Education & Career Resources for Future Nurses

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Nursing School Resources

Essential Skills Students Can Develop to be a Great Nurse

To provide the best standard of care, there are qualities and characteristics that a nurse should possess. For example, having a healthcare professional that is empathetic, compassionate, and makes level-headed decisions is imperative for patients who are in a vulnerable state. This guide will outline the essential skills that nursing students need in order to succeed in the profession.

ADN vs BSN: Which is the Nursing Degree for You?

Choosing between an associate degree in nursing (ASN) and a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) can be a confusing decision for nurses to make. Making the decision begins with knowing the differences between the two programs and evaluating how they align with the student's goals. Future nursing students will learn how these programs compare, including their tuition costs, job opportunities available, and their salary outlook.

Everything You Need to Know About the Prerequisites for Nursing School

To be accepted into nursing school, there are a number of classes that students must take and pass to be eligible for the program. Getting a good grasp on these foundational courses will enable potential nursing students to more easily understand additional learning material. This article provides future nursing students with guidance on meeting these prerequisites and tips for getting accepted into a nursing school program.

NursingExams.org Student Scholarships

Future nurses should have as much opportunity and support as they work toward their career goals. To help with the training needed to become a nurse, we're offering two scholarships for nursing students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree.

Guide to Financial Aid & Scholarships for Male Nurses

Scholarship options for male nurses can be helpful for students who do not have the funds available to pay for school. They can also be helpful for students who have additional responsibilities such as family obligations. This guide outlines how male nursing students can find scholarship options that are available to them.

How Nursing Simulations Prepare You to Enter the Field of Nursing

Simulation laboratories, also called sim labs, are an excellent way for students to familiarize themselves with the machines they will need to operate for patient treatment. In a simulation, nursing education is provided in practical terms, and nursing students can gain hands-on training in administering various kinds of care. This guide expresses the many ways that nursing simulations work to prepare students to enter the nursing field.

Ultimate Guide to Prepare for Nursing School

Students preparing to attend nursing school have many things to consider, starting with deciding on a nursing program, and the enrollment process. Once enrolled, students have to consider how they will cover tuition expenses, the best method for studying, and certification exams. Continue reading to gain more insight on preparing for nursing school.

Ultimate Guide for Nursing Students: Study Tips & Success Strategies to Get You Through Nursing School

The path to becoming a nurse is a challenging but rewarding experience. Early mornings, late nights, and everything in between require unique skills needed for nursing, including those related to studying and academics. This guide includes a few techniques to use as a nursing student that can help along the way including tips for studying effectively and maintaining good mental health.

Best Jobs for Nursing Students

For a variety of reasons including tuition costs, living expenses, and gainful experience, some nursing students need to work alongside attending school. Working in the nursing field is a great solution and enables students to earn a living while gaining experience. This guide covers jobs that allow nursing students to make an income to cover expenses while gaining relevant medical experience.

Excelling in Nursing School with a Learning Disability

Students with learning disabilities know that attending school can present challenges including staying organized, staying on task, or reading course materials. While a learning disability might make attending nursing school more challenging, there are resources available for students with disabilities such as ADHD or dyslexia. This guide equips students with tools and tips for excelling in nursing school.

Tips to Maintain Good Mental Health in Nursing School

Those who work in the medical field know that the job can be stressful, upsetting, and downright draining. While students may prepare themselves for the tough days ahead, the long hours of studying, working, and taking classes can make it tough to maintain good mental health during nursing school. This guide provides and overview of common mental health ailments and will give nursing students the tools they need to practice positive mental health and wellness.

Resources for Getting a Nursing License

Guide to RN Residency & Fellowships for Students

After graduation, nursing students may be wondering what their next step should be. While entering the nursing field immediately is an option that some students choose to take, opting to complete a nursing residency program or a nursing fellowship gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, similar to an internship. Learn more about how nursing residency programs and nursing fellowship programs compare in this guide.

A Guide to Certifications for Nursing Students

For nurses and nursing students, there are a number of career paths available. Nurses can choose to be certified Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Registered Nurses (RN), or Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA), or they can choose to specialize in a field like pediatrics, oncology, or hospice. This guide presents those interested in nursing with specialization pathways and their required certifications.

A Guide to Becoming a Nurse Case Manager

A nurse case manager is an excellent nursing specialization choice for those who want to work closely with their patients on a long-term basis. Within this field, there are many different career paths to choose from. This guide describes the role of a nurse case manager, their traits and characteristics, and the job outlook for nurses hoping to enter this field.

How to Become a Nursing Teacher

Nursing is a career that requires a high skill level, extensive, in-depth knowledge, and meticulous training from knowledgeable professionals. To prepare nursing students to be up to the task of working in a busy hospital, nursing teachers are responsible for educating them. This guide provides future nurses with information including the job outlook for nursing teachers, how to find nursing faculty jobs, and the salary that a nursing teacher can expect.

Nursing Specialties with the Best Paying Jobs

Nurses and nursing students who are deciding which field to specialize in will have many factors to consider. These factors can include job outlook, patient care needs, education and certification requirements, and salary. This guide will cover the nursing specialties with the highest salary and an overview of each nursing specialty.

Fastest Route to Become a Nurse

It can take students years of studying, testing, and performing lab simulations before they can enter the workforce as a nurse. For some students this timeline is ideal, but for others, it can be inconvenient and expensive. Luckily for them, there are faster pathways to entering the nursing field. This guide provides nursing students with information on fast tracks and alternatives to nursing school and practical steps to make it happen.

Fastest Growing Nursing Specialties

The nursing field is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, providing the perfect opportunity for aspiring nurses to choose a field that aligns with their interests. Choosing which field to specialize in may depend on many factors, including the rate of growth. This article will offer more details on why the nursing profession is experiencing such rapid growth and provide some of the fastest-growing nursing specialties to consider.

What's Causing the Nursing Shortage & What Does it Mean for Future Nurses?

In recent years, global circumstances have escalated an already troubling nursing shortage. The shortage impacts current and prospective nurses mentally, physically, and emotionally and affects the care patients receive. This guide provides an overview of the shortage, the issues that contribute to it, and proposed solutions that may positively impact the future of nursing.

Nursing Career Resources

The Future of Nursing: Trends & Technology Guide for Nursing Students

The field of medicine is in a constant state of innovation and adaptation to better assist patients. For example, telehealth, robot-assisted surgeries, and virtual nursing simulations are just a few of the technological advancements that have been made in recent years. This article shares what the future of nursing could look like including new technology, specialization growth, and upcoming trends in nursing.

Best States to Pursue a Nursing Career

Choosing a state to practice nursing can be a difficult decision to make. Salary, opportunities for advancement, cost of living, and professional development resources are just a few of the factors that a future nurse might take into consideration. This guide includes critical information for nursing students, including the highest paying states for nurses, states with the highest demand for nurses, where the happiest nurses work, and the 6 best states to work as a nurse.

Become an Expert at Understanding & Creating Nursing Care Plans

Nursing care plans are an integral part of the healthcare system. They outline the kinds of care a patient needs, as well as treatment options, risks, benefits, and drawbacks to be shared among the hospital care team to ensure that an individual patient's care remains consistent and adequate. This guide will provide a broad overview of nursing care plans, how they benefit patients, and instructions on how to create one.

The Ultimate Guide to Become a Charge Nurse

Charge nurses are critical to the smooth function of a hospital floor. They create schedules, connect with administrators, doctors, nurses, and patients, and manage task flow. For nurses considering this path, this guide will cover the duties of a charge nurse, ideal characteristics of a charge nurse, as well as salary and career outlook.

A Guide to the Pros and Cons of Nursing Unions

Nursing unions are one of the fastest-growing labor unions in the United States. Nursing unions play a part in regulating nursing policies and making meaningful changes to improve the working conditions for nurses and the healthcare patients receive. In this guide, nurses will gain insight into the role of a union, the pros and cons of nursing unions, and union laws by state.

Strategies to Survive and Thrive on the Night Shift as a Nurse

Employing nurses to work the night shift is a necessary aspect of a well-functioning hospital. Nurses who work during the night shift may experience different things from their daytime peers, including job-related and personal challenges. This guide shares the advantages and drawbacks of working as a night shift nurse, as well as tips for staying physically and mentally healthy during the night shift.

Nursing Healthcare for LGBTQ+ Patients

As they treat patients it is important for those in the medical field to be aware of the different challenges that affect marginalized communities such as members of the LGBTQ+ community. This guide aims to provide nurses with insight into common healthcare issues that those in the LGBTQ+ community face and how to create an inclusive, safe environment for all patients.

The Importance of Networking in Nursing

Networking is necessary for working professionals in every field. As well as fostering a sense of community, networking can open doors for those looking for a new job opportunity or to keep in touch with professionals one may meet at events, conferences, or meetings. This guide focuses on networking in the nursing field, the benefits of doing so, and places to network.

Dealing with Difficult Patients with Poise and Compassion

For a multitude of reasons, patients may exhibit less-than-desirable behaviors while in the hospital. Patients often take their feelings of fear, anger, shame, grief, or guilt out on nurses, creating challenging situations. While these patients may be difficult to care for, they still require compassion and professionalism from the medical professionals working with them. This guide will help nurses to understand what patients may be feeling, how to deal with those difficult interactions, and tips for recovering from them.

Caring for Transgender Patients: Transgender Education for Nurses

In order to provide equitable care, it is important for medical professionals to be aware of the challenges that marginalized communities face. In the transgender community, issues of depression, violence, discrimination, inadequate medical care, and denial of medical care cause them direct harm. Learning more about how nurses can provide transgender patients with safe, effective, and respectful care.

Self-Care Tips for Nurses' Mental Health

Those in the medical field will often experience challenging situations while on duty. The day-to-day practice can be overwhelming resulting in burnout, depression, or physical ailments. To combat this, it is important for nurses and other medical professionals to embrace self-care in the form of therapy, meditation, rest, etc. Continue reading to gain more tips for managing your mental health.

Nursing Exams Information & Resources

Advice from the Experts: How to Study & Pass the NCLEX

Passing the NCLEX exam is a vital step in earning a nursing credential, and students should have all the tools they need to prepare for this critical test. This guide aims to provide nursing students with the information and resources they need to effectively prepare for the NCLEX including the test's outline, grading scale, and expert advice on how to study to pass the NCLEX and obtain a nursing license.

The Ultimate Guide to Study for the Next Gen NCLEX

All aspiring nurses will need to take and pass the NCLEX in order to receive their nursing certification. Students who are preparing for the NCLEX may find that the test is slightly different than the version from last year. This guide outlines the changes in the NCLEX and how it differs from the previous version, as well as strategies for how to prepare for the exam.

TEAS Test

The Test of Essential Academic Skills, commonly referred to as the TEAS, is administered by the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI). The TEAS is commonly used as part of the basic admissions requirements for nursing or allied health school. Our TEAS resources include study guides and practice tests, exam cost information, registration information, and more.

HESI Exam

You may be wondering, what is the HESI exam and what is it used for? HESI stands for 'Health Education Systems, Inc.' and is the company that creates the exam. The HESI nursing exam, which is formally titled the HESI A2 Exam or the HESI Admission Assessment, is used as an entrance exam for nursing schools. Our HESI resources include exam study guides, practice tests, logistical information like the cost to take HESI, frequently asked questions, and more.

NCLEX Exams

The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is a nursing licensure exam used to determine preparedness for entry-level nursing. There are two types of NCLEX exams: NCLEX-RN, which is for individuals seeking RN licensure, and NCLEX-PN, which certifies a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or vocational nurse. Our NCLEX resources contain information about exam content, how to prepare for the exams, how to register for NCLEX, what to expect on test day, and more.

Expert Answers to Common Questions about education & career resources for future nurses

  • Can you share your most helpful self-care tips for nurses during challenging times, from a tough case to supporting patients during COVID-19?
  • What are some ways aspiring nurses can find support and community among their peers and other nurses?
  • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a nurse?
  • What is the most rewarding thing about being a nurse?
  • What tips can you share to help students prep for and pass their nursing exams?

You can read their biographies and answers below:

  • Expert contributor image

    Emily Cheshire, DNP, FNP-BC

    Assistant Professor

    Emily Cheshire has been a DNP prepared Family Nurse Practitioner for 12 years. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado College of Nursing where she's passionate about teaching BSN and graduate level nursing students. She's worked overseas in rural Costa Rica, Tanzania and Uganda and published several papers. She's worked in leadership roles as medical director for a federally qualified community health center, two primary care clinics and a torture treatment center. She's honored to provide holistic primary care to patients across the lifespan that includes addressing the social determinants of health.

    • Can you share your most helpful self-care tips for nurses during challenging times, from a tough case to supporting patients during COVID-19?

      Use a timer and take 30 seconds minimum between patients. Get a simple mantra and breathe/repeat your mantra. Mine is "I have the ability to create peace' before I walk into the next patient's room. AND learn to say NO - if you say YES to everything - you will inherently say NO - sometimes unconsciously, given you are a being with a certain amount of energy.

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a nurse?

      Nursing is unique in that you'll come across a wide variety of successful nurses who had drastically different paths. Some may believe theirs is the ONLY path. Trust YOUR path.

    • What is the most rewarding thing about being a nurse?

      Offering someone struggling the first belief they are worthy and deserve dignity- they can take that and translate it into self-confidence.

  • Expert contributor image

    Joyce Knestrick

    Associate Professor

    Joyce Knestrick, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, is an associate professor and director of the Masters in Nursing Leadership and Management and Executive Leader DNP programs at George Washington University. She served as president of AANP from 2017-2019. Dr. Knestrick is a family nurse practitioner from Washington, Pennsylvania. She serves as an advocate for nurse practitioners (NPs) and advanced practice nursing. Her research is focused on health and access to care for low-income and rural populations. Dr. Knestrick is a tireless champion of NPs and works to ensure that patients can choose NPs for high-quality, cost-effective health care. She has a PhD from Duquesne University and an MSN from West Virginia University.

    • What are some ways aspiring nurses can find support and community among their peers and other nurses?

      Joining nursing associations at the national, state an local levels can help. Also being part of groups in the health system.

    • What is one piece of advice you wish you had when you were working to become a nurse?

      Utilize all the experience you can while a student to help shape your future and do not be afraid of change.

    • What is the most rewarding thing about being a nurse?

      The greatest reward is the relationships and trust gained from the patients! But the personal rewards and opportunities within nursing are also endless.

    • What tips can you share to help students prep for and pass their nursing exams?

      Be prepared, remember the foundations that will help you will the exam. Use techniques to decrease your anxiety before taking the test.