Nurses are the backbone of the U.S. healthcare system. They represent the nation’s largest healthcare workforce and are far and away the most trusted group of professionals in the country, with 78% of Americans saying that nurses have the highest honesty and ethical standards, according to Gallup — higher than the next most trusted profession, veterinarians, by 13 percentage points.
Completing a nursing education is an essential step for those who want to become nurses. Nursing programs prepare students through a combination of classroom instruction on nursing theory and practical training in clinical environments. This experience ensures that students gain the knowledge and practical skills they need to excel as nurses.
Those seeking to join this trusted profession can begin their journey by enrolling in nursing school in Columbus, Ohio. Depending on their career goals, students may want to pursue a diploma from a Practical Nursing (PN) program or an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program.
Why Go to Nursing School in Columbus, Ohio?
Training for a nursing career in Columbus, Ohio, has several benefits. Ohio is especially fertile ground for those pursuing a career in healthcare, with several large healthcare organizations as well as several pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Of the top 10 children’s hospitals in the country, Ohio is home to three: Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. Furthermore, according to Newsweek, the state is also the home to the second-highest-rated hospital in the world: Cleveland Clinic.
Ohio is also one of the most affordable states in the U.S., with much lower housing costs than the rest of the country, according to a recent analysis by Bankrate. Additionally, Columbus boasts a cost of living that’s approximately 7% lower than the national average, according to the latest data from Payscale.
Types of Nursing School
Aspiring and practicing nurses have multiple options with regard to attending nursing school, depending on their career goals. Nursing programs at many institutions are hybrid, with a majority of classes held on campus, allowing students to hone practical skills through lab work and clinicals and giving them full access to all the institution’s support and services. A smaller percentage are taken online, providing convenience and flexibility.
There are several types of nursing programs. For example, practical nursing programs prepare students to launch their nursing careers, while ADN programs can help licensed practical nurses (LPN) advance their careers to become registered nurses (RNs).
Practical Nursing
Practical nursing programs teach students the fundamentals of nursing care to prepare them for LPN roles. PN programs cover nursing theory and provide laboratory and clinical experiences to help students become well-rounded nursing professionals. They also prepare students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), an essential step for aspiring LPNs.
Over the course of the program, students in the Fortis practical nursing program in Columbus, Ohio, learn how to do the following:
Record and interpret vital signs.
Administer medication.
Assist in emergency care situations.
Perform standard laboratory tests.
Assemble medical equipment.
Associate Degree in Nursing
ADN programs prepare students for careers as RNs. These programs are designed for those just entering the field of nursing as well as LPNs and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) who want to enhance their skills and advance their careers.
The ADN program at Fortis can be completed in as little as 96 academic weeks. The program provides a comprehensive curriculum to prepare students with the same foundational skills as PN graduates and enable them to execute the following additional duties:
Provide and coordinate holistic patient care.
Educate patients on various health conditions.
Provide emotional support to patients and families.
Engage in health promotion through public education and outreach programs.
The program also explores several nursing specializations, including surgery, pediatrics, oncology, and mental health.
Nursing School Requirements
The admissions requirements for the Fortis nursing school in Columbus, Ohio, are fairly simple compared with those of traditional college degree programs, which generally entail submitting SAT/ACT scores, writing essays, and securing letters of recommendation.
The ADN and PN programs have two sets of admissions requirements: general requirements for all prospective students and specific requirements for the Fortis nursing programs..
General Admissions Requirements
All Fortis programs have the same set of general admissions requirements. They include the following:
Submission of a high school or GED diploma
Completion of an application form
Interview with admissions staff
Enrollees also have to achieve a threshold score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam - Quicktest (SLE-Q) — a shorter version of the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE), which tests an individual’s cognitive abilities in areas including math and language. To qualify to enroll in either the PN program or the ADN program, prospective students need to achieve a threshold score. The admissions advisor at the campus can share more details about this part of the enrollment process at Fortis.
Nursing Program Requirements
In addition to the general admissions requirements, nursing programs carry their own enrollment requirements. First, prospective students need to be at least 18 years old to enroll in either the ADN or the PN programs. The minimum age requirement for all other Fortis programs is 17.
Nursing program applicants also need to meet the following admissions prerequisites:
Pass a drug test.
Pass a criminal background check.
Hold a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association (AHA), including CPR training
Clinical rotations are an essential part of the curriculum of both nursing programs. Nursing students must also certify that they are capable of performing all physical and cognitive activities required of them. They also need to be immunized against certain diseases, such as the flu or measles-mumps-rubella (MMR).
LPN and RN Job Outlook in Ohio
Increasing demand for healthcare services, especially from the nation’s growing population of older adults, will create thousands of employment opportunities for nurses over the next decade. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nationwide employment of RNs and LPNs/LVNs will grow by 6% and 3%, respectively, between 2023 and 2033. This growth will create approximately 197,200 new RN jobs and about 16,900 new LPN and LVN jobs.
During this period, the BLS also projects approximately 194,500 job openings for RNs each year, on average, while LPNs and LVNs will see about 54,000 openings each year.
Ohio, in particular, has one of the nation’s most promising job markets for nurses. The Buckeye State is home to the nation’s fifth-largest workforce of LPNs and LVNs, according to the BLS, and has the seventh-largest RN workforce, according to data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
Nurses older than 55 hold more than a quarter of all active PN and RN licenses in the state, according to the Ohio Board of Nursing. With thousands of nurses in Ohio approaching retirement age, there will likely be many opportunities for prospective RNs and LPNs in the coming years. Projections Central, a site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), estimates that Ohio will have more than 10,000 job openings for LPNs/LVNs and RNs each year between 2022 and 2032.
Join One of the Nation’s Most In-Demand Workforces
As demand for healthcare services grows, roughly a quarter of nurses nationwide — as well as in Ohio — are nearing retirement, creating hundreds of thousands of opportunities for new nurses over the next decade. A proper education is essential to prepare the next generation of nurses for this vital work.
If you’re considering a career in nursing, explore the Fortis Practical Nursing and Associate Degree in Nursing programs in Columbus, Ohio. Combining classroom learning with hands-on training, the programs are designed to prepare students for careers in nursing as either LPNs or RNs. Both programs follow a hybrid model, allowing you to take advantage of everything that Fortis has to offer while also enjoying the convenience and flexibility of online learning.
Take the first step on the path to a nursing career with Fortis.
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