Health Care Career

Section 1

The requirements for a nursing degree vary by country and type of degree. However, there is a general standard of what is required for one to qualify for the nursing program. The U.S. has numerous nursing courses across different academic institutions that offer students the opportunity to choose the nursing path they desire. They include the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and the accelerated BSN program (Nursing Programs in the US | Study Nursing in the US, 2020). My preferential choice of the nursing program is the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, which is offered across various community colleges and vocational institutions within the United States. To qualify for this program, there are several admission requirements that I require to meet to enroll in the two-year program. They include an application essay, a well-drafted career statement, an in-person interview from the institution of choice, a high school GPA of 2.0 or a college GPA of 2.5, academic recommendations, SAT scores, a passing score on the HESI admission assessment exam pass the essential academic skills (ATI TEAS) assessment which will demonstrate my preparedness to enter into the healthcare profession (Nursing Programs in the US | Study Nursing in the US, 2020). Before enrolling in the ADN program, I need to complete several pre-requisite classes in math, sciences, liberal arts, and communication, whereby I am required to earn about 70 credits. Once I finish the program, it is mandatory to obtain an ADN nursing license in the US, whereby I am required to pass the national licensing examination (Rosseter, 2017).

Some of the institutions that offer ADN programs include Miami Dade College, which is located in Florida, and the University of Charleston. The approximate tuition fee for an ADN program at Miami Dade College is $10,000, while a similar program at the University of Charleston is $23,940 (NurseJournal, 2022). I desire to become an OB-GYN Nurse, I will need to earn my ADN, which will take two years, and four years to earn a BSN certificate. Afterward the BSN, I am required to earn an inpatient nursing certificate which will require two years of nursing experience and two thousand hours of OB-GYN nurse experience (Sizemore et al., 2017). Thus, when I enroll in an ADN program, I will have to commit to eight years of education and OB-GYN experience to become an obstetrics nurse practitioner. The approximate tuition fee for a BSN program at the Miami Dade College is $16,236.25 while a similar program at the University of Charleston costs $30,400 without an RN license. To become an obstetrics nurse practitioner, I will require RN and BSN certifications and a master’s degree (Rosseter, 2017). The approximate tuition fee for a master’s of science in nursing program at the Miami Dade College is $32,770 while a similar program at the University of Charleston costs $26,250 (NurseJournal, 2022).

Before practicing as an obstetrics nurse practitioner, it is vital to become a registered nurse. The licensure process in the US begins with registering with the board of nursing and applying for an NCLEX-RN and NCLEX-PN license. After completing my master’s degree and becoming an APRN certified practitioner or Certified Nursing Midwife, it is vital to apply for certification from the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) (Nursing SchoolHub, 2021). I must reapply for recertification after every five years of certification to maintain my certifications. The certification process will cost me $240, while the recertification will cost $120.

Section 2

Reflection/ Personal Career Plan

Over time nursing has changed from a field that once only focused on gender and willingness to do the job as the only competencies for a nursing position. Today, the nursing profession necessitates all individuals to undergo formal medical training before being allowed to work in any health facility. The evolution of nursing has altered the scope of practice whereby early on, training was not a requirement for practicing nursing since a majority of the sick were offered care by family members. Today, one must undertake a very rigorous and in-depth training program before qualifying as a nurse. I see myself fitting into nursing by pursuing a nursing degree specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. I will not limit my capability to an associate program which is easier and takes a shorter time frame to complete in comparison to a baccalaureate program which necessitates one to undertake a bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, since my objective is to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, I intend to pursue a master’s degree in nursing, which will enable me to attain my desired goals.

My decision to pursue nursing as a career is largely inspired by my mother and grandmother, who were both able to become RN or even higher status in nursing. Either by nature or nurture, growing up in such an environment had a profound impact on my upbringing, which inspired me to be a selfless and caring individual. As a result, I attained my HHA certification by 18, all the confirmation I required to pursue nursing as a professional. My career plan in nursing begins with obtaining my ADN, which will take about two years. Afterward, I plan on working as an RN for two years to gain experience, after which I will pursue a BSN in nursing, which I am confident will enable me to pursue my dream of becoming an OB-GYN nurse (Sizemore et al., 2017). While I still believe I will get a BSN degree that will enable me to qualify to become an OB-GYN nurse, I have an alternative plan which encompasses becoming an international and domestic travel nurse.

Health Care Professional Interview- Jamie King RN (7 Years) ICU nurse

For the Healthcare Professional Interview, I chose Jamie King, who has served as an ICU nurse for seven years. He chose to be a nurse because she wanted to be able to take care of people in a life-changing way and also make a significant impact on people’s lives. When I inquired how she handles difficult patients', he unwaveringly responded that empathy is key. Jamie further highlighted that when a person is sick, they’re most valuable, and their emotions can run high. Therefore, empathizing with them enables her to adopt a humanistic approach that calms them down. One instance that he went above and beyond for a patient was during covid-19 when patients were not allowed to have visitors. When one of his patients was about to die, he requested a minister to pray for him. He went out of his way to get a chaplain and family to talk to the patient on facetime before their death. Jamie has encountered stressful situations in his career. One instance he recounted to me involved a patient who posted open heart surgery and was obese that started coding. He assisted in getting the patient from a recliner to the floor. Jamie confessed that while his career is quite stressful and leads to burnout, he would not change his lifestyle for anything. To handle stress, he practices self-care, which features meditation retreats.

References

Rosseter, R. J. (2017). Creating A More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved from American Association of Colleges of Nursing: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce

Sizemore, M. H., Robbins, L. K., Hoke, M. M., & Billings, D. M. (2017). Outcomes of ADN-BSN partnerships to increase baccalaureate-prepared nurses. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 4(1).

 NurseJournal. (2022, January 20). OB/GYN Nurse Careers and Salary Outlook | Nursejournal.org. NurseJournal. https://nursejournal.org/careers/ob-gyn-nurse/#:~:text=It%20takes%20two%20years%20to

Nursing Programs in the US | Study Nursing in the US. (2020). International Student. https://www.internationalstudent.com/study-nursing/nursing-programs-in-the-us/

Nursing SchoolHub. (2021, January 1). 25 Best ADN Programs. Nursing School Hub. https://www.nursingschoolhub.com/best-adn-programs/