| Ever thought of Nursing as your occupation? Taking | | | | hospitals, especially in mental health services. So many |
| care of the elderly, playing with children, consoling a | | | | nursing schools and colleges have come up with the |
| sick person, being there for someone when they're | | | | increasing need of nurses all over the world. It is |
| on their death bed? These are some of the things | | | | recorded that in America itself there are about |
| that you would do being a nurse. The bond that | | | | 45,000 nursing schools. |
| builds up between the patient and his caretaker - the | | | | A lot of arguments still surround nursing education. |
| nurse, is something to be cherished. The patient | | | | Some believe that practical knowledge is what is |
| becomes dependent on you, and as long as he is | | | | most important, but some argue that with so many |
| under your care, you become his guardian angel. | | | | advancements coming in the medical world, these |
| Many people also go for nursing as their second | | | | nursing schools should be able to teach them to |
| career. To become a qualified nurse, you have to | | | | manage health care and also to see the "future |
| take nursing education from any recognized nursing | | | | picture". So to meet all these needs, nursing schools |
| school or nursing college. Nurse education is just like | | | | aim to train nurses who can be nurtured and trained |
| any other education, where you would be taught and | | | | to be life long learners, so as to meet any changes in |
| prepared for nursing care. The students will be given | | | | both theory and practical parts of nursing. |
| lessons on various health education and medicines by | | | | Things to remember: |
| qualified doctors, experienced nurses, and educators. | | | | There are some points that you should remember |
| Almost everywhere around the world the basic | | | | when going for a nursing education: |
| courses are similar; like general nursing, mental health | | | | • Decide on what program you want to take, and |
| nursing, and taking care of sick children. The courses | | | | then decide on a school that matches. |
| are usually three years long. | | | | • Look out for the featured schools around your |
| Nursing is taught in nursing schools. You can also get | | | | area. |
| a post graduate qualification in any specialist subject | | | | • Some people want the close attention of a small |
| within nursing from a reputed nursing college. In the | | | | school, while others prefer the intellectual stimulation |
| past, the emphasis was more only on the practical | | | | of a large institution. |
| part, but now all nursing schools are focused both on | | | | • Make enquiries about the school, and the |
| the theoretical as well as the practical part, as nurses | | | | school's reputation. |
| have to deal with so many types of patients. They | | | | • It is better to take a school where the ratio of |
| have to know what to do and what not to, incase | | | | the students and the faculty is good. It is better to |
| the doctor is not around. They are given basic | | | | be in a small class size so that each student will be |
| education on medicine as well. Nurses today are not | | | | given equal attention. |
| just a helper of the doctor concerned, but they are | | | | • See that the school meets the standards of |
| trained so that they would be able to contribute | | | | education set by a national accrediting organization. |
| equally to the team. | | | | To become a nurse you would need to dedicate |
| Nursing education: | | | | your time and care whenever there is a need. |
| The first nursing school was set by Florence | | | | Remember you can be a nurse at any age. If you |
| Nightingale at St Thomas' Hospital, London. The | | | | are in your thirties or forties, this doesn't mean you |
| curriculum in those days was just focused on hygienic | | | | are not eligible. As long as you are ready to dedicate |
| factor and task competence. Nursing at that time | | | | your life into this profession, you can become a |
| was mainly adopted by girls, often taken in religious | | | | nurse. |
| orders, but now we find many male nurses in all the | | | | |