Career Options in Nursing

As a profession, few careers can come close to be as rewarding, both personally and professionally, as nursing. Nurses spend their time helping others and expertly blending care, compassion and science. Most work closely with doctors and other health care professionals. Today, nursing is one of the country’s largest health care professions with a growing need for more nurses in the future. Due to current shortage of qualified nurses, graduates with a nursing degree are almost always assured of a secure career and future.

Most nursing programs require a high school diploma and exemplary scores in high school English, the sciences - chemistry, biology, and physics along with algebra and psychology. A familiarity of technology and computers is also an asset. If you possess leadership and organizational skills, people skills, flexibility, patience, compassion, a calm personality and problem-solving skills, you may have exactly the personality required to excel in the field of nursing.

Students interested in nursing in the U.S. have a number of nursing programs options to choose from. These could range from an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) – normally a two-year program that prepares students for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) - a four-year program offered at colleges and universities around the country. Masters Degree in Nursing is also available which is required for those who want to practice in advanced specialty areas. Nurses interested in teaching nursing or becoming a researcher needs to obtain doctoral degrees.

Stevens-Henager College appreciates the value of education and offers three comprehensive degrees to students interested in a nursing career. These are:

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

With the Stevens-Henager Associate’s Degree in Nursing program, approved by the Department of Nursing in Utah, graduates are prepared to sit for the National Council of Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). Those that pass the NCLEX are eligible to apply for licensure to practice as a registered nurse in any of the 50 states or U.S. territories. Within this ADN program are gerontological nursing, pediatric nursing, medical-surgical nursing, and critical care – all topics that are in high demand throughout the country.

Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN)

Students interested in the Bachelor’s degree in Nursing must hold a valid Registered Nurse license. This program prepares registered nurses (RN) to meet the many changes in the healthcare field by expanding and enhancing their nursing education. Graduates with a Bachelor of Nursing will be trained to utilize theory and research-based knowledge in the provision of care to the client, family, and community. The graduate will be prepared for positions in community health clinics, private practice, hospitals and patient care facilities. Curriculum in this graduate program includes – The Healthcare System, Case Management, Research in Nursing Practice, Patho-physiology, Professional Role Development, Theoretical Foundations of Nursing, Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Health Assessment, Community & Family Health, Psychological Aspects of Illness and Disability, Evidence-Based Nursing, Nursing Management and Leadership, Sociology of Aging, Advanced Interpersonal Communications, Medical Ethics, Human Resource Management, Organization Behavior and Nursing Informatics.

Master of Science Degree in Nursing

Masters Degree in Nursing Administration is a program designed to expand and enrich the knowledge and skills required of registered nurses; and to enable nurses to pursue more challenging careers. The program combines nursing theory with advanced practice concepts necessary to work effectively within the structure of a variety of healthcare organizations including hospitals, large healthcare systems and community-based organizations. The FastFlex program lets you complete this degree in as little as 15 months. The course material will include - Issues in Managed Care, Health Service Organizations and Management, Health Services Economics, Health Services Financial Management, Health Services Marketing, Outcomes Assessment and Quality Mgt Healthcare Information Systems, Legal Considerations in healthcare, Nursing Administration, Nursing Leadership, Research and Evaluation Methods, and Advanced Nursing Theory.

All three degree programs are accredited by recognized accreditation bodies. With the ability to earn a Nursing degree from where and when you want, your path to a career in nursing just got a whole lot easier.