Nursing Degrees

If you are looking for a demanding but rewarding undergraduate career, you may want to consider nursing. Nursing requires a lot of patience and skill; but in return, you get a high-paying job, with many opportunities, and the satisfaction of helping others with their medical problems. Nursing degrees come in many levels, from certificates to Ph.D. degrees. With an aging population and more people living longer, the demand for highly-skilled nurses is growing rapidly. In fact, there are not enough graduates from undergraduate nursing programs to fill the gap.

Associate’s nursing degrees focus on technical skills. Students also learn about specific medical fields, such as anatomy, family health, biology, chemistry, mental health, pediatrics, geriatric health and psychology. Those with an associate’s degree can become a Registered Nurse (RN). Many community colleges and vocational schools provide students with a high-quality education at affordable prices. Students can take classes to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), which takes about a year of coursework in technical nursing skills.

Nursing degrees at the bachelor’s level are the most customary for nurses. The most common degree at this level is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Education at this level opens up many doors. Nurses can focus on a specialty. Courses at this level include advanced topics in nursing, administration and education.

For those motivated enough to advance to master’s degree level, there are several nursing degrees available. Advanced Practice Nursing consists of four nursing specialties: Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives and Clinical Nurse Specialists. A master’s degree takes an additional two years or so. Nurses divide their time between academic work and hands-on clinical work. At this level, nurses can work in hospitals or even open their own practice.

Nurses can receive specialized nursing degrees from a variety of fields. Although most fields can be entered with a bachelor’s degree, some fields, such as mental health, may require a master’s degree. What field a nurse chooses is based on his or her preferences in patient age and setting. For example, neonatal nurses work with newborn babies; maternal nurses work with pregnant mothers; those who specialize in geriatrics work with the elderly; and those who choose corrections as their specialty will work with inmates in prison settings.