An associate degree in nursing (ADN) or Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) trains you in the medical sciences like human biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry and pharmacology as well as best practices for ethical, safe and effective patient care in a variety of health care facilities. Depending on where you earn your ASN or ADN, you may also complete some general education courses in other disciplines, such as mathematics, communication, English literature, foreign language, history, philosophy and more.
Earning your associate degree in nursing typically takes at least two years to complete if you attend school full time. You can take find these programs at many community colleges and some universities that also offer associate degrees.
You must attend an ADN or ASN program that’s accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in order to take state-administered licensing exams. And you must take and pass these exams in order to earn your license to practice nursing and find a job as a nurse. An ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program combines classroom study, hands-on practice and supervised clinical experience to prepare you to take the NCLEX-RN.
In fact, this degree is the minimum education requirement to become a registered nurse (RN). An RN is responsible for:
- Collaborating with physicians and other nurses to provide high-quality care to patients.
- Assisting physicians during medical exams, surgeries and other procedures.
- Dressing and treating wounds and injuries.
- Completing diagnostic tests.
- Monitoring patient conditions.
- Administering medication and medical devices, such as IVs and catheters.
- Updating patient records.
- Supervising lower-level nursing staff, such as CNAs and LPNs.
With a ADN or ASN, you can find roles on patient care teams at the following health care facilities:
- Ambulatory health care facilities.
- Doctors’ and specialists’ offices.
- Residential patient care agencies.
- Hospitals.
- Government health agencies.
- Military health care facilities.
- Travel nursing agencies.
- Health insurance companies.
Many medical facilities look for RNs with at least a bachelor’s degree and/or years of nursing experience. However, you can still get a staff RN role with your ADN or ASN degree, but you may not qualify for nurse leadership roles until you gain enough experience at this level or advance your education. You might consider earning your ADN after earning your CNA or LPN diploma or certificate and gaining practical experience in the field.
By Admin –
