forgo helpful medical treatment. Sometimes this decision is made because the patient has endured an illness on a long term basis and would prefer to stop fighting the disease. The patient has made the decision to stop treatment and let the illness overcome their body. No matter how troubling this may seem to the nurse caring for a patient ultimately the patient has the right to accept or deny medical treatment as they see fit. A nurse must be able to accept the decisions his or her patient makes and continue to provide optimum care.

Maintaining confidentiality is another part of nursing ethics that is vitally important. Many medical professionals are constantly being reminded of the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of a patient’s medical information. There are specific forms that a nurse can have a patient sign to determine who can and cannot have access to personal medical information. Because there have been so many instances where people were discriminated against because of medical information it is important that a patient have the right to control who is privy to their medial information. Nurses are constantly placed in a position where they have to be very careful who they release a patient’s personal information to. Failure to maintain a patient’s confidentiality can result in major repercussions for both the hospital and the nurse who failed to uphold a patient’s right to confidentiality.

Informed consent is also a very important part of nursing ethics that is taught throughout all levels of nursing programs. Informed consent is when a patient signs a legal document detailing how they want medical treatment to be administered. This allows a patient to decide in the worse conditions what they would like to happen to them medically even if they are not able at the moment to decide because of deterioration in their health. A very well known informed consent is the DNR or do not resuscitate order which advises medical professions not to attempt life saving procedures. No matter how much a nurse or other medical professional would like to keep a patient alive to provide treatment, the proper ethical action is to allow the patient to die according to their written consent. Informed consents are documents that nurses push very hard to have completed in case of any complications while providing care. Informed consent makes adhering to nursing ethics somewhat less complicated as a person’s desires for his or health is clearly stated.

Following clearly defined ethical standards ensures that patients receive quality unbiased care.

Can Nursing Prerequisites Be Finished Part-time & How Long Will It Take?
By Brenne Meirowitz
If you are concerned about how long it will take to complete nursing prerequisites part-time, then perhaps you would be interested in the accelerated nursing degree program at the Columbia University School of Nursing. This combined BS/MS program is especially designed to hasten the pace from school to licensure, particularly for students who do not already hold an undergraduate degree in nursing. However, applicants must hold already hold a Bachelor’s degree and must have passed the following courses:

• English Composition, (1 course)
• Life Sciences, (3 – 4 courses; required: human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology) Applicants interested in the Nurse Anesthesia specialty: two semesters of chemistry (at least one organic course) and one semester of physics
• Psychology, (1 - 2 courses; intro, life span or developmental psychology)
• Humanities, (2 - 3 courses)
• Statistics, (1 course)
• Social/Behavioral Sciences, (1 – 2 courses)

Students whose specialty is Nurse Anesthesia, must also take the following courses in addition to the ones listed above:

• General or Intro to Chemistry, 1 course
• Organic Chemistry, 1 course
• Physics, 1 course]

When applying for the combined BS/MS program, the following are required for admissions consideration:

• Satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Three references attesting to applicant’s academic ability and potential
• Personal goal statement that is congruent with program goals (two pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. font)
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae

Since Columbia does not offer a four-year undergraduate degree in nursing, students who enter this accelerated nursing program should be committed to completing the entire program through the master’s level. The school does allow students to complete nursing prerequisites part time for the BS/MS program, with the exception of the pre-licensure curriculum portions of the Entry to Practice Program and the Nurse Anesthesia Program. Pre-licensure study begins in late May and lasts three semesters. Students must complete 60 credits full time during this period before they can complete the remaining nursing prerequisites part time. Afterwards, specialty studies begin in the fall. Generally, the remaining courses can be finished part time – usually in approximately 3 years.

It is possible to apply for exemption from some of the course work, even if it applied towards an earlier degree. However, exemption is granted only if it is determined by the school to be similar to the Columbia University School of Nursing course requirements.

After completing all nursing prerequisites of the pre-licensure curriculum, students can choose from the following specialties:

• Acute Care
• Anesthesia
• Midwifery
• Neonatal
• Oncology
• Women’s Health
• Psychiatric Mental Health
• Primary Care of adults, family, geriatric, or pediatrics

Students in the pre-licensure phase of their education are not permitted to hold outside jobs. However, after completing all nursing prerequisites and enter their specialty phase, students are permitted to work as a registered nurses. Clinical experience and training is usually gained at New York-Presbyterian and the Mt. Sinai Health Care System, although other affiliated facilities such as out-patient clinics, home care, community centers, or schools in the New York City area are also acceptable. It is advised that students interested in applying to the BS/MS program and any other programs offered by Columbia University School of Nursing check the school’s website for changes in admissions and program policies.

But hold on a moment-you aren’t really a nurse until you have passed a very important test called the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). The NCLEX is the test that once passed qualifies an individual who has completed an accredited nursing program licensure to practice nursing professionally. It is a very important test and must be passed in order to be employed as a nurse throughout the United States.

The NCLEX is made and administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. It comes in two forms the NCLEX-PN for those seeking licensure as a practical or vocation nurse and the NLCEX-RN for those seeking licensure as a registered nurse.

This test is given and overseen by each state separately. There is a cost associated with taking this exam and it is professionally monitored. If the exam is failed you have to wait a grace period of about 45-90 days before you can retest. Each state decides how many times an applicant can take the test after failing it. Moreover, the test is varied in composition mixing multiple choice with fill ins and rankings, and it is time limited. The exam is what is called CAT computer adaptive testing which allows the computer to choose the questions in a certain sequence based on the test taker’s previous answers. This provides an idea of the test taker’s knowledge of specific questions related to certain aspects of nursing. Because of the cost, time and significance of the NCLEX you should definitely prepare for this exam.

You would never want the many years of nursing school to go to waste all because you failed to pass the NCLEX so you should definitely prepare for this exam. There are nursing school programs that do devote time to reviewing for the NCLEX but given all that has to be covered within a nursing curriculum seeking an additional source to prepare for this test is vital. After graduating from nursing school it should be a priority to take this test as soon as possible since much of what you have learned is still fresh. Seek the support of NCLEX study groups; purchase the many NCLEX review materials and study, study, study. Review everything especially triage information and pharmacology because there is a good chance there will be questions related to these topics. This test will determine whether you will be able to work so it is in your best interest to prepare!

The NCLEX is one of the most important tests you will take as a nursing school graduate. Showing competence on this test by successfully passing it shows that you have truly taken the steps needed to become a qualified licensed nurse. From there, you can enjoy your well-earned career as one of the health care industries true hero’s, whether you’re caring for a newborn infant, an elderly man, an accident victim, or all of them!

While most career paths have greatly suffered in that capacity with the recent economic upheaval, nursing is one profession that so far has been sheltered from the storm. In fact demand for qualified nurses, both private practitioners and for health centers and hospitals, have seen an upward trend over the last twenty years that does not seem to lose steam in its growth.

One reason is socio-demographic – or should that be two reasons? First, a substantial number of nurses in activity today are baby-boomers or older, often gifted with a guaranteed pension based on salary. So all those workers are looking forward to retirement, which should be starting over the next five to ten years.

Simultaneously, it is well-known that the general population media age is getting higher. There is that big bubble of baby-boomers now entering their late 50′s and early 60′s, with all the demands on the health institutions aging makes. These two factors alone already puts a lot of pressure on health administrators to fill open positions in nursing. Add to this opportunities in other sectors related to nursing – such as the high growth in demand for Certified Nursing Assistant or CNA training, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) – and competition to attract talented individuals becomes ferocious.

If recruiting campaigns for nurses were aggressive over the last few years, they now have become nothing less than absolutely wild. Employers are still ready to pay for moving expenses, offer large bonuses on signing long-term contracts, and more, even in the current business climate. The one thing we have yet to see is a free trip to the International Space Station, and there are those who believe this is only a matter of time.

Along this line, salaries as well have been seeing and upward surge, with everyone outmatching everyone else. Prospect for nursing are so good that many who chose to go in banking and investments probably sorely regret their choice. While the boom for nurses never came close to that of stock advisors and the like, the career also seems to be as bust-proof as can be, and with an uncertain future in our economy, this is probably as good as it gets.

The situation can be summed up simply: Nursing school students are enjoying record employment prospects as nursing jobs become harder and harder to fill due to growing demand.

Nursing is a career that demands the best that you are capable of giving emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. It is a job that requires you to put the needs and cares of others above your own and this can be difficult under some circumstances. Consider a natural disaster such as a hurricane or a tornado. Hospitalized patients and home bound patients require more assistance than other people. To follow the guidelines laid out by ethics in nursing practice you must respond to emergency situations when called upon. It is normal to want to be with your family at crucial times, but you may be called upon to take care of patients instead.

You will also be faced with ethics in nursing dilemmas when it comes to dealing with some patients. There are now ethics committees in almost every hospital across the country. These committees will include members of the nursing staff in many instances. These groups are responsible for making decisions and rulings when patient care comes under serious scrutiny. This would involve a case where the family wants life support removed but the patient may not have a living will. In some instances there can be a great deal of disagreement about what the right thing to do actually is among the family and staff. An ethics committee would listen to all sides and then come to a decision. As a nurse you are required to follow along on what the decision is, even though you may not agree with it.

You will also see ethics in nursing put to the test with cases such as abortions. It is up to you to put your personal feelings aside and act in a professional manner at all times regardless of the medical circumstances that you may be facing. Ethics in nursing require that you be able to uphold the spirit and rules of nursing practice. These will include professional attitude and behavior, honesty, integrity and providing the best patient care at all times, regardless of the situation.

If you are at least 17 years of age and have a high school degree or a GED you can contact the local nursing programs that you are interested in and find out the process for applying to nursing school. There are procedures that will allow you to grant permission for these schools to have your transcripts from high school or college sent to them. You may have to pass a simple test for some institutions prior to being accepted, but in most cases you can be accepted based on courses, grades and transcripts that are already in the system. If any other classes or tests are needed the school will inform you.

There are some required courses that you must have before you begin the actual nursing courses. These include English, science and math. You should have a good understanding and working knowledge of English before applying to nursing school. It may be necessary to take refresher courses in some of these, especially if you have been out of school for a long period of time. Any of the nursing schools that you are working with will help you you’re your prerequisites.  When applying to nursing school you may find that there is a waiting list of several months or more. You can use this time to take some of prerequisite courses so you are fully prepared when an opening slot becomes available for you. This will also enable you to focus solely on the core nursing classes.

(For information on choosing a school, see Best Nursing Schools 2009.)

When applying to nursing school you will need to have your social security card and a birth certificate so that copies of these can be made for their records. Financial aid applications can be made online as soon as you have decided on a school. The nursing school will be able to provide assistance with this process too.

Best Nursing Schools 2009

The health care industry is expanding enormously, and finding the best nursing schools 2009 is the objective of many who are looking to enter the field for the first time, or pursue an advanced degree in nursing. As technology continues to grow, nurses will be expected to provide care to patients over great distances via the Internet as well as by telephone. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, by 2012, the employment rate of Registered Nurses will exceed the growth rate of all other occupations. Therefore, if you are looking to apply to the best nursing schools 2009, you may want to begin your search by determining which schools are pushing technology.

There are several questions that you may want to ask yourself or examine in order to determine which programs are ranking as the best nursing schools of 2009. Firstly, do you want to attend school locally or are you able to travel or perhaps relocate? In the U.S., there are at least 739 nursing schools. Out those, 728 offer full-time programs and 478 also offer part-time programs. In its June 2009 edition, U.S. News and World Report lists top nursing programs across the country. However, this data was gathered in 2007, and is based on ratings by nursing educators, who essentially nominated up to 10 schools for each area of excellence.

There are many professional nursing sites and periodicals where you can get detailed information about programs as well as the most recent awards in your field of interest. One such site is The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), which in November gave out Awards for Excellence in Gerontological Nursing Education. The categories included:

1. Baccalaureate-Level Curricular Innovation at Harding University College of Nursing (Arkansas) and University of Southern Indiana College of Nursing and Health Professions.
2. Advanced Practice-Level Curricular Innovation at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing.
3. Geriatric Nursing Faculty Champion at the Elaine C. Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, University of Rochester School of Nursing.
4. Outstanding School of Nursing Communications at Mennonite College of Nursing at Illinois State University.

For more information on this and other Best Nursing Schools 2009 go to http://www.aacn.nche.edu/index.htm.

In order to become a registered nurse (RN), you will require graduation from an approved two year nursing program. Students must pass a national licensing exam to become a Registered Nurse.

After earning the degree, an RN may choose from a wide variety of specialties, which are categorized by types of illnesses, treatments, body systems and population. In addition to evaluating and treating patients, registered nurses are also responsible for supervising licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and other members of the nursing staff.

Depending on what area you specialize in, registered nurses are licensed to administer care to critically ill patients by assisting doctors during medical procedures, performing basic medical examinations, administering medicines, giving diagnostic tests, and monitoring patient progress.

Enrolling in a program at a community college is often a great choice for the nursing student who wants to attend a campus program rather than pursuing an online nursing degree. Community colleges typically offer a range of programs including RN to BSN programs for the RN who wants to raise boost their skills and career with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree.

There are registered nursing jobs available in both the public and private sectors. The military is also recruiting qualified applicants to fill their open positions. The demand for nurses is extremely heavy and is expected to stay that way for years. Even if nursing schools today continue to operate at full capacity they can still not meet the growing demand for nurses.

Registered nursing programs at community colleges can be your doorway to a lucrative, secure, and high-paying job in the health care field. If you’ve dreamed of becoming a nurse, being part of a medical team, and helping others, an RN degree is one of the most desireable certifications you can have. Plus, it opens the door to higher-level degrees and jobs to consider for the future.

Online Practical Nursing Schools

If you are amongst the many Americans who are facing downsizing in their company or industry, and are looking for a career with job security, you may be interested in exploring online practical nursing schools.

In today’s shaky job market, many people are switching to more practical, high demand careers such as nursing, where the demand is high. Moreover, a busy schedule and family obligations often interferes with the desires of a full-time working adult to return to school. There are a number of factors, which may seem discouraging such as the commute, location, the hours spent in a classroom, and often-inconvenient classroom schedules. However, there are a number of universities that offer terrific online practical nursing programs.

For example, ECU College of Nursing (East Carolina University), offers nine online practical nursing programs. As a matter of fact, U.S. News & World Report listed ECU as having the largest programs for distance, i.e. online education, in the May 2009 annual best graduate schools edition. The online practical nursing school offers a BSN and a MSN for Registered Nurses. The MSN programs include Adult Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Leadership, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwifery, and Nursing Education.

One of the unique online practical nursing programs offered at ECU is their nurse-midwifery program, which is the only one in North Carolina. In 1991, it was initiated as part of a North Carolina legislative mandate, which sought to combat high infant mortality, especially in rural areas. Upon graduation, graduates are eligible to receive certification from the American College of Nurse-Midwives. The Nurse-Midwifery MSN online practical nursing school requires a potential graduate to complete a minimum of 46 credit hours, which may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis.

Getting a nursing degree can cost a lot of money – more than $50,000 – $100,000 at some schools. Then there’s all the time invested. This begs the question, “Should I Be A Nurse”?

Lori Havens, a long-time RN, wrote a book with just that title.

Nursing school program drop-out rates are pretty high.  Some nursing students have personal or family situations that don’t allow them to continue.  Others simply can’t cut it academically.  And even with no ‘outside’ problems, nursing school is not easy!

But most of the students who drop out of nursing school do so because they stepped into a program that they should never have started in the first place…not because they were incapable, but because they were incompatible.

Some of the topics covered in “Should I Be A Nurse” include:

• “Roadmap to Becoming an R.N” – different ways to become a nurse
• Getting into nursing school…why it’s so tough and what you can do about it
• The future of nursing…is the job security really there?
• The difference between an R.N. and an L.P.N., and which one is best for you
• “Am I too old?” -  entering the profession later in life.

The book is extremely well-written, something I wish I had read when I was considering nursing programs. Ms. Havens has also included some very valuable “extra bonuses”, including some very good career guide books, a resume-writing report, and a “members website” with more information about topics in the book.

At $19.95, I think it’s a no-brainer – especially since it carries a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you want to read more about it, or order it online (you get an instant digital PDF download which you can dive into immediately), you can click here:

“Should I Be A Nurse” by Lori Havens