Nursing Schools in Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island Nursing Program Goes High - Tech

KINGSTON, R.I. - It used to be that when nursing students had questions about their patients' medications and illnesses, they had to leave the bedside and consult large and often outdated reference texts. This practice was both inconvenient and time consuming.

Thanks to a partnership between the University of Rhode Island Office of Information and Instructional Technology Services and the URI College of Nursing, a pilot group of nursing students have the opportunity to find health care information quickly and efficiently at the patient's bedside using a personal digital assistant (PDA).

Earlier this fall, 100 Palm Tungsten E2 PDAs were purchased - 50 for nursing students and 50 for nursing faculty. Graduate students in Professor Laurie Lauzon Clabo's Clinical Nurse Leadership program, and undergraduate students in Professor Mary Leveillee's Psychiatric-Mental Health and Nursing in Childbearing-Reproductive Health courses were selected for the pilot project. The PDAs are on loan to the students for the academic year. They will be allowed to keep them as long as they pass their classes and write an evaluation about how they used them.

The students installed a software program called Epocrates on their PDAs, which helps them learn about drug dosing and costs. Epocrates also can store drug databases, medical references and appointments, and it has a tool to make a variety of calculations like intravenous drip rates. Because the nursing students can easily carry this information on the Palm, they no longer need to leave the patient's bedside to consult textbooks and references when questions arise. "It's important for students to have ready access to important information in the clinical setting," said Leveillee.

In addition, the databases and reference guides are easily updated on a regular basis by synchronizing the Palm to the student's own computer, ensuring the student has the most up-to-date information available. Read more about the University of Rhode Island Nursing Program.

Nursing Schools in Rhode Island

The choice of nursing as a career is appropriate for those who wish to have attractive work opportunities, look forward to assist with healing others and don't mind being intellectually stimulated. The nursing field has opportunities for individuals with unique abilities and talents. Rhode Island State Board of Nursing requires that students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the NCLEX exam in order to become a registered nurse or practical nurse.

Our site contains helpful information about nursing programs, attractive employment opportunities, and career choices in the expanding industry of nursing. It is possible the time has come to contemplate switching from your existing job to a more challenging career and you could use information about what the first step is or maybe you are being faced with choosing the best nursing school to suit your needs. It is natural to be curious regarding what to expect as a nursing student or seek information about the NCLEX-PN exam and how to best study for this important licensing exam.

This is the place where one can find out about the educational programs and training necessary to become a LPN, RN or a nurse aide in Rhode Island including existing nursing degree programs, work duties for practical and registered nurses as well as possible nursing career benefits and opportunities. To help you decide if nursing can be right for you we have also offered information about places of employment, job prospects and nurse salaries.

In case you don't feel ready to become a LPN or a RN you might want to consider becoming a nurse aide to help you decide if this is a career you want to pursue. You should select a nursing school carefully since this is a key step in receiving the superior education needed to be a competent registered or practical nurse. Rhode Island Nursing Schools can be used as a guide to learn about many ways to become a registered or practical nurse and the location of nursing programs in Rhode Island.

The comprehensive list of nursing schools in Rhode Island is broken down by category of nursing programs and it contains the following groups: practical nurse programs, two-year programs, bachelor degree programs, and master degree nursing programs. If your dream is to be a nurse, then your primary action is to decide on the type of nursing degree program you wish to attend.

There is more than one way to obtain a LPN or RN degree, taking into account the length of time as well as previous educational requirements necessary for a given type of nursing degree. After you have decided on a nursing program, you should look for nursing schools in your area offering the nursing degree you are seeking. The second step could be to request admission information, especially regarding criteria for selection of nursing students, application deadlines for the registered or practical nurse program you wish to attend, as well as cost and scholarship opportunities at that nursing school.

Universities and nursing schools in Rhode Island have one or more of these nursing program types: LPN program - 1 year of courses plus clinical experience, this type of degree requires the least amount of time to become a nurse; associate degree nursing program - most nursing schools in Rhode Island offer this kind of program, which takes two years to complete but every nursing school requires the student to have completed certain courses prior to being accepted in the ADN program; baccalaureate degree nursing programs - most nursing schools in Rhode Island offer a traditional nursing program which takes four years to complete while some universities are offering a non-traditional, fast-paced second-degree nursing program to obtain a BSN degree for individuals with a bachelor degree in a different discipline.

Fast-paced BSN nursing programs are a popular choice for a lot of people due to the fact that this kind of program takes between one to two years to graduate from. Graduate level programs prepare nurses for advanced professional practice. Universities and nursing schools in Rhode Island may require one or two years of practical experience before graduate enrolment. The duration of a nursing program including LPN to RN, RN to BSN, RN to MSN or BSN to PhD depends on attendance status and requirements of the chosen nursing program in Rhode Island. To inquire about the specific requirements of a nursing program you may contact the nursing school admission person.

Being a nurse could be a great career path for those who are dedicated to helping others. Nurses need to study specialized subjects and use the skills and knowledge learned throughout nursing school in order to deliver outstanding patient care. There are many nursing schools in Rhode Island, and every one of them is offering the education and training to get you ready for this healthcare career.

Rhode Island individuals considering nursing should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of enrolling in a BSN program, because, if they do, their advancement opportunities usually are broader. In fact, some career paths are open only to nurses with a bachelor's or master's degree. Rhode Island individuals who complete a bachelor's receive more training in areas such as communication, leadership, and critical thinking, all of which are becoming more important as nursing care becomes more complex. Additionally, bachelor's degree programs offer more clinical experience in nonhospital settings.

A bachelor's degree often is necessary for administrative positions and is a prerequisite for admission to graduate nursing programs in research, consulting, and teaching, and all four advanced practice nursing specialties - clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners.

All four advanced practice nursing specialties require at least a master's degree. Most programs last about 2 years and require a BSN degree and some programs require at least one to two years of clinical experience as a registered nurse for admission. Upon completion of a program, most advanced practice nurses become nationally certified in their area of specialty. In some States, certification in a specialty is required in order to practice that specialty.

Some Rhode Island registered nurses start their careers as licensed practical nurses or nursing aides, and then go back to school to receive their RN degree. Most registered nurses begin as staff nurses, and with experience and good performance often are promoted to more responsible positions.

Employers - including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations, among others - need registered nurses for health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance. Other nurses work as college and university faculty or conduct research.

Foreign-educated nurses wishing to work in the United States must obtain a work visa. Foreign-educated nurses are required to undergo a review of their education and licensing credentials and pass a nursing certification and English proficiency exam, both conducted by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools.

Nursing Resources

For a list of accredited clinical nurse specialist programs, visit the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. For information on nurse practitioners, including a list of accredited programs, visit the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

For information about accredited programs in other states visit one of the following websites: Massachusetts Nursing Programs, Maine Nursing Degrees, RN Nursing Schools in Ohio, and Nursing Programs in Illinois.

Information about employment opportunities may be obtained from local hospitals, nursing care facilities, home health care agencies, psychiatric facilities, the Rhode Island State Board of Nursing, and local offices of the State employment service.