There are many factors to consider when choosing a nursing school. Find a program that matches your career endeavors and personal needs.
Do you want to start out as a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse?
This is just one of several questions you need to ask yourself before laying out a lot of cash for tuition.
Here are some important considerations for choosing your nursing school, as suggested by NursingExplorer.com:
Location
Are there nursing schools available near your home? How far can you travel to attend classes? Do you want to live on campus or commute? Do you want to relocate or live somewhere else during school time?
There are several nursing schools in each state. Some nursing schools have long waiting lists to get into the program, so if you can broaden your range of acceptable schools, you may get started quicker.
Is your degree choice available online, and is that an option for you? Online options could work well if you have a full-time job or a family. One important question to ask about these programs is how the clinical training is handled. Some may have clinical sites you must attend; others may allow you to complete the clinical practice near your location.
Accreditation
You should choose a school accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Understand there is a difference between approval by the state board of nursing and accreditation by a national accrediting organization.
Accreditation means the school’s program has been reviewed and approved by experts in the field. This is one way to know that the school prepares you well for your career. It means that the education given by these schools meets a minimum level of quality set by experts. Most nursing schools are accredited, but there still may be a few out there that are not. If you do not receive your education from an accredited school, you will not be qualified to attend an accredited nursing school in the future if you choose to pursue higher degrees.
If you need financial aid, you will need to choose an accredited school. Employers who are in the know about education prefer to hire nurses from accredited schools because the school uses nationally established standards for the its curriculum.
Class Schedules
Does the school have classes scheduled that are convenient for you? Nursing clinicals are your handsÂ-on practice time with patients. They get you ready for the patient-caregiver relationship. You will work side by side with real nurses so you can get a feel for what they do every day. Many students worry they will make a mistake during this time, but the instructors and nurses will monitor your work very closely.
Find out which clinical sites are used by the school and how far they are from your home. Do these clinical sites have a good reputation? How much clinical time is available at the school? Will you get enough experience to be prepared when you go out into the workforce?
NCLEX Exam Pass Rate
NCLEX is a national exam nurses are required to take in order to become licensed. This pass rate will give you a good idea of how well the school is preparing students. If the passing rate is low, steer clear. Look back through at least five years worth of data.