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Overview of Nursing Home Employment in the US

The U.S has the largest number of homecare centers claiming over 25% of the total figure around the world, therefore, nursing home jobs are in plenty. There is never a good thing like knowing that your chance for getting a job after training is higher. Such is the case with nursing and more specifically with home care nurses. It goes without saying that homecare specialists have bigger advantages as compared to other specialties. With the diversification of healthcare and more need for special care to children, the disabled and the elderly, there will be more job openings for home center nurses. The projection has already proven to be true in 2016 as more than 100,000 job opportunities have been advertised.

Contents:

• Overview of Nursing Home Employment in the US
• Types of Nursing Home Jobs
• Nursing Home Staff Requirements
• The Best Home Centers to Work as a Nurse in the US
• Salary Expectation
• The Future Job Outlook

Types of Nursing Home Jobs

There is so much to choose from if as a home nursing professional. Here are the top types that you may consider for your career path:

• Direct care nurse: for this position you need to be a registered nurse, Licensed Practical nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN), physical therapist or Certified nursing assistant (CNA).
• Nursing home dietician: both state and federal law require homecare centers to have at least one dietician. You will be consulted or full-time employed to provide directives on nutrition and best food programs. This is crucial to the patients who in most cases need special care.
• Nursing assistant: you will work under an RN to assist in daily health routines at the center. You can grow your career and become a full nurse if you advance your education.
• Administrative nurse: administration duties are crucial to the running of a home care institution. You could choose the path to run the daily activities such as keeping records, monitoring staff activities, making rosters and ensuring that all regulations are followed to the letter. It is a rewarding choice that can take you to as high as the senior management level.

Nursing Home Staff Requirements

This is not a walk-and-work field, there are prerequisites that must be met before you are taken on board. What requirements are these? The federal and state laws on health dictate some preconditions on the establishment of nursing homes and their staffing. One requirement is that there are adequate staff members to take care of the needs of the patients. Depending on the bed capacity, there is a threshold on the number of employees but the law is not clear on the exact figure. The second requirement is that there should be at least one registered nurse (RN) on duty for at least 8 hours in a day for 7 days. In the same breath, there should be an LPN/LVN on duty for 24 hours each single day of the week. There are varying requirements in each state but they all conform to the overall country’s health regulations.

The Best Home Centers to Work as a Nurse in the US

It is the hope of every nursing professional to get a job in the best company or institution. That is why there is always stiff competition for chances from some institutions as opposed to others. In the US, there are so many homecare centers than any other country in the world. As a home care nurse, here are the best states with homecare centers that would make your dream for a great nursing career come to pass;

• Florida: in statistics on nursing salaries and working environment, the state of Florida features dominantly in the top performers. It would also be the same for your homecare career. Here the best care centers to work in include: Watercrest care center in North Miami Beach; Jupiter medical center Pavilion Inc. in Jupiter; Cross Pointe care center in near Dania beach; Canterbury Towers Inc. in Tampa; Southern Pine healthcare center in New Port Richey; and Emerald Shores Health and Rehabilitation in Callaway. There are more other centers but this lot lead from the front and you can count on your luck to find your job here
• New York: New York leads for many things in the entire federation and one of such is better employment opportunities for nurses. Homecare nurses would appreciate if they got jobs in the following centers: Beach Terrace care center in Long Beach; University nursing home in Bronx; Belair care center Inc. in Bellmore; Daleview care center; St. Peter’s Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; and Field Home-Holy Comforter in Cortlandt Manor

This is only a sample of the best home care facilities in the top 2 states hence it does not mean that the rest of states do not have better opportunities too. As long as you have your license and certification, you can have a nursing job in any of the states in the country.

Salary Expectation

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) a nursing home practitioner earned an annual average salary of $24,890 in 2013. In the same year, the least paid homecare nurse took home $18,600 while the highest paid got $35,780. On hourly average, you would be looking forward to making $11.97. In California metropolitan areas, you would earn the best wages in Vallejo, Oakland, and San Francisco.

The Future Job Outlook

Between 2012 and 2022, BLS predicts that nursing home vacancies will grow by 22% in the entire country. In other words, the demand for home care nurses will grow by at least 312,200 positions in a decade. Already it has been proven to be a true prediction since in 2014, 2015, and 2016 there has been an increased demand for home care nurses. This may be partly due to the efforts by the federal and state governments to bring an overhaul to the health care system. The new bill on health popularly dubbed as Obamacare and the review on health insurance for the low-income earners have both been impactful for the nursing profession. Those in low-income tier are now able to access quality health services and home care practitioners are finding this to be in their favor. It is hence right to conclude that the employment opportunities for home care nurses will keep growing for the foreseeable future. It is not such a misinformed career path as you can see for yourself.

Pediatric nurse salary is a genuine concern of those who is considering this nursing career. One of the reasons why you would have chosen to be a pediatric nurse is the financial advantage and you should not feel any tinge of guilt for that. So, what is the range of a pediatric nurse salary?

Contents:

• Pediatric Nursing Salary Overview
• Expected Salaries for Different Categories
• Summary of a Pediatric Nursing Salary
• Job Conditions
• Job Overview
• Is It a Rewarding Specialty?
• Factors to Determine a Pediatric Nurse Salary
• Potential Employers and Vacancies

Pediatric Nursing Salary Overview

In mid-2014, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated that registered nurses (pediatric nurse fall in this category) had a mean salary of $69,670. Besides, Payscale.com reported in September 2015 that a pediatric nurse earned a median salary of $53,444. The majority of these were professionals just like you, who earned in the range between $34,768 to 84,445. Depending on your education, experience and place of work, your salary should lie within the stated median bracket. It is not a cut-and-dry phenomenon since you will find different institutions paying generally less than others and that is why nurses shift jobs looking for greener pastures.

Expected Salaries for Different Categories

The National Health Service (NHS) has a pay structure referred to as Agenda for Change and it vividly defines the amount of pay for each kind of a nurse. All pediatric nurses do not get the same amount of pay; there are those who are paid less and others who receive payments in the highest tier. Salaries are determined by the type of ‘band’ one belongs in. There are factors which are used to determine how much is paid to who as you will learn later. But first, let’s focus on what you should expect for your pediatric nurse salary for each of the bands:

• Band 5
  Here belong the recently qualified nurses who do not have much practical experience. They are mostly undergraduates whose only experience is the internship they had during their training. Their average annual basic pay is expected to begin at $21, 388. This does not factor in bonuses, tips, and overtime considerations.
• Band 6 and 7
  This is a bracket for experienced and senior pediatric nurses. There are specific skills and qualifications to make it here. The range of annual salary lies between $25,783-40,558.
• Band 8a-c
  Experience and skills earn you promotion and that comes with an increase in your prospects. At this level, you will be expected to sometimes work in unsocial hours and this calls for more monetary benefits. You should expect a yearly average salary between $39, 239 to 67,805. Added to tips and bonuses, the gross amount can rise to as high as $84,000.

Summary of a Pediatric Nursing Salary

• Hourly pay: $16.40-37.97
• Expected hourly tip: $116.38
• Hourly overtime: $13.72-59.91
• Annual bonus: $0.00-4,954
• Annual profit share: $1.14-30,576
• Annual gross salary: $34,768-84,445

Job Conditions

Just like any other job, a pediatric practitioner is expected to work under some conditions so as to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. Here are generalized conditions that you have to meet so as to get your check at the end of the day or whichever payment agreement you have made with your employer:

• Private Nurses: their range of salaries widely vary and their terms of work may be severe than someone working in the public docket. Your job will be in private institutions and homes.
• Working hours: it comes down to your role on your working hours. You will have regular hours if your roles do not have to deal with emergencies. However, be embraced to work on unsocial hours since this is a high-pressure career and emergencies do not choose the time they happen.
• Place of work: mostly, you are expected to work within the hospital or clinic. Sometimes you will be called upon to make home visits or take a patient to another healthcare facility in cases of transfers or refers. You may also be expected to travel abroad for conferences and this happens if you are in a senior management level.
• Working arrangement: you have the liberty of choice to work as a full-time or a part-time employee. Part-time arrangements have become common for those who are still studying or have other crucial things to do.
• Freelancing: if you do not wish to be attached to any employer, it is possible to do your own job. You can start a nursing agency or just be a solo operator.
• Where to get opportunities: there are opportunities in cities and towns. Of course, there are fewer in rural areas than in urban centers.
• Ability to manage stress: this is a stressing career and you are expected to manage it well. Besides, you will also be expected to help children and parents deals with their kind of pressure.
• Safety gear: in most cases, uniform and safety wear will be provided by your employer. You are expected to adhere to safety dressing codes at all time to ensure not only your safety but also for the patients and your colleagues.

Job Overview

As a pediatric, you are expected to handle a variety of roles which circulate around children diseases and conditions. Your typical day at work will be assessing children’s medical needs, preparing patients for clinical procedures, keeping track of patients’ recovery, collecting and keeping data on each case, ensuring that hygiene is maintained at all places and times, attending to emergencies, guiding and counseling parents. There is so much in your hands that you may be called upon to give help even at the middle of the night.

Is It a Rewarding Specialty?

If you are planning to major in pediatric as your nursing option, you sure want to know whether it is the right choice for you. Sometimes it is the passion for a career that should drive your choice but it is not such a bad idea to consider other factors such salary. As you have seen, a pediatric professional takes home a considerable salary each year. It may be meager at the start of your career but as you rise the ranks you will find it more rewarding. Of all the nursing domains, a pediatric earns averagely higher than the others. It is a high-pressure choice but that is what is expected in nursing so it is not a bad choice to make after all.

Factors to Determine a Pediatric Nurse Salary

It is not a random decision to earn the salary you get as a pediatric; it is more than what meets the eye. There are lots of considerations that go into such financial decisions. In conjunction with the labor and remuneration guidelines, here are the other considerations:

• Level of education
  As a nurse, salaries are based on your level of education just like it is with other professions. The higher your education level, the more you will get in terms of payment. A certified pediatric nurse expects to get $25.33-48.27 in an hour. If you have an RN certification then your hourly pay stands at $32.
• Experience
  The number of years of practice as a nurse will determine your salary. Here is the yearly median salary breakdown for different years of experience as of September 2015:
  · 0-5 years: $52,000
  · 5-10 years: $59,000
  · 10-20 years: $60,000
  · 0ver 20 years: $67,000

• Location 
  Different states offer different salaries for pediatric nursing professionals. In May 2014, both the West coast and North East paid pediatrics higher than the rest of the regions in the U.S. 5 of the highest paying states by then were Oregon ($82, 940), California ($98,400), Alaska ($85740), Massachusetts ($85,770), Hawaii ($88, 230). The lowest pay was in the following states: Mississippi, South Dakota, Iowa, Tennessee, Alabama, and Kansas with a median annual pay between $33, 740-57,830.
• Industry
  In May 2014, BLS reported that surgical and general medical hospitals to be paying their pediatric nurses at $71, 640 per year. Those employed in offices of physicians made a yearly salary of $63,800. Home healthcare providers took home $67,880 in a year compared to those in nursing care facilities and outpatient centers that made $62, 440 and $ 72, 390 yearly respectively.

Potential Employers and Vacancies

You should want to know who are in your scope of employment in the future. Being a pediatric nurse is such an on-demand occupation so you have to decide the area you want to work. It may be in rural areas or urban centers but here are the general areas you may end up getting a job:

• Nursing agencies: most of these are privately owned or non-profit organizations that help promote children and mothers’ health. There is quite a number in the U.S and they absorb a fair share of pediatric practitioners.
• Voluntary organizations and charities: it is not a must that you start you career in a hospital or clinic. You can choose to volunteer your services to a charity organization. They offer good chances to gain experience before you move to paying job. Indeed, you will have a competitive advantage if in your resume you volunteered for the sake of saving lives and not for money. Employers are seeking personnel that are not driven by monetary motivation but rather the passion and desire to provide healthcare to the society.
• General practice: this is the basic occupation of a pediatric nurse. You can freelance or be attached to a hospital of your choice.
• Private institutions: private clinics and hospitals take in over 25% of all practicing nurses in the U.S. As a pediatric, you have quite a chance to land a job in the private sector. It is more competitive than in the public sector and your competency is the most crucial element to grow your career.
• Travel companies and tourist resorts: To keep their services on demand, courtesy industries such as travel and catering companies would want pediatrics on their employees list. They offer competitive packages and they are worth giving a try.
• Patients’ homes: if you choose a freelancing pediatric vocation, you would find jobs in homes. You have to go around looking for patients and woo them to subscribe to your services. You will be regularly visiting them or when they call for you.

Pediatric nursing salary may not be the only major reason why you should go for this vocation but it is worth a consideration before you make your specialization decision. It is both a demanding and rewarding career. Labor stats in the U.S. show that the registered nurse field is expected to grow by 19% as from 2012 to 2022. The most growth will be expected in children and specialized adult care. This shows that your pediatric option was not misinformed and your chances for a good job are higher than with other specializations.

Travel nursing career allows nurses to work in research facilities, in hospitals, nursing homes, in schools and even as staff members in cruise ships. Travel nurses have to travel to any part of the country to replace any temporary shortage of nursing staff. The job of these nurses includes multi-tasking. A quick example: if general staff nurse is on vacation, a travel nurse will temporarily handle the work. Generally, travel nurses perform jobs such as monitoring vital signs of the critical patients, obtaining the blood pressure and caring for patients affected by a natural disaster. Furthermore, travel nurses can temporarily replace some specialized field of nursing such as psychiatry, oncology, nephrology and some others. Therefore, a travel nurse can earn higher wages and are mostly hired by multiple or specialized agencies.

Contents:

• Travel Nursing Education and Registration
• Finding a Travel Nursing Position
• Benefits of Working as a Travel Nurse
• Travel Nurse Salary
• Becoming an International Travel Nurse

Travel Nursing Education and Registration

To be a travel nurse, you must attend a nursing school and earn at least a degree as an RN (Registered Nurse). Becoming an RN is more competitive and the process may take around 2 to 4 years depending on the program and the area of study. After you have obtained the credentials, you must pass NCLEX-RN exam and also work for at least 1 year in a hospital setting and in the specialty you wish to practice.

Nurses working in all facilities should have at least an ASN degree and depending on the specialty, nurses work in PALS, ACL, NIH stroke scale and some other certifications may also be necessary. Having a certification in your specialty is important. Furthermore, most agencies also require their nurses to have specific and physical immunizations and their current TB test before starting any assignment.

Finding a Travel Nursing Position

Finding a job as a travelling nurse is the easiest part due to the demand for travel nurses which is always high. To get a job, you will need to register with staffing agencies which will provide you with many job opportunities. And because travelling nurses get some added benefits such as travelling, healthcare, housing reimbursement, you will have to select where you would like to work and then compare offers and interviews and then determine which job offer is the best. Mostly, travel nursing assignments last for 13 weeks and if you don’t like the place or the job, then your commitment will be minimal. At the end of your assignment, a facility may offer you an extension but only if you like the location and the job.

Benefits of Working as a Travel Nurse

Travel nursing has many benefits over the typical nursing. Some of these benefits include:

1. Better salary
   As a travel nurse, you are able to select where you want to work, the specialty you want to work in and for how long you would like to work. Generally, travel nurses earn much better than the other nurses and have all their housing and travelling expenses catered for. They also receive a full benefits package. Furthermore, most of the money they receive is usually tax-free since they travel more than 50 miles from their homes.
2. Traveling to a new country
   After becoming a travel nurse, you will enjoy the opportunity of travelling the country. By spending, at least, three months in every city, you will have an opportunity to meet friends, experience different foods, cultures and even entertainment. Moreover, you will expose yourself to various healthcare delivery systems and variations of newer professional experiences which will assist you in becoming an independent, experienced and more flexible nurse.
3. More job opportunities
   There are very many reasons why hospitals require travel nurses. One of these reasons is the difficulty to keep skilled nurses depending on the location of the city. They also hire these nurses to fill temporary positions usually left by nurses on leave, to cater for seasonal population increases, and primarily because there are inadequately qualified nurses in a city.
4. Ability to build your skills
   Possibly, you will work in some top facilities within the country. This allows a unique perspective in several places. Working alongside some top nurses and doctors will enable you to gain adequate experience which is only available through travel nurse job.
5. Free housing
   Most travel nursing companies offer tax-free housing stipend that allows quality housing near the working place.

Travel Nurse Salary

There are many factors that determine the amount you are going to earn as a travel nurse. These factors include geographic location, specialized certification, your work experience, professional nursing qualifications and the working agency. Compared to the non-travelling nurses, travelling nurses earn more even though they earn more in the cities. And in addition to earning more, travel nurses have some added benefits from working agency which include travel insurance, dental insurance, and food accommodation facilities.

On average, the salary for the registered nurses is around $66,530 on an annual basis or $31.999 per every month. About 10% of the top category earns over $93,700 annually and the lowest 10% earn approximately $43,970 per year.

Travel Nurse Salary in the United States

The highly experienced travel nurses mostly earn around $40 per hour even though the beginners can earn a lower hourly wage of $30. Employment agencies often pay up to $8,000 per every contract usually based on length of each contract. Average hourly rate for registered nurses is usually around $30.85 and average nursing salary is usually $67,525 on an annual basis. Moreover, travel nurses earn 20% more than non-travel nurses and may also gain comprehensive salary benefits which include agency sponsored location, renewal bonus and utilities.

Annually, the registered nurses who receive the highest salary earn around $90,000 while the lowest paid nurse earns below $44,000. On top of that, the median salary of registered nurses is usually $33.99 per every hour worked. And around 10% of the nurses receive over $45.05 per every hour while the nurses in the lowest category receive below $21.14 per every hour. There are agencies that offer attractive bonuses for nurses to complete the contract or to sign on. In such situations, these bonuses may be approximately $5,000.

Travel Nurse Salary in the UK

In the UK, beginners earn around $17,000 and this salary increases by up to $30,000.

Travel Nurse Salary in Australia

In Australia, the salary of re-entry nurses ranges between $52,092 and $70,091 per year while hourly wages range between $26.27 and $35.35. The salary of clinical nurses ranges between $71,297 and $76,376 per year while the hourly range for this category range between $35.95 and $38.51.

Becoming an International Travel Nurse

Nurses are needed all over the world. While you may have traveled to many states, you may not have considered the many travel nursing opportunities around the world. It may be daunting to relocate to another country even when it’s temporarily, but nursing abroad provides special experiences which make it ideal. Before obtaining a passport and beginning to pack your bags, there are a few things you should consider:

1. The sense of adventure in international travel nursing.
   The lure of the international traveling nurses opportunities does not necessarily lay on the end of higher pay. Generally, travel nurse jobs abroad pay lesser amounts compared with what you expect in the United States. But what is more, enticing about these jobs is the change of locations and unique locals. If you are one of the people who possess a sense of adventure, or willingness to put themselves in unfamiliar territories, then international travel nurse jobs are a great choice.
   Mostly, nursing opportunities abroad are usually assignments which run for longer periods of time than the task assignments in the United States. One benefit associated with them is that you will have sufficient time to experience new work environments and new customs. Leaving an assignment abroad can be tough before you have truly adapted and performed as a resident. Longer contract periods also mean that you will have more chances to explore all the neighboring areas. For example, when in the UK, exploring other parts in Europe that you have dreamed of will be easier. And to travel to such regions, you will not have to worry about language barriers.
2. Preparation is important
   Working abroad is not as simple as packing your bag and leaving. For you to be eligible to work in Australia or the UK, you must meet some requirements. To work in the UK, you will have to pass the English proficiency exam. At least, you will have to attain an overall 6.5 score on International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The other requirement is admission to Nursing Midwifery Council & Supervised Practice. To start working in the country, you may also need to provide some other learning requirements.
   For you to work as a travel nurse in Australia you must take the country’s board examination and if you are a registered nurse, you will have to register with the Australia Boards of Nursing prior to starting your assignments. The nurses Board of Southern Australia or NBSA will also have to confirm your record in the country. The whole process may take 3 to 6 months. Moreover, you may have to get the temporary business visa — your travel nursing agency can handle the visa for you.

When selecting an agency, you should ensure that it is experienced in international placements – they will be able to guide you through the whole process.

How much do nurses make is a question being asked more and more often since a career in nursing is one of the best paying not only in the USA but also globally. Apart from this, it is also among the few sectors that have seen a steady rise in the average salary in the last couple of years. The good pay and steady increase can be attributed to the shortage of most types of nurses in the USA. This makes it an excellent career choice and if you are not sure what profession to take then the attractive pay package associated with all nursing specialties should attract you to take nursing.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in 2013 the average nurse salary in the USA was $ 67,910 annually, and this shows that on average a nurse would expect to earn slightly over $33 per hour. The average wage was calculated for the 2.7 million nurses in the USA, and it is important to note that it was arrived at by bringing all specialties in nursing together. This average was 15% higher than the national average for other occupation and hence making this one of the best-paying jobs in the US. The average salary has increased by a significant margin over the last few years and according to statistics, it will rise even much faster in the coming years because the shortage of nurse is expected to be higher. And so hospitals and other organizations that employ nurse will have to increase their pay package to attract the best in the market.

Contents:

• Salary by State
• What Causes the Salary Disparity in These States?
• Factors That Influence Nurse Salary
• Does Gender Influence the Salary?
• Salary by Types of Nurse
• Other Nurse Benefits
• Tips for Getting a Good Salary as a Nurse

Salary by State

• California. California is the biggest state in the USA, and so it has one of the highest numbers of nursing specialties. It is estimated that there are about 250,000 registered nurses in the state earning an average salary of $94, 120 making it the best paying state for nursing careers in the USA. The most interesting thing is that even with the very high salaries California is also one of the states that have the highest shortage of different nursing specialties.
• Texas. The state of Texas employs about 188,000 registered nurses that earn an average salary of $66,350 annually or $31.90 per hour. This salary is below the national average for registered nurse, but it is still higher than what most other careers will pay. And if you are well educated and experienced you can earn way much more than this in Texas. The average salary is higher for other specialties such as nurse practitioners.
• Florida. Florida is the fourth largest employer for registered nurses, and also for most other nurse specialties. On average, a nurse will earn a salary of $62,060 per year and $29.84 per hour. Although this salary may look attractive, it is lower than the national average by seven percent meaning many other states pay better than Florida.
• New York. A 2013 survey by the BLS found that the mean salary for a registered nurse in New York was $75,470 annually which translates to $36.29 per hour. This means that it is above the national average. New York is also one the largest nurse employers in the US as it currently employs more than 170, 000 nurses.
• Minnesota. Minnesota currently has about 58,000 registered nurses, and this is quite a small number compared to other states. These nurses earn an average salary of $58,000 annually, and it is 13% lower when compared to other regions in the USA. However, it is also important to note that the salaries will also vary from city to city. Some cities in the state like Saint Paul and Burnsville have better packages as nurses here earn up to $35 per hour.
• Massachusetts. Only Hawaii and California have better nurse salary than Massachusetts in the USA. There are more than 80,000 registered nurses employed Massachusetts earning an average wage of $83,720 with the hourly wage rate being $40.25.
• District of Columbia. District of Columbia has a decent package for the registered nurses working there as the average salary is about $ 76,044 that is higher than the national average. This means that on average a nurse will earn $1,462 per week or $37 per hour.
• Louisiana. Louisiana is one of the most populous states in the USA, and so the demand for nurses is very high. Here there are currently approximately 41,000 nurses working in the various hospitals and other healthcare facilities. On average, a nurse in Louisiana will earn approximately $62,000 annually and $30 per hour.
• North Carolina. There is close to 90,000 nurses currently employed in North Carolina, which is more than what most other states have. On average these nurses earn about $59,290 annually and $28.51 per hour.
• Alaska. Alaska is one of the least populated states in the USA and so there are not very many nurses working here. On average the close to 6,000 nurses working in Alaska earns approximately $49,000 making it one of the lowest in the USA.

What Causes the Salary Disparity in These States?

The USA being the largest economy in the world also has the highest salaries for most professions compared to other countries. However, what is evident is that there are a lot of disparities in what people earn different states. Whereas some states pay very high salaries, for some, it is not that high. The nursing profession is one of those with the greatest differences in pay, and this is due to several factors, and the following are the top ones.

1. State government policies of the individual state affect what people earn. Although there are federal labor laws that each state has to adhere to each also has bylaws that affect things such as taxation and work-related policies. These laws and policies affect what hospitals and other facilities can comfortably pay their nurses.
2. Salaries are often dictated by living conditions. The living conditions are different from one state to the other and so the salaries will also be different.
3. Some states have higher nurse shortages than others, and so they will pay more to attract people from other states so as to try and cover the deficits.
4. Availability of different sources of employment for nurses is also another factor that causes the disparity. In some states, they are many other places that a nurse can work. For example, such as schools and nongovernmental organizations. The availability of many opportunities in some regions creates and increased demand and so this also pushes the wages high.

Factors That Influence Nurse Salary

Nurse salaries will vary from state to state ad even from one city to the other due to the factors mentioned above. However, there are also some important factors that will determine how much money you will earn as a nurse. These factors include the following.

• The level of education. This is the primary factor that determines how much you will earn as a nurse because your level of education will determine how skillful and hence how beneficial you are to the employer. The more educated you are, the more you can expect to earn.
• The level of experience. Experienced nurses are in very high demand in most hospitals as they have more expertise thanks to their many years on the job, and so they will also earn more. The longer you have been practicing as a nurse, the more you will earn.
• Type of employer. Hospitals are the primary source of employment for registered nurses and other specialties, but they are not the best paying. Others such as nongovernmental organizations pay much more than hospitals.
• Specialty. There are different specialties that a nurse can choose especially during the post graduate studies, and this will determine how much they earn. For example, nurse anesthetists make more than most other specialties.
• Working hours. The number of hours that you work for will determine how much you make because in the USA wages are hourly. Some hospitals also have special pay for night shift and hence meaning that nurses that work at night make more.

Does Gender Influence the Salary?

Although the nursing industry is female dominated, overall male nurses earn more. The government is very strict with gender-based discrimination, but several factors make male nurses earn more than women. For example, there are very few men that pursue nursing as a career. This is regardless of the fact that most hospitals need them to attend to male patients in certain situations. The overall shortage of male nurses makes their salaries higher as hospitals compete for the few available. Another reason is the fact that male nurses are often more educated and hence more skilled, meaning that they will earn more than women. And so studies shows that a male nurse makes on average $5,000 more than female nurses annually in the USA.

Salary by Types of Nurse

• Registered Nurse. The median national annual salary for a registered nurse in the US is $66,640 according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, actual salaries will vary depending on specialization and experience.
• Nurse Practitioner. There are different specialty NP but the most common one is the Family Nurse Practitioner, and these professionals earn an average salary of $102,670 per year.
• Nurse Anesthetist. With a mean wage of about $164,000 a nurse anesthetist is one of the best-paying nurse specialties in the USA and also globally.
• Pediatric Nurse. The Pediatric nurse will earn $65,000 on average annually, but this will depend on their level of education because those with an MSN make double this amount.
• Neonatal Nurse. Neonatal nurses in the USA earn an attractive median salary of $106,500 annually. This is due to the fragile nature of the patients that they care for which makes their work more complicated.
• School Nurses. The median salary for a school nurse is $45,000 which is lower than the national average nurse salary. However this should not scare you given the fact that a school nurse only works for about 9 or 10 months annually and all evenings and weekends they are free.
• Travel Nurses. On average travel nurses make $67,000 per year but unlike most other nursing careers their salaries will mostly depend on the type of employment.
• ER Nurse. ER nurses do not know what kind of emergencies to expect, and so they should always be prepared for anything and also have the ability to stay calm under pressure. The challenging nature of the work is compensated by a huge salary with these nurses earning an average of $92,500 annually.
• Nurse Assistant. A nurse assistant makes an average wage of $63,000 which is pretty good given the fact that it only takes a couple of months to qualify as one.
• Flight Nurses. If a patient develops an emergency when on a flight their fate rests on the competence of a flight nurse who in most cases does not have the benefit of the state of the art hospital equipment. And so their decent median salary of $72,000 shows just how important they are.
• Surgical Nurses. A surgical nurse can perform some procedure with the supervision of a surgeon, and so they are very skilled. This is perhaps what makes them earn more than other nurses with an average salary of $84,300 per year.
• ICU Nurse. ICU Nurse Services are probably the most stressful, and this perhaps explains the high staff/patient ratio. Closer monitoring of the patient and acute attention for detail is necessary, and so only the best make ICU nurses and so the median annual salary of $100,500 is by far higher than the average for the other types of nurses.
• Oncology Nurse. An oncology nurse cares for people facing the reality of cancer. Ironically their median annual salary of $67,200 is on the lower end of the scale.

Other Nurse Benefits

Apart from the salary, nurses just like any other employees enjoy many other benefits, but the following four are the most common.

1. Most nursing jobs offer an insurance plan for you and your family and in some states, this is a mandatory requirement.
2. Some institutions also have a tuition fee reimbursement scheme for their nurses where they offer them financial assistance to further their studies, for example, when taking an MSN program.
3. Paid Time off or PTO is another common benefit in nursing where you are paid for up to 180 hours after working for a year. It means that you can take up to 15 days off and still get paid for them.
4. Hospitals nowadays also have other incentives such as recruitment bonuses that can be as much as $20,000, housing assistance and also relocation assistance

Tips for Getting a Good Salary as a Nurse

• Get a good education and go all the way to masters or even doctoral level because the more educated you are, the better the pay.
• Be patient and start anywhere you can so as to build experience because it is also a key determinant in what you earn.
• Try your luck in other places other than hospitals for example in nongovernmental institutions and if you are well educated, you can try nursing schools as an educator.
• If you have a flexible schedule or work for a few hours taking two jobs is not such a bad idea as you will earn more.

Overview on Nursing Jobs in the US

In the US, nursing is the largest healthcare profession totaling to more than 3.1 million registered nurses in the entire federation. Out of this number, 84.6% of this figure (2.6 million nurses) has jobs in the nursing sector. Registered nurses (RNs) form the largest chunk and they are among the highest paid vocation in the country. On the other hand, 58% of RNs work in surgical clinics and general medical hospitals while the rest are split among private hospitals and clinics, nursing agencies, and home care centers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2012, nursing careers are expected to keep growing for the next decade. In this period, it estimated that the nursing industry will expand by 26%. Some of the nursing specialties will grow more but the overall average in all the major nursing occupations will see a 14% growth.

Contents:

• Overview on Nursing Jobs in the US
• The Best Nursing Jobs in the USA
• The Best and Worst States for Nursing Jobs
• Best Industries to Work as a Nurse
• Outlook of Nursing Jobs

The Best Nursing Jobs in the USA

Nursing is such a high profile career given the better pay and the prestige attached to its courses. However, there are vocations which are better than others. These differences are based on the amount of pay, working arrangements, the pressure of job and the overall working environment. So what are the 5 best nursing occupations in the country?

• Travel Nursing
  This is one of the most favored choices by many nurses. Whether it is for the fun of giving services while traveling, the truth is that this is a career path worth trying. As opposed to the others, it is not under so much pressure since it is not every other time that travelers become sick. The other thing that makes it popular is that nurses do not have to be stationed in one place since they can move to where they are needed.
• Neonatal Nursing
  This may not be a so popular nursing specialty but it ranks high in the chart of the best jobs. Indeed, less than 3% of the nursing fraternity has chosen this as their area of specialization. It pays relatively better than any other nursing field and this is a plus for those who want to make more. It is a high-pressure job but it requires passion and you will never find it a bad choice.
• Nursing Informatics
  For those who enjoy working with data and communication, nursing informatics is a job worth considering. It uses new technology to store and retrieve information. It is a highly competitive career and those in it get favorable compensation and flexible working schedules. It is relatively new and its demand will keep growing for the foreseeable future.
• Pediatric Nursing
  Working with infants is for those who enjoy the interaction with young children and the company of their parents. It is a rewarding career that is mostly attractive to female nurses. A survey by BLS in 2014 showed that the demand for pediatrics will grow by at least 14% in 2o15 through to 2016.
• Medical-Surgical Nursing
  A high demand occupation, medical-surgical nursing is one of the most sought specialties by nurses who want to get jobs soon. They work in conjunction with surgeons and other physicians during complicated operations. It is a high-pressure job but at the end of the day, your compensation will be adequate to overlook what you have to go through every day.

The Best and Worst States for Nursing Jobs

Nursing jobs in Hawaii, Kansas, California, North Dakota, and Rhode Island are the best in the country in terms of remuneration, social welfare, and general working environment. On the other hand, nursing jobs in Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Georgia are the worst in terms of payment, working environment and the social welfare of employees.

Best Industries to Work as a Nurse

You may not just want to work in any environment for the love of your profession. There are industries where you will get fair treatment and this is where every nurse wants to work. Over 55% of the nursing workforce has found jobs in these industries and you would wish to know them:

• General medical institutions: this is where most of the nursing professionals work. Over 58% of American nurses work in general medical institutions. They are paid well and there is the flexibility of duties. It is one of the best starting grounds for new trainees as it exposes them to early challenges that are important to growing their career in the right direction.
• Homecare centers: children, the old and those with special needs are taken to home care centers. A good number of nurses find jobs here and it is not as stressful as in other high-pressure environments.
• Private clinics and hospitals: the private sector employs close to 20% of the entire nursing workforce in the U.S. Their terms are competitive and rewarding and that is why professionals find it easy to dodge the public sector and opt for the private practice.
• Nursing agencies: these are umbrella organizations which bring together an array of nursing practitioners. Jobs are collectively sourced and it easy to work here since there is a network already established.
• Family nursing practice: there are those who decide to go solo in their practice. They approach homes and source patients on their own. They encourage families and individuals to subscribe to their services. Less than 5% of nurses in the U.S. have embraced this practice.

Outlook of Nursing Jobs

In the decade running from 2012 to 2022, BLS predicts that nursing jobs will grow by a margin of 26%. There are more openings for new nurses and that is why there is a lot of focus to encourage students to choose nursing courses. According to the U.S. department of labor, there was a shortage of 116,000 nurses in the USA in 2008. By 2025, the shortage is expected to rise to 500,000. In 2016, the labor department estimates that close to 1 million nurses should be trained if there are any chances to cover on the shortage. This is approximately 40% of the current nursing workforce in the entire federation. In summary, there is a bright future for those who want to become nurses in the country. Better chances are in the states of Hawaii, California, Kansas and Massachusetts.

Nursing informatics job is one of the recent opportunities nurses can now pursue and it is already becoming quite popular. Nursing is among the oldest careers in the world and employs some 2.7 million people in the USA alone. Nurses can work in different departments of healthcare facilities and their jobs vary depending on the healthcare facility and what they specialize in. nurse informatics jobs are fairly new and the definition of a nurse informatics specialist may frequently vary from one health organization to another.

Contents:

• Nursing Informatics Job Definition
• Nursing Informatics Job Description
• Nursing Informatics Job: Educational Requirements
• Nursing Informatics Job: Tips to Jumpstart Your Career
• Nursing Informatics Job: Salary Information

Nursing Informatics Job Definition

However, it is defined by the American Nursing Association as follows:

• It is the position of overseeing integration and interpretation of data, information and patient history (medical records) to facilitate decision making for both the patient and their healthcare provider.

Essentially, nursing informatics specialist jobs emerged due to the shift from analog to electronic medical practices that involve storing patient medical data, statistics and history on electronic databases. Nurses out in the field often come by different types of medical data and information which can be used in administering treatment for momentary and future cases. Recording, compiling and integrating this information in the broad healthcare delivery network is therefore very crucial and nurse informatics jobs are the platforms for overseeing this requirement.

Nursing Informatics Job Description

Nursing informatics job description is simple to understand once you grasp the scope of what such specialists are required to achieve. The paper records that were used for over a century are a thing of the past. A bill was passed back in 2009 requiring all healthcare facilities to switch from paper record keeping systems to electronic databases by 2014 and it is now a legally enforced requirement.

Nurse Informatics specialists are required to oversee the integration of collected data (from medical history), information from the records and existing knowledge to support decision making when treating patients.

To achieve this, they must keep the information technology systems up-to-date at all times, record all the necessary data collected and make sure these records are accessible to doctors, specialists, other nurses and the patients themselves. The benefits of electronic record keeping are quite obvious and straightforward. Nurses interested in information technology and its application in trying to improve patient health care delivery plans should consider a career in nurse informatics. Some of the key responsibilities performed under nursing informatics job include the following:

• Project management
• Policy writing

• Education, training and provision of support to system users
• Choosing the correct systems

• Optimizing system performance
• Maintaining electronic record keeping systems

If you work outside a clinic or health facility, your job may include testing patients, training system customers, designing a record keeping system and even sales and marketing.

Nursing Informatics Job: Educational Requirements

The starting point of becoming any type of nurse is completing formal education and taking a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Sciences. This gives you certification as a licensed registered nurse and you can then major in any branch that interests you.

Once you have the licensing, you can begin training and crossover lessons to jumpstart your way into nursing informatics jobs. However, this will often take a longer time and your reputation as an informatics specialist will not be as good as you expect.

For this reason, it is advisable to major in Nursing Informatics. Universities are already offering on-campus and online degree and certification programs for health informatics. You can graduate with a Master’s of Health Informatics, which gives you better credibility as a specialist in the field. Graduates of nursing administration with an emphasis on health informatics will also qualify for nurse informatics jobs.

Nursing Informatics Job: Tips to Jumpstart Your Career

According to statistical reports, nursing informatics jobs are expanding rapidly and about 70,000 new specialists will be required in the next few years. These jobs do not have an entry level point and most specialists advance their careers acquiring the needed skills along the way. Here are some tips to help you jumpstart your career in informatics:

1. Know what you need — Informatics basically brings together health science, computer science, and information technology. These, therefore, are the areas you should seek to advance your knowledge and skills if you want to be the best nurse informatics specialist in your facility or region.

2. Advance your field — Advancing the nursing field is often quite difficult even though nursing is still very popular and honorable. Expanding your skills in the three areas is one way to quickly advance your career.

3. Get educated — It is very important to get educated in health informatics and get certification. Look for courses and programs that deal with health informatics and enroll for the classes.

4. Find job opportunities — The next thing is to work part-time first then full time in such departments developing professional networks and relationships with other nurses in the division.

Example jobs and career paths you can take as a nurse informatics include Nurse Communicators, Nurse Managers, Nurse Programmers and Nurse vendor representatives among others. These jobs basically deal with programming the medical systems used, vending them to interested facilities, providing/communicating help to users and managing/maintaining the systems.

Nursing Informatics Job: Salary Information

Like most other professions, the salary awarded depends on various factors including physical location, type of facility, scope of the job and education. Since the field is still emerging, its salary statistics are yet to be published by the department of labor.

However, surveys have been conducted across all US regions and the salary of a nurse informatics specialist is around $93,000. Other reports depict an average salary of $102,715. It is advisable to conduct a personal research within your region market for up to date information.

As mentioned above, there are different scopes in the field ranging from programmers to educators, vendors, communicators and clinical analysts who simply analyze the data and information collected using special computer tools and systems. Different paths will attract different jobs and programmers are likely to earn more than analysts and sales representatives.

Nursing informatics jobs will only increase as we move forward. More health care facilities continue to install electronic record-keeping systems which lead to one major path; unlimited possibilities and solutions. Once you start using systems, faults, challenges and difficulties are no longer negatives but opportunities to improve the system which means new versions, features, tools and solutions. It will, therefore, be a cyclic activity that guarantees diversity and job security.

If you’re looking to improve your career skills it’s important to compare different nursing schools in NYC. The City of New York is by far one of the best places for nurses to work in. It generally offers better salary fortunes and there are numerous job openings available. However, demand for quality skills is also high and competition for coveted positions is stiff.

There are many varying factors to consider when examining nursing schools in NYC. For instance, you may want to join a school that is renowned for producing the best specialists in particular areas of study like RN, LPNs and so forth. At the same time, you may prefer to study in a specific location of the city for purposes of convenience. It is also worth looking at the size of the nursing school. Ideally, you want to find a school that has a manageable number of students so you can get close attention in training.

Also very important is whether the school offers enough clinical rotation time and whether their NCLEX examination pass rates are commendable or not. These are just but a handful of factors one needs to ponder about when browsing through a list of nursing schools in NYC.

Contents:

• What Are the Requirements for Joining Nursing Schools in NYC?
• Entry Level Requirements for Joining Nursing Schools in NYC
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Different Career Choices
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Your Career Desires
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Location Is Important
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Availability of Online Classes
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Is the School Accredited?
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: The Possibility of Financial Aid
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Be Prepared for Tests
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Clinical Rotations
• Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: NCLEX Pass Rate
• Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Nursing School in NYC
• Passing a Nursing School in NYC Interview

What Are the Requirements for Joining Nursing Schools in NYC?

Joining one of the many CUNY nursing schools in NYC is easier than you think provided you follow all the necessary guidelines. First, regardless of the school you join, you will study the following major subjects:

• Nutrition
• Microbiology
• Chemistry
• Physiology and anatomy

If these courses sound like something interesting and you want to be part of a promising profession, this might just be the right time to register with top nursing schools NYC of your choice.

But how do you get enrolled in the school in the first place? Well, that depends on what degree level you are talking about. You may want to start with an associate degree or a BSN (bachelor of science in nursing). At the same time, you may be looking to advance your current skills by taking an MSN (masters degree in nursing) or DNP (doctor of nursing practice).

Entry Level Requirements for Joining Nursing Schools in NYC

In order to increase your chances of enrollment, you should first ensure that you meet the safety and technical standards that are associated with this career. A high school diploma or GED with a minimum GPA of 87 is normally recommended by some of the registered nurse schools NYC. The best subject combination encompasses two units of Mathematics, which should include trigonometry or algebra 2. The candidate should also have a stellar performance in Biology and Chemistry with excellent laboratory scores.

Most colleges offer a TEAS (test of essential academic skills) as a way to verify if a student meets the stringent standards of this career field.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Different Career Choices

As stated above, once you join college you can choose different career paths. Each of these choices has its own opportunities and requirements.

• Associate Degree (ADN)

This is a two-year course and it is mainly seen as an entry level degree that is meant to prepare you to become a nurse. In this training, you will be trained on nursing theory, clinical practice and lab skills. You will also take other general college courses to enhance your skills. With an ADN, you can go forth to become an LPN or RN – and as such applying for an ADN is seen by many as the shortest route to kick-start a nursing career.

On the flip-side, though, professional groups and some employers are constantly pushing for more education because some studies have shown that nurses with more training tend to offer better care to patients. As such, increasingly, hospitals have been requiring nurses to further their training.

• Bachelors Degree (BSN)

A BSN is a four-year degree course that prepares you for a job position of a registered nurse. While you can still work as a nurse with an ADN , nurses with BSN training are typically given more responsibility and slightly better salaries. As such, if you have already acquired an ADN the next best step is to enroll for a BSN if you are planning to advance your career. The good news is that you can still pursue a BSN as you work without even having to take time off.

The degree incorporates both clinical practice and coursework. In addition to general training in communication offered by nursing schools in NYC, you will also learn:

• Biology
• Nutrition
• Physiology
• Anatomy

Among other topics. A typical BSN class list might incorporate additional topics such as emergency care, health assessment, research for evidence-based practice, trends in nursing, population-based care, public and global health among others.

• Masters in Nursing (MSN)

A masters degree in nursing will help equip you with skills and advanced training you need for a highly-specialized role of nursing. Earning your MSN from one of the accredited nursing schools NYC qualifies you to deliver many of the same health care services that physicians are entitled to – a popular practice nowadays. Physicians may have tight working schedules and some people find their services a bit too expensive and an MSN graduate is seen as a great alternative. Typically, nursing schools in NYC allow you to focus on four advanced practice areas:

• Certified nurse midwife (CNM)
• Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
• Certified nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
• Nurse practitioner (NP)

In most accelerated nursing schools NYC, an MSN can take about 2 years (or even less) to complete. Some general courses listed under this course include advanced pharmacology, advanced biochemistry, and health care policy.

• DNP (doctor of nursing practice)

DNP prepares you for leadership roles in the expansive field of nursing. By undertaking and completing this training, you get an opportunity to lead practice groups and shape policies. You also get to be prepared for the most advanced levels of career practice, leadership, and clinical scholarship. In order to complete this course in any one of the many nursing schools in NYC, you will require training for anywhere from 3 to 5 years.

While a DNP is not required for all advanced nursing care jobs, it can help you advance to leadership roles and command more authority in the prestigious field. Generally, there are four types of nursing doctorate degrees offered by nursing schools in NYC.

• DNP – This course emphasizes on practice-oriented leadership training.
• Doctor of Nursing (ND) – This training focuses on developing advanced specialists skills.
• DNSc – Mainly focusing on investigative and research skills.
• Ph.D. – This focuses mainly on scholarly research and inquiry.

Now that you understand what the career path of a nurse looks like, let us shift focus to choosing the best nursing schools in NYC. With so many institutions of learning setting up shop in this great city, knowing how to settle for one that offers you the best value is crucial. We have rounded up a list of 8 things you should look for in some of the best nursing colleges in NYC.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Your Career Desires

Whether you are looking to take the shorter route by getting a two-year ADN or a longer route that goes through MSN all the way to DNP, it is important to choose a school that offers the right training for you. Look for a school that matches your career desires as this may eventually affect how you perform in various exams. Most importantly, look for a school that has a proven track record of producing some of the best nurses serving in the country. You can do this by checking the history of the school or by catching up with the alumnus.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Location Is Important

The city is getting busier by the day and traffic jam is fast becoming a routine that New Yorkers have to put up with. Because of that, when checking various nursing schools in NYC, it is important to find one that is accessible without too much travel or hassle. It is important to factor in your class schedule as well. In that regard, it is better to opt for a schedule that is convenient so you can easily learn even as your meet your other duties and responsibilities.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Availability of Online Classes

We live in a time where digital technology is changing the way human’s do things. Nowadays, you don’t necessarily have to attend all classes physically in order to learn. Some of the best nursing schools in NYC offer training online. This is often a good compromise of the school is so good yet inaccessible due to travel related issues. With this kind of convenience, you can even complete some of your class work or course work at the convenience of your home or office.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Is the School Accredited?

Make sure you opt for accredited nursing schools in NYC. There are two major bodies that accredit such schools and these are The National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (Acronym: NLNAC) and the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Some top nursing schools NYC may opt to be accredited by one of the two or both. Generally, NLNAC and CCNE review the school’s curriculum, policies, boards of instructors and trustees and financial standing. It could be very difficult for you to advance your career if you graduate from a school that is not accredited by any of the above-mentioned bodies.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: The Possibility of Financial Aid

Sometimes we all need a helping hand in order to move a step further in our career lives. This is why you may want to consider finding a school that offers career aid options to its students. If you are facing financial constraints and you really want to pursue a career in nursing, it is imperative to work with an institution that cares about your financial well-being. You should also consider finding out if options like tuition reimbursement are available if you fail to complete your course of study.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Be Prepared for Tests

Tests prior to admission are a common feature in some nursing schools in NYC. Most commonly, there is a pre-admission test given by the NLN (National League of Nursing) that some schools may require, and there are other series of tests that one may be expected to pass prior to admission. It is, therefore, important to be psychologically prepared for this to avoid failure due to panic.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: Clinical Rotations

This is probably the most valuable aspect of nursing training. The best nursing schools NYC know that students learn better under this arrangement and so they invest a lot in making it possible. So, look for a school that is keen on clinical rotations. Basically, the experience you gain through such engagements is what you need so as to fully practice in the professional world. So, don’t compromise on this very important requirement.

Choosing Nursing Schools in NYC: NCLEX Pass Rate

The NCLEX exam is a very important undertaking that every nurse has to go through in order to be allowed to practice. Because this exam is so crucial to your career, it is advisable to enroll in one of the nursing schools in NYC that post the best pass rates. You can check through past years pass rates preferably over a period of 10 years just to get an idea of how a particular school performs.

Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing a Nursing School in NYC

While evaluating the best CUNY nursing schools in NYC, you are likely to make some mistakes. Some of these (mistakes) might be costly and regrettable at a later date which is why it is important to avoid them at all costs. For instance, failing to visit enough learning institutions can potentially limit your options and you might end up not getting the best value for your time. It is, therefore, advisable to go beyond internet advertisement by visiting the campuses in person in order to get a clear picture of the school.

Another mistake that people make in choosing private nursing schools in NYC is choosing a school based solely on rankings. It is true that school rankings matter, but they don’t always reflect a school’s true worth. Some schools may have great overall rankings, but they may end up being very weak in your preferred area of specialization. It is, therefore, important to seek out the best possible program even if this comes from a less well-known nursing school.

Last but not least is that most first-timers tend to ignore the real nursing school costs. Obviously, different nursing schools in NYC charge different rates for tuition, books, supplies, room and board among other charges. The level of financial aid a school extends to its students may also not be clear enough. Some nursing schools might provide total financial assistance but some may not. Others prefer to offer loans, which students have to repay later. It is, therefore, important to read the contract agreement for each institution of learning just to ensure that you fully understand where you can get the most cost-effective education for your own needs.

Passing a Nursing School in NYC Interview

Most reputable nursing schools in NYC will require you to undergo an interview prior to full enrollment. This pre-admission interview might seem, to many, like a nerve-wracking experience. However, any applicant can shine during this stage with proper preparation on the days preceding the actual interview.

The first thing to do prior to showing up for an interview is to carry out some background research about different nursing schools in NYC. This will generally give you a rough idea of what the schools essentially look for in their students. Once you are armed with enough information, the next thing you will need to do is a bit of retrospection about where you stand as compared to other potential applicants. For instance, you can go to the school’s website to generally evaluate the average scores, statistics, etc.

On the day of the interview, it is quite important that you maintain a well-groomed, clean-cut appearance. It is advisable to invest in some formal clothes that are well ironed. Keep time, by ensuring to arrive at the venue at least thirty minutes before the recommended time. This will give you enough time to calm your nerves as you rehearse for the interview.

When the interview kicks off, let the interviewers know your strengths and attributes. It is crucial to watch your verbal cues, maintain a pleasant smile, an energetic tone and most importantly, direct eye contact. If you are someone with an average GPA score, it is time to make up for that by selling yourself to the interviewing panel. If the interviewers identify one of your weakness, don’t panic or pass blame, accept the situation and tell them that you are ready to learn and improve.

Interviewers appreciate people who are honest and forthright with their responses, and they often accept that there are areas one can improve in. After the interview is over, you can go ahead and send a written “Thank you” note to express your gratitude for the interview.

Remember, most interview questions are aimed at knowing you better. So as you look for the best nursing schools in NYC, be sure to put your best foot forward at all times.

SOURCES:

www.nursing.umaryland.edu

www.acenursing.org

Colorado board of nursing is the specific licensing and regulatory body established to set nursing practices and standards in the state of Colorado. However, it is important to know that this is not the only thing they do. Each state in the US has a unique regulatory board commonly referred to as “state” board of nursing where “state” can be replaced with the particular name of that state. These boards deal with setting standards and practices for delivering nursing care. They also define the scope of the duty of nurses and issue licenses to qualified nurses. The Colorado state board of nursing premises is located at 1560 Broadway of 880 Denver, CO #80202. Although nursing boards across the US have a basic framework that describes their operations and jurisdictions, there are several differences that vary from state to another. The board of nursing in Colorado, among other boards in neighboring regions collectively forms members of the NCSBN (national council of state boards of nursing). NCSBN basically administer NCLE (national council licensure examination) which is the national exam nurses must pass before they are issued a license. The two broad categories for this examination include the following:

• Registered nurses and advanced RNs who take the NCLEX-RN exams
• Licensed practical (vocational) who take NLEX-PN exams

Contents:

• Responsibilities and Operation of Colorado Board of Nursing
• Colorado Board of Nursing and Licensing of APRNs
• How to Reach the Colorado Board of Nursing?
• The Colorado Board of Nursing — Summarizing Information

While the board is primarily tasked with licensing these professionals, they are not the only body approved to enforce or impose rules affecting the nursing practice.

Responsibilities and Operation of Colorado Board of Nursing

State boards of nursing, including the Colorado state board of nursing, work under laws and acts passed by state legislatures. The state legislature passes acts known as NPAs (nursing practice acts) which basically lay out all the requirements for becoming a nurse and also defines the scope of all nursing practices. Once these acts are passed, they become law and carry the same weight as law. The state board of nursing then implements the NPAs by setting standards, rules, and administrative regulations to further add descriptive information and detail that define the scope of nursing practice and requirements. All rules and standards added must be in line with the law and can never go beyond the law. The main responsibilities of Colorado board of nursing include the following:

1. Evaluation – They evaluate all applications for a nursing license. Those interested in becoming nurses in Colorado must send their applications to the nursing board to evaluate and review their details before licenses are given. This is a move that ensures the licenses are given to certified individuals who have all the credentials necessary to become a nurse in Colorado.
2. Licensing – This involves issuing nursing licenses to qualifying RNs, APRs, and LPNs. It also includes renewing nursing licenses as well as providing licenses to professional nurses from other states.
3. Disciplinary action – Colorado board of nursing is tasked with taking necessary disciplinary action against all violators of the set standards and nursing laws. Nurses, employers, and other professionals can file complaints and send them to the board to open up investigations.

These three are the core responsibilities of all state boards of nursing across the country and their jurisdiction only applies to the particular state. The board in Colorado, therefore, exercises its responsibilities only in Colorado. Other responsibilities include authorizing usage of licensure examination, approving new nursing training models, courses, and programs that meet the established licensing criteria and offering advice to the legislature in regards to the legal scope of nursing practice. Colorado board of nursing is also tasked with regulating nurse and medication aides/assistants working in home healthcare and nursing homes settings. As an information center, the state board of nursing in Colorado offers a professionally built website that provides all the reports, instructions and information pertaining to their duty and support services. All citizens of the state will find it easy to search for any information that they need to know about the Colorado board of nursing. Their website includes links for those who:

• Want to renew their nursing license
• Want to download and fill application files/forms
• Want to lookup of print their nursing license
• Want o update their contact information or look for licensee or discipline list
• Want to file a complaint and
• Those looking for general board information

They also provide a section containing the laws and policies including nursing practice acts, nurse aide practice acts, psychiatric technician practice acts, nursing rules, regulations and board policies. Additionally, the site offers a resources section to help users find more information about the board, its practices, and policies, as well as training videos, planning toolkits and updates to the existing legislation. You can always check the Colorado board of nursing license verification section to sort out queries with your licensure or look up its status.

Colorado Board of Nursing and Licensing of APRNs

Each state has unique requirements for licensing APRNs just like it is with licensure of registered nurses. The requirement includes a scope of practice of advanced practicing registered nurses in Colorado and recognition of roles and titles of such professionals in the region. Although the Colorado board of nursing directly handles APRN licensing, there are other boards and state laws that affect APRNs.

• Standard requirement – The legal standard requirement for APRN license requires all applicants to complete a graduate degree program in a recognized advanced nursing school or institution. In Colorado, some specialty cases require a separate examination in the specialty as well as professional experience.

• The scope of practice – There is no specified scope of APRN practice, which is why different states have different rules (that are in line with legislature). For instance, APRNs can work independently without the need for a physician and also have various privileges in writing prescriptions. Other states require physicians and do not give APRNs prescription writing privileges. Back in 2012, a consensus model was derived to define the scope of APRN practice and remove the confusion that is brought by variation in state laws. The consensus model is yet to be made legislation.

While the licensure of APRNs is clouded with variations from state to state, that of registered nurses (RNs) is quite straightforward. There is a legally enforced model and framework that includes how to qualify as an RN, the examinations to pass, how to apply for a license (including filling the details) and the code of RN practicing.

 How to Reach the Colorado Board of Nursing?

There are several ways to contact the Colorado board of nursing and licensure including direct phone calls, messaging, email and premise visits. The board has a dedicated platform within the department of regulatory bodies. You can simply visit the website for a department of regulatory bodies, look up professions and occupations under division and then choose boards and programs where you will find the board of nursing. The easiest way to land their online page is to directly type Colorado state board of nursing on your favorite browser. It should be the 1st result after the ads. Alternatively, you can follow the link www.dora.state.co.us/nursing/ which lands you directly on their website. Their contact information is 1560 Broadway (Suite 1350) found in Denver (CO 80202). Their current cell phone number is +1 303-894-2430 and +1 303-894-2458. Fax address is 303-894-2821 and email address is dora_nursingboard@state.co.us. These are the direct contact lines that will make it easy to contact Colorado board of nursing in order to get any assistance you need.

 The Colorado Board of Nursing — Summarizing Information

The Colorado board of nursing license is a state board like any other (every state in the US has its own nursing license board). It deals with regulation of nursing practice and enforcement of part of the legislature that affects nursing practice. They determine the scope of nursing practice within the specified jurisdiction, the educational requirement for RNs and APRNs, titles and roles as well as examination. Their goal is to ensure only qualified nurses are licensed and approved to offer their services. They also ensure all professionals work under the rules and law established, taking disciplinary actions against lawbreakers. The board accepts complaints and looks into such cases to maintain justice, smooth operation, and order within the nursing department. If you are looking to become a registered nurse in Colorado, the board is your ideal research center. They provide comprehensive information regarding the nursing practice, the rules, regulations and policies, qualification requirements, approved/recognized nursing institutions and licensing process. Although all states share most base frameworks and requirements, there are many little variations from one state to another. If you are a registered nurse licensed in another state, the board has procedures for verifying your details and qualification. They also provide information on how you can get Colorado licensing. In simple terms, the board is your one-stop institution when looking for information, assistance and clarification on issues pertaining to nursing whether qualification, licensing or code of practice. As long as you have all the necessary requirements needed, it is going to be quite easy for you.

SOURCES:

www.colorado.gov

www.ncsbn.org

NRP certification is the process through which participants of Neonatal Resuscitation Program are issued with course completion cards which confirm their status as either NRP providers or NRP instructors. The Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) is an educational program that is designed for all healthcare professionals that are involved in delivery and care of newborns. It was first started by the American Hearts Association in 1987 with the aim of equipping hospital staff such as nurses, paramedics, and physicians with the skills of how to resuscitate infants at the time of delivery and also immediately afterward. It enables the healthcare professionals to help the new-born baby begin breathing. Instructors take the same exam as the providers, but they have to undergo further training on instructional methods, interpersonal skills, communication, and teamwork that will make them effective trainers. NRP certification is of great value because it empowers medical personnel to take immediate and effective action in case of a neonatal emergency. They will increase newborn’s chances of survival, especially in life-threatening situations.

Contents:

• NRP Certification Requirements
• NRP Certification Online
• Objectives of NRP Certification
• NRP Certification Course Materials
• Benefits of Obtaining NRP Certification
• NRP and American Hearts Association
• FAQ for NRP Certification

NRP Certification Requirements

Applicants for this program are expected to complete an online examination and then attend a skills demonstration back course that takes 3 hours on average. The skills demonstration course must be taken within 30 days after the completion of the online exam for it to be valid. The participants must bring their exam completion form to be accepted into the demonstration course. During the session, the learners are taken through a quick review of what they have learned in the text, and the content tested in the exam. To make the session more interesting, the participants are encouraged to be interactive when discussing and demonstrating concepts such as airway management and CPR among others. The session also involves simulations and debriefing in addition to the in-person skills training. For those wishing to join the program as instructors/trainers, they must have delivery room experience to be considered eligible. Apart from training, they are also prepared for future administrative roles.

NRP Certification Online

The online package has been designed to suit the learner’s own pace and time and it becomes a preferred choice for many students because of the flexibility and convenience that it provides. Most online NRP programs allow the learners to take the online exam without having to worry about the time limit. The system saves their progress when they log out, and they can always continue afterward. The online program also offers a chance for the retake of the exams, but a new set of question is given at each trial to ensure that students have a good grasp of the subject matter. Students study independently for the exam and do not need to attend any lectures for this since the program is majorly self-directed. It is important to note that taking the online exam alone does not qualify one for NRP certification.

Objectives of NRP Certification

Upon completion of the training period, there are certain things that participants are required to do. These are well stipulated in the course outline and lesson models. They include:

1. Identify risk factors that indicate an infant is in need of resuscitation.
2. Demonstrate the capability to use the various equipment needed during resuscitation.
3. Have an in-depth knowledge of the medication commonly used in neonatal resuscitation, giving the correct dose and indications for each medication if applicable.
4. Identify the special considerations that necessitate subsequent management of an infant past the immediate newborn period.
5. Identify risk factors for infants that are born prematurely and the strategies that one needs to consider while giving them care.
6. Be in a position to perform chest completions and tracheal intubation so as to keep the airway open.
7. Be familiar with the ethical and professional principles associated with an end of life situations in cases where all interventions fail.

NRP Certification Course Materials

In the past, participants of NRP certification have been using the Textbook of Neonatal Resuscitation, 6th Edition that outlines all the lessons required to be covered by the course. This book is usually purchased from the American Academy of Pediatrics bookstore online and comes with an accompanying instructor DVD-ROM that learners can view. The text is considered as containing the basic components of the program. Other useful resources include reference charts, simulation poster, study guides, and other publications. However, the 6th edition resources are almost becoming outdated and are slowly becoming replaced with 7th edition textbooks and other course materials. Course materials are regularly updated to incorporate new discoveries and skills, and to accommodate the changing practices in the field.

Overall Course Completion

For a course participant to be awarded the NRP certification, they must:

• Avail the verification of completion of the online exam.
• Demonstrate the required skills for neonatal resuscitation covered in the nine lessons that the course outlines.
• Demonstrate in the correct sequence the NRP resuscitation free diagram.

The blended learning format (online and hands-on) is beneficial for those healthcare professionals who learn best in a combination of tutorials and live skills training. Those who pass the course successfully and meet all the requirements are issued with an NRP course completion card that grants them the provider status, valid for two years. Usually, there are provisions for the renewal of the certification after the expiry of the two-year period. Those interested in renewing their status are required to attend a provider course within 24 months of the previous certification.

Benefits of Obtaining NRP Certification

• It improves healthcare provision by ensuring proper initial management of infants thus increasing their chances of survival.
• It provides an additional source of income because one can establish a part-time job of being an NRP instructor with various organizations.
• It enables one to gain credits for continuing education depending on the number of lessons completed for the course.
• It gives hospital staff more credibility especially those whose areas of specialization center on taking care of infants.
• It enables healthcare professionals to access a greater scope of practice because they can be accepted in more institutions that have NRP as one of their requirements to work there. They can be counted on for high-stress responsibilities regarding infant care.

NRP and American Hearts Association

Although the program has been providing training and education for many years now, it was the lesson guides and modules were adjusted in 2010 to be in accordance with the American Hearts Association (AHA) guidelines for neonatal resuscitation. AHA act as sponsors of the program and play a big role in developing the core curriculum that is followed. Since the aim of the association is to make people’s lives healthier and safe from cardiovascular diseases, they strive to reach as many professionals as possible and partner with them to achieve that goal. AHA, in association with The America Academy of Pediatrics, give authority to certain entities to carry out NRP and to issue successful participants with course completion cards. As part of their regulatory roles, they also warn against entities that offer NRP verification through online courses. They keep evaluating the program and restructuring the way training is conducted, and this enhances the learning experience for participants.

FAQ for NRP Certification

Q: Is it possible to complete the required NRP online exam after taking the skills training class?

A: No, the online exam is a pre-requisite for being accepted into the class. You must study the course materials and be part of a live NRP course for simulations, debriefing, and skills training.

Q: Can I retake a single module if I fail the test?

A: The pass mark for each test is 80%. In the case of a failing score, a module may be repeated only once. A subsequent failing score will require that you restart the certification process and pay any required fee.

Q: How do I provide proof that I have passed the online exam?

A: after successful completion of the online exam, you will receive a verification note and a continuing medical education (CME) certificate. Print that and bring it to the scheduled course.

Q: Will I pay any extra fees for the skills demonstration sectionof thecourse?

A: The providers of NRP do not charge any fees for conducting the skills course conducting courses or providing cards upon completion. However, the training institution may charge a certain fee to cover the costs of space, equipment, and instructor time.

Q: Does NRP course qualify a learner as proficient enough to perform neonatal resuscitation?

A: The program equips participants with the necessary skills for the procedure. A person’s competence to perform neonatal resuscitation has to be tested by the hospital before one is allowed to assume clinical responsibilities.

Q: How long does it take to get my NRP instructor or provider card?

A: Your card is available after you pass your certification exam. If you go for skills evaluation, your card is typically mailed within three business days of when the training institution receives your digital card.

SOURCES:

www.mcmasterchildrenshospital.ca

www2.aap.org

www.cps.ca

www.healthcareeducation.org

www2.aap.org