Nursing in the 21st Century.

In this post, I’ll be discussing getting your degree in nursing. Yes, nursing. As you may know, nursing is not just limited to women, anymore. Many men have chosen this field for it’s exciting nature. It is also, perhaps more importantly, poised for massive growth.

The job market for nurses has been growing since before 2000 and continues to grow to this day. The demand for nurses has never been higher.

With people living longer, the demand for all types of people in the nursing field continues to grow. The home health care field is expanding exponentially.

There are a multitude of different specialties in the nursing field, some requiring as little as 2 years of education to find yourself out there making a good living, helping people.

You could look at becoming a nursing assistant, or LPN.

You could think about getting your diploma in practical nursing.

Seemingly endless opportunities abound in the nursing field.

The desire to care for others is a noble one. Nursing is a noble profession. And it is an exciting one.

Nurses are always in need and the demand is expected to continue skyrocketing for trained, educated professionals.

The following information comes to us in a report prepared for the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Office of Workforce Evaluation and Quality Assurance by the Center for Health Workforce Distribution Studies, University of California, San Francisco
   
nursing schools

The educational requirements can be different, depending on the state or territory. Most States specify the content and number of hours of training, and some go into more detail than others. Most curricula teach the same rudimentary nursing skills, such as measuring vital signs, patient data collection, patient care and comfort measures, and oral medication administration. Most States have additional training requirements for more advanced skills, such as IV infusion, IV medication administration and phlebotomy. Even though requirements vary across States, states generally license LPNs that have been licensed in other States without more education being required.

The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook provides a broad description of LPN scope of practice: “Licensed practical nurses… care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses” (US Department of Labor, 2002) . State regulations tend to be more specific about the role of LPNs; for example, the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) States that the duties “include, but are not limited to, provision of basic hygienic and nursing care; measurement of vital signs; basic client assessment; documentation; performance of prescribed medical treatments; administration of prescribed medications; and, performance of non-medicated intravenous therapy and blood withdrawal (requires separate Board certification.)” (California Board of Licensed Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, 2004)

You can learn more about nursing schools at http://www.nursing-schools-nursing-schools.com.

I-20 Visas

How to study in the United States as a Foreign Student

So you want to study at a university in the United States, but you are a citizen of another country. Students from countries such as Korea, Japan, China, India, and others regularly study in the United States by obtaining a visa from a school that is authorized to issue I-20 visas. I-20 visas are what allow foreign students to study in the United States legally.

One question to consider early on is whether you wish to apply to a United States university directly from the high school in your country, or whether you wish to attend a college preparatory (high school) in the United States. A major benefit of attending college prep in the United States is that they often already have built strong relationships with the university you wish to attend. For example, the University of California system, in many cases, has already pre-approved transferrable courses at high schools accredited by WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Such high schools are already familiar with the admission requirements of various universities, as well.

When looking at high schools in the United States, you should make sure that their affiliations connect them with top tier universities. But more importantly, you need to make sure that the high school you are considering is authorized to issue I-20 visas to foreign students.

Becoming authorized to issue I-20 visas to foreign students is a process managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It requires a lengthy review of the school petitioning for approval, so be sure the school you are considering has already obtained this approval before spending much time on their application process.

Spending an extra four years at a United States private college prep school, can pay off big time when it comes to getting into top Universities.