According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Healthcare employment opportunities continue to rise. Nursing, specifically, is expected to see better than average growth over the next decade. “Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; increasing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as this group leads longer and more active lives.” (BLS 1)
The BLS is a great resource to learn about occupations of all types. When considering a new career or career move, though, there are a ton of other factors to consider. If nursing is on your list, the options are nearly infinite. Nurses work in all walks of healthcare, have degree paths available from associate to doctoral level, can work in virtually anywhere in the world, and are always in high demand. Given all of this, if you are heading down the nursing path, it is helpful to know what your goals are.
While the possibilities of the career are nearly infinite, the training and curriculum are fairly specific. We will focus our time here on the program at WVJC Morgantown. However, it should be noted that all programs in West Virginia are governed by the same body so the requirements to take your NCLEX certification are similar. Nursing programs have a very specific set of requirements to follow and this is part of what makes entry into a nursing program so coveted!
WVJC’s Nursing program has enjoyed quite a bit of student success over the last several years! This success earned our program a #2 ranking in the state of WV in 2019 (by registerednurse.org, which is an independent site designed to be a resource for those looking into the field- link below).
So far we know what the career prospects are like, how the training is set up, and what WVJC is doing. So, what does it take to get into and complete an 18 month Associate Degree program? Grit. At least according to Nursing Program Director, Julie Whetsell. “If you look at the definition of the word Grit, it is described as strength of character, courage, and resolve. Which I can’t help but equate to the definition of a great nurse. A great nurse is a patient advocate, an outstanding communicator, able to hold their own in a trying environment, and extremely knowledgeable in their craft yet not afraid to ask questions. Nurses proverbially get pushed down a lot, and every time a nurse will show that resolve and get back up to keep caring for their patients. It is not a profession to be taken lightly, and neither is nursing school. A nursing student needs that same grit, in fact, I expect it. If they embody those qualities and are willing to buckle down and learn, becoming a nurse through our program is just 18 months away which is an amazing opportunity.”
If you have now determined that you have the “grit” needed to complete a challenging nursing program, you should know that WVJC’s program is a direct admittance program! There is no pre-nursing education coursework at all. If you meet the requirements, and are selected, you will enter directly into the Nursing program. This is one benefit of a short-term program like ours. Another interesting note about WVJC’s Nursing program is the schedule. Classes occur during evening and weekend hours. This gives students the flexibility during the day to study, do homework, work, etc.
At this point, you may be starting to wonder how to get the admissions process started for our program. Request information here!
References
BLS 1 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
Link below https://www.registerednursing.org/state/west-virginia/#rankings