The fact is there is always a shortage of nurses and therefore, if you are unsure if the profession is for you, you can being with the LPN or LVN course, which is typically a one-year training program before you can sit for the licensing exam. If the field is something you enjoy, you can then train for your RN education and licensing of which some employers actually pay for you to do. This helps leave your options open for various types of nursing jobs.
Compensation of Nurses
Different educational levels of nursing will pay more, which means the more education you gain, the further you can take your career. LPN's and LVN's average salaries are $33,360 to $46,710, while RN's average compensation is $51,640 to $76,570. Of course salary ranges vary depending on where you live and where you are employed, for instance, if you work at a research university hospital you will make more than if you worked at a private nursing home, therefore, compensation is also variable on the types of nursing work you are doing and where you are practicing.
Education for RN's
The education route for RN's is a bit different and leads to various types of nursing work depending on the route you take for your education. There are currently three distinctive paths which include:
• A diploma program, which is typically offered in a hospital setting takes on average three years to complete
• An associate degree in nursing or the ADN, these are almost always offered at community colleges and take about 2 to 3 years to complete
• The bachelor in nursing or BSN is completed at a university and is a four year degree program
A BSN can also return to school for a Master of Nursing or MSN, to further their career, but many stop at the BSN because it opens more doors for various types of nursing work. All three programs, the diploma, ADN, and BSN prepare the student for entry level types of nursing careers, but the BSN is more likely to have a slight edge as far as compensation. Therefore an ADN and BSN can be doing the exact same job in the same hospital but the BSN makes considerably more due to the amount of education.
However, all nursing, pays higher than the average salary, which is why many choose the types of nursing careers that can begin with a basic LPN or LVN diploma and move into an RN program at a later date. When it comes to nursing, you truly have a choice in different nursing jobs.
Who Makes a Good Nurse?
Many people look at the different nursing jobs and wonder if they have what it takes. Firstly, you are a highly trained professional that is trained to care for the sick and often dying patients. Beyond your school training, people that love the nursing profession do have similar traits, which include:
• Willingness to ease others pain
• Good communication skills
• Good listening skills
• Leadership skills
• The ability to make decisions
• Assertiveness
The truth is, nursing employment opportunities exist for all sorts of differing personalities and traits, which is what makes the field so challenging and rewarding at the same time. You can truly make a difference in the lives of the people you come into contact with everyday, not every profession can say the same.
Final Thoughts
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