Five Things Top Nursing Schools Should Have

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The market is flooded with all kinds of nursing schools today. All kinds of online options are available. However, with regard to money and time, every aspect of possible choices must be considered. Top nursing schools are not usually found doing only online classes with a short stent of clinical training at the end of computer sitting. They are usually well established, with some kind of historical relevance and an excellent background and reputation. Top nursing schools will always have some common characteristics that are attractive to serious nursing students. The student who wants to provide phenomenal care and receive excellent training will look for these qualities:

Accreditation

It is criminal for a hard working student of any kind to be lured into a program costing tens of thousands of dollars and not be aware that no accreditation of that institution exists. Nursing always requires licensure, no matter which state the program is in. If a non-accredited school snags unsuspecting people into its web, the student may wind up wasting time and huge amounts of money for classes that do not transfer to bachelor programs or for a school that is not accredited. Therefore, the classes are basically useless as far as college credits towards being able to sit the exam for state licensure. It is imperative that the student who is shopping for a nursing school understands that there are prerequisites for sitting in these exams and it is good to begin to meet the requirements from the planning stage of education.

Counselors

Top nursing schools will also have excellent counselors who are intrinsically interested in the students’ wellbeing. The counselor must know the best academic path to follow, saving time and money for the student to the best of his or her knowledge. They should also know how to help students who are overwhelmed with family responsibility and be able to direct them and teach them how to manage time and resources. It is helpful if the counselor can see troubled areas for students and help troubleshoot pitfalls, which may hinder success in the future.

Fair Grading Systems

The disadvantage of some of the top nursing programs in the country is unfair grading systems. The student often suffers high stress levels and when the hatchet is held over his or her head, the failure rate can skyrocket. Without discrimination or eating the young, nursing instructors must take into account extenuating circumstances for nursing students who, other than having an off day, need more respect for the days they are on. Unfair grading systems have dinged many good nurses out of opportunity to finish their degree and become gainfully employed in nursing. In many classes of top nursing schools, that school may graduate less than half of the students enrolled in any given semester.

Successful Pass Rates

Pass rates of students actually finishing their program tell the real story behind the school itself. With many different types of people from different cultures and backgrounds, one might say the variable here is too great to judge a school by pass rate. However, if over the last 5 to 10 years, the pass rate is constantly low, this variable shrinks and ultimately disappears behind the cold, hard truth. A student should study these statistics and talk to nurses who have been through different local programs in order to get a realistic view of nursing schools for which they may apply.

Here is an example of how these results might read in a random state:

The period between October 1 and ending September 30 is used for the purpose of determining programs’ NCLEX-RN® examination pass rates. The attached report provides final 2013 NCLEX-RN® examination pass rates of first time test-takers from the professional nursing education programs in Texas.