You must have been thinking about a career in nursing because of which you have ended up here. A career as a nurse is quite appealing as you get to save lives and care for others. If you are looking for a quick way to begin your career as a nurse, then you should attain an associate degree in nursing (ADN).
What is an Associate Degree in Nursing?
Before we jump into the details, let us first understand what exactly is an ADN. This degree will provide you with the foundation in your career in the field of healthcare. With ADN you will be able to work in the entry level nursing position in just two to three years’ time. The course will include nursing and liberal arts.
By attaining an ADN you will be able to learn the intricacies of nursing in less time. Once you have completed the course you will be eligible to take up NCLEX-RN exam for the license and then you will be able to work as a registered nurse (RN).
Job Description of ADN
Earning an Associate degree in Nursing is a good start for those who want to pursue a career in this field but are not sure about which area they would like to work in. This degree is also good for those who are looking for a quick way to kick-start their career and work as a nurse. Once you have earned the degree and got the license, you will be able to begin your career as a Licensed practical nurse (LPN). The duties performed by this type of nurse are listed below –
- Keep and maintain health records of all patients
- Provide the patients with the basic care that includes helping them walk around, giving a bath and dressing them.
- Monitor the patient’s blood pressure and other vitals
- Understand the health status of the patient and report it to the doctors or Registered Nurses.
- Talk to patients about the improvement in their health and other issues that they have
- Provide basic nursing skills like changing bandages and inserting catheters.
Scope
The scope in the field of nursing is ever increasing. The job growth for nurses is expected to increase in the coming years. Once you have attained a degree, be it ADN or LPN, you will be able to take a step towards a bright career in the field of nursing. You can take up the course of ADN and then slowly make your way up the ladder by using tuition reimbursement programs in order to earn higher degrees while you are working.
Educational Requirements to become an ADN
The requirements to become an ADN are listed below –
- One has to receive a GPA of at least 2.5 in high school or a GPA of 2.0 in
- You can apply to become an ADN once you have completed their junior year in high school.
- The subjects you will have to study prior to enrolling yourself in the Associate Degree in Nursing course are as follows-
- Chemistry along with Lab (the student must complete 1 year and attain a C or higher grade in high school).
- You should be strong in mathematics and must demonstrate competency in the subject by scoring 25 or higher in the SAT Math subsection, scoring 18 or higher in the ACT Math, 30 or higher in the Math placement test. You should have completed MA 098 or more with a C grade or
- ACT English score of 18or more.
- You should have studied biology and score C or a better grade in the subject.
- You must give the HESI exam and pass with a score of 75% or higher. The scores of this test are valid for up to 8 years.
- A criminal background check
- Submit the reports of ICHAT online to the health admission or campus police.
How to get Certification
After completion of the course in order to get the certification of a Registered Nurse (RN), you will have to take the NCLEX-RN exam. This is a national exam that must be passed to work as a Registered Nurse. Once you have passed the exam you will receive your license via mail. When you have received your license, you will be able to look for a job in the nursing field.
ADN Course & Curriculum
The Associate Degree in Nursing course helps you become a competent nurse, it has 10 pre-licensure nursing courses that are taught over 4 semesters. The total length of the course is 5 academic semesters. The curriculum is concept-based in which the students will learn apply concepts to various disease processes. The curriculum is described below –
General Education
- ENG 120: English Composition
- HUM 110: Western Civilization I
- MAT 100: Intermediate Algebra
- PSY 201: Introduction to Psychology
- SCI 220: Human Anatomy with Lab
- SCI 221: Human Physiology with Lab
- SCI 225: Pathophysiology
- SOC 220: Introduction to Sociology
Upper-Division General Education
- ANT 300: Cultural Anthropology
- COM 301: Oral Communication
- ENG 302: Technical Writing II
- ENG 303: Technical Writing III
- ENG 310: Technical Writing
- HUM 300: Introduction to Philosophy
- MAT 320: Introduction to Statistics
General Electives
- SCI 131: Introduction to Nutrition
- SCI 251: Microbiology with Lab
Nursing Core Course
- NUR 200: Foundations of Nursing Fundamentals
- NUR 210: Pharmacology I
- NUR 220: Concepts of Nursing – Health Promotion
- NUR 240: Concepts of Nursing in Chronic Illness I
- NUR 260: Concepts of Nursing in Acute Care I
- NUR 310: Pharmacology II
- NUR 330: Concepts of Professionalism, Management, and Leadership
- NUR 340: Concepts of Nursing in Chronic Illness Care II and End of Life
- NUR 360: Concepts of Nursing in Acute Care II and End of Life
- NUR 390: Entry into Professional Nursing Practice
Cost of ADN Course
Cost of the various things needed to complete the ADN program are listed below for your general understanding –
| Tuition Fees Per Quarter | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shasta College | |
| Fall | $1,442 |
| Winter | $1,315 |
| Spring | $1,315 |
| Columbia Basin College | |
| Fall | $1,315 |
| Winter | $1,315 |
| Spring | $1,506 |
| ITEMS | COST |
|---|---|
| Textbooks | $2,500 |
| Stethoscope, White shoes or Dansko Clogs, Uniform, Penlight, goggles, scissors etc | $500 |
| Physical Examination, Immunizations,and Tests | $500 |
| Criminal Background Check / Drug Screen | $94.95 |
| Nursing Supply Kit | $325 |
Subjects that will be taught in the ADN Course
There are many colleges and institutions that offer ADN courses. ADN program expects you to complete courses in the following subjects –
- Anatomy
- Biology
- Nutrition
- Physiology
In this course, you will have to spend time in the classrooms and in the labs as it consists of both theoretical and practical learning.
If you have taken up LPN course, then the subjects you will have to study are listed below –
- Emergency care
- Anatomy and physiology
- Nutrition
- Basic Nursing skills
- Pediatric Nursing
- Medical-Surgical Nursing
- Obstetric Nursing
Online ADN Course
There are many institutions that offer online Associate Degree in Nursing course. The ADN is one of the most popular degrees that nurses hold. Students who take up this degree go on to become Registered Nurses. Some Nurses get an ADN along with their bachelor’s degree either to save money or to gain experience in the field. Online ADN program takes one to two years.
Online ADN degree includes a vast number of courses some of them are AN (Associate of Nursing), ASN (Associate of science in nursing), AASN (Associate of applied science in nursing) and ADN (Associate degree in Nursing). All the courses have similar core coursework, however, clinical, practical and internship requirements differ in each of these.
If you are looking for an affordable and quick option to graduate and become a Registered nurse, then Online ADN course is ideal for you. The course will introduce you to physiology, expository writing, anatomy, management, nursing leadership, and practice. Once you have completed your ADN course, you will then qualify to take up the NCLEX-RN exam.
This exam will help you earn your license to become a Registered Nurse (RN). This way you will be able to begin work as a nurse without having to complete any 4-year program. An associate level graduate can easily go on to become a nurse in various fields like travel, school, neonatal intensive care, psychiatric etc.
Cost of Online ADN Program
Most people think that the online course will cost less than the traditional course, however, it is not true for online ADN course. The majority of schools and institutes that offer this course charge the same fees as they charge for the offline traditional courses. As per the www.adnprograms.org, you will have to pay an average amount of $1000 to $5000 per semester. The price varies in different institutes. Therefore to complete a two-year program which will consist of 4 semesters, you will have to pay around $4000 to $20,000.
Requirements for Online ADN Program
The requirements for online ADN programs are similar to the on-campus programs. Which means that in order to be eligible to enroll in the program, you will have to get a high school diploma or GED. You will have to submit documents that denote that you meet the minimum GPA requirements. Most of the online program requires you to pass their entrance exam before enrollment. You will also have to go through a thorough criminal background check and drug screening just like on campus-based programs.
Salary of ADN
When you have completed your ADN course and have received the license, you will be able to work as an LPN and get a handsome payment. The average median wage in 2017 of an LPN is $45,030 per year or $21.65 per hour.
Some of the highest paying states as per BLS in the U.S are listed below –
Highest ADN Salary Paying States
| STATE | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $56,580 |
| Arizona | $52,660 |
| California | $53,600 |
| Connecticut | $57,210 |
| Delaware | $52,290 |
| District of Columbia | $53,050 |
| Massachusetts | $57,800 |
| Maryland | $53,280 |
| Nevada | $55,340 |
| New Hampshire | $50,150 |
| New Jersey | $54,840 |
Some of the lowest paying states as per BLS are listed below –
Lowest ADN Salary Paying States
| AREA | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | $23,610 |
| Guam | $33,440 |
| South Dakota | $37,690 |
| Tennessee | $38,910 |
Enroll in the ADN Program for an Exciting Career
Think no more, enroll in the Associate Degree in Nursing program and take a step towards an exciting career. Once you begin work as an LPN you will go on to become a Registered nurse. The field of nursing is quite amazing as you get to take care of people and save lives. The job is quite heroic and therefore if you have a caring heart, wait no more. Complete an Associate degree in Nursing and pave your way into the healthcare world.