Career and School Info for RNs (Registered Nurses) in Iowa

I wish I would have realized how much the newness of the program plays a role in my education. The first graduating class from Northwestern’s nursing program graduated last year, so their program is still very new. Though I definitely could tell by talking to the director of nursing upon visiting that this was a young, but very quality program, I was not aware of all the little kinks they would inevitably need to iron out within the next several years. These kinks involve everything from sifting out what classes are really necessary to take in getting a well rounded education to knowing what material the college should be providing the nursing students in order to prepare and practice for NCLEX. Also, that transfer of the old hospital to become the new nursing lab has been a very wonderful addition to the improving the quality of the program, but there are still many, yet to be discovered, abilities that the new mannequins and computers are capable of doing.

Though I was fully aware of how new the nursing program was at this school that I chose, I did not fully realize how exactly that would affect me still a few years into it. And though I still wouldn’t change nursing programs for the world, I think it is important to really be confident in the nursing program of the school you are looking at and, whether new or very old, see proof of successful products and quality professors and equipment. The quality of education you receive will directly relate to the quality of care you will be capable of giving, and this bar needs to be very high in the nursing field.

In hindsight, I would have done more research online and visited with graduates of the different nursing schools in advance. I wish I would have known about the scholarships and financial assistance that was available to working mothers so that I could have reduced the amount of debt from student loans. I wish I would have known the school's NCLEX pass right and graduate job placement rates, which were topics that I discussed with the program chair after entering the program. I would have liked to have toured the nursing program facilities of different schools before entering the program. I would have taken advantage of setting up a brief interview with the nursing program director and/or a professor within the college to get a better feel for what to expect during school.

I would encourage anyone going into the nursing field to seek out opportunities to work as a CNA or job shadow a nurse to get a better idea of what a nurse's day encompasses. I would also recommend that the student to be able to identify the characteristics or attributes which they feel would make them a competent and compassionate nurse and match those up with the skills and behaviors that schools/employers are looking for in applicants. I would encourage the student to identify 2-3 different schools before selecting the one they will attend and to evaluate the pros and cons of each program. Do the research. Get out and visit with nursing graduates and nurses in the field.