As always, nurses are in high demand. Even before the rapid spread of COVID-19, the United States was experiencing a severe nursing shortage due to three main contributing factors:
- A high percentage of current, practicing nurses are nearing retirement age, opening up thousands of nursing positions across the country — coupled with the constant advances being made within the field of medicine, creating a constant stream of new career opportunities and necessary specialties.
- Baby boomers, who've just recently been surpassed in the size of their population by Millenials, will all be over the age of 65 by the year 2030, creating the largest population of seniors the United States has ever seen before.
- Not enough nursing students are enrolling because the staffing and educators in nursing programs are understaffed and overworked. Budgeting is limited, so enrollment might be a bit more difficult than it is for other areas of study, but you are needed more than ever before.
With an ever-present demand for nurses, now is the perfect time for you to obtain your nursing degree and become a registered nurse.
Earning your nursing degree is notoriously hard work, but that doesn't mean it has to take a long time or cost you a fortune. In fact, you can even become a registered nurse in as few as 18 months, plus valuecolleges.com is here to help you earn your degree in the most informed, and financially responsible way possible. Valuecolleges.com is prepared to answer just about any question you can throw at them, they'll tell you all you need to know about the viability of pursuing a nursing career right now, job demand, employment opportunities, and your anticipated salary. What's to lose?
Here, we are going to talk about earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which is the fastest way for you to become a registered nurse, without breaking the bank.
An Associate Degree in Nursing is the minimum degree required to become a registered nurse, and it can be obtained at most community colleges or hospital-based training programs. An ADN is a "fast-tracked" course of study, meaning you will complete the required courses of study needed to become an RN, but there are other educational opportunities and degrees you may choose to complete.
There are alternatives to the ADN program, like the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), but the curriculum and time needed to complete differ. An ADN program is designed to help you to get into the workforce sooner, whereas a (BSN) takes around four years to complete, but is even more comprehensive than the ADN, ultimately affording you even more job opportunities (ie. leadership and management,) as well as a higher rate of pay upon completion.
An ADN program will be primarily career-focused; meaning, the curriculum taught will be the just core classes needed to learn the basics of nursing, while a BSN will also cover the core classes, but also include a few, more specialized courses as well.
Many registered nurses who complete the ADN program in order to join the workforce sooner do choose to go back to school a few years down the road, completing the required classes to get their BSN as well. Choosing this path might take you a little longer, but it might also make your education a bit more affordable, while still making it so you're able to work in your desired field of study. And don't be afraid to see if your hospital offers and scholarships or tuition reimbursements for choosing to further your education.
There's a ton of acronyms to be learned but you'll eventually know them all -- including the differences between BLS and ACLS certifications. No matter the educational-path you choose to take, you will still receive the coveted title of registered nurse upon the completion of your degree. Don't stress over how, when, or how you earn your nursing degree, let the pros over at valuecolleges.com take care of that. You just need to worry about acing your classes, landing the job, and making a positive impact on your patients and their families.
