Nursing (B.S.N., M.S.N., D.N.P.)
Nurses promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They have a unique scope of practice and can act independently, although nurses also collaborate with all members of the healthcare team to provide the care needed by each patient. Nurses also serve as advocates for patients, families, and communities. They develop and manage nursing care plans, instruct patients and their families in patient care, and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health. Nursing includes many specialty options, each with its own training/certification requirements and related professional network or organization.
Many community and junior colleges still offer an Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN), but there is a growing national movement to require all nurses to hold at least a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN). Thus, the length of educational training beyond high school is generally 2 to 4 years with advanced degrees an option. The Registered Nurse (RN) license is the basic credential in the nursing field. However, nursing ranges from entry-level practitioner to doctoral-level researcher.
Other options for nursing are accelerated bachelor degree and entry level master's programs both open to students with an undergraduate degree in a field other than nursing. The accelerated BSN can usually be completed in less than 2 years and has specific prerequisites. Entry level Master's degree programs vary in length and require specific undergraduate course work. Information about these program options can also be found on the California Board of Registered Nursing website.
For more information on pursuing a nursing degree, see
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
California Board of Registered Nursing
DiscoverNursing
MinorityNurse.com
American Assembly for Men in Nursing
American Nurses Association
National Student Nurses' Association
National League for Nursing
Petersons Guide to Nursing Programs