A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to obtain a nursing license. An RN's scope of practice is determined by legislation, and is regulated by a professional body or council.
Nurse education consists of the theoretical and practical training provided to nurses with the purpose to prepare them for their duties as nursing care professionals. This education is provided to student nurses by experienced nurses and other medical professionals who have qualified or experienced for educational tasks, traditionally in a type of professional school known as a nursing school of college of nursing. Most countries offer nurse education courses that can be relevant to general nursing or to specialized areas including mental health nursing, pediatric nursing, and post-operative nursing. Nurse education also provides post-qualification courses in specialist subjects within nursing.
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree may also prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader. The MSN may be used as a prerequisite for doctorate-level nursing education and is the minimum degree required to become an advanced practice registered nurse such as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or nurse midwife.
An Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) is a tertiary education nursing degree which typically takes 2–3 years to complete. In the United States, this type of degree is usually awarded by community colleges or similar nursing schools. Some four-year colleges also offer this degree. Students awarded an Associate of Science in Nursing are qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN and apply for licensure as a Registered Nurse.
Nursing credentials and certifications are the various credentials and certifications that a person must have to practice nursing legally. Nurses' postnominal letters reflect their credentials—that is, their achievements in nursing education, licensure, certification, and fellowship. The letters usually appear in the following order:
Texas A&M Health, also known as Texas A&M University Health, and Texas A&M University Health Science Center, is the medical education component of Texas A&M University, and offers health professions research, education and patient care in dentistry, medicine, nursing, biomedical sciences, public health, and pharmacy on its several campuses. One of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses six schools and numerous centers and institutes. It was established in 1999 as an independent institution of the Texas A&M University System and received accreditation in December 2002 from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master's, doctoral and professional degrees. The institution and its colleges merged with Texas A&M University on July 12, 2013.
Nursing in the United States is a professional health care occupation. It is the largest such occupation, employing millions of certified professionals. As of 2023, 3,175,390 registered nurses were employed, paid a median income of $86,070.
The National League for Nursing (NLN) is a national organization for faculty nurses and leaders in nurse education. It offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to more than 45,000 individual and 1,000 education and associate members.
The University of Virginia School of Nursing, established in 1901, is a school of nursing education. It has an enrollment of approximately 800 students, and is consistently rated in the top 4% of U.S. nursing schools. After the retirement of Dorrie K. Fontaine as the fifth dean of the School, two-term American Nurses Association President Pam Cipriano, a research faculty member at UVA for years, stepped in as interim dean in August 2019.
University of Arkansas Grantham is a public online university based in Little Rock, Arkansas. Founded in 1951 as Grantham Radio License School, it would eventually be renamed Grantham University. The then-for-profit school offered distance-education programs from 1951 until 2021, at which point it was entirely online. Grantham was purchased by the University of Arkansas System for one dollar in 2021, merging with the latter’s eVersity online program. It is composed of four colleges: the College of Business, Management, and Economics; the College of Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology; and the College of Nursing and Health Professions. It is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission.
In the United States, a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse trained to provide a wide range of mental health services to patients and families in a variety of settings. PMHNPs diagnose, conduct therapy, and prescribe medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders, medical organic brain disorders or substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessments of their patients, treatment plans, and manage patient care. They may also serve as consultants or as educators for families and staff. The PMHNP has a focus on psychiatric diagnosis, including the differential diagnosis of medical disorders with psychiatric symptoms, and on medication treatment for psychiatric disorders.
The University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) is the nursing school of the private University of San Francisco, located in San Francisco, California. First established in 1954, the school has approximately 1,300 students.
A family nurse practitioner (FNP) provides continuing and comprehensive healthcare for the individual and family across all ages, genders, diseases, and body systems. Primary care emphasizes the holistic nature of health and it is based on knowledge of the patient in the context of the family and the community, emphasizing disease prevention and health promotion.
Goodwin University is a private university in East Hartford, Connecticut, United States.
Platt College is a private, for-profit college in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Platt College currently offers only one degree program, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 3 years. Platt College graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Following successful completion of the BSN curriculum, graduates apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN®) through the State Board of Nursing. Upon successful completion of the NCLEX-RN, a graduate of Platt College is then qualified to seek employment as a Registered Nurse (RN).
Nursing is the largest healthcare profession in the United States, with more than 3.1 million registered nurses. Between 2012 and 2022, employment for nurses is projected to grow by 19 percent, which is more than any other profession. Nurses make up the largest component of staff in hospitals but are also able to provide care in clinic settings, patient's homes, schools, nursing homes, public health agencies, and mental health centers. In addition, nurses can be found in the military, in industry, nursing education, and do health care research. Nurses in these various roles and settings can provide direct patient care and case management, but also develop and establish nursing practice and quality standards within complex healthcare systems. As each degree can provide a different level of care for patients and function in vastly different roles, it is important to differentiate between them. The levels of nursing degrees have different educational requirements, licensure, and credentialing that can vary state to state.
The Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing (BSMCON) is a private college located in Richmond, Virginia that offers a baccalaureate degree in nursing. The college is affiliated with the Catholic-based, nonprofit Bon Secours Health System.
Helene Fuld College of Nursing is a private nursing school in New York City. The college offers associate and comprehensive baccalaureate science degrees to Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, and individuals who are not already nurses. The college is located in the East Harlem section of Manhattan in the Mount Morris Park Historic District across from Marcus Garvey Park. It was founded in 1945.
The Alan and Sue Leighton School of Nursing is part of Marian University, a private, non-profit school located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute, commonly referred to as AFPGMI, is a Postgraduate Medical Institute operated by the Pakistan Armed Forces. Its primary function is to provide graduate level medical education to physicians, surgeons, hospital administrators and nurses of Pakistan Armed Forces. It is headed by a Major General from the Medical Corps of the Pakistan Army.
