Accelerated BSN Programs at Maine Nursing Schools
If you have a non nursing Bachelor’s degree, but now find yourself rethinking your career track, nursing can be a fulfilling choice. Many students are choosing to return to school in order to earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing degree, allowing for a new career that is based on improving and maintaining the health and wellness of others.
As more degree holders look to return to school for nursing, many colleges and universities have developed specific programs of study that incorporate your past credits and knowledge base into earning your BSN. As a result, there are several Accelerated BSN programs to choose from. Your options include both campus based and online nursing programs, allowing you to select a Fast Track program that works around your own needs.
At BestNursingDegree.com, we have taken the time to compile a list of Accelerated BSN programs available to you. Our featured schools typically offer distance learning options in conjunction with locally based clinicals. Campus based programs are also listed, so you have many options to choose from.
As you begin to make a decision about nursing school, gather as much information from schools as you can, so you can make a well informed decision about which program best meets your needs.
Accelerated BSN Curriculum in Maine
One of the benefits of an accelerated BSN in Maine is the speed with which you can earn your degree. Accelerated BSN programs generally accept your previous coursework and general education credits, so your main course of study is focused specifically on nursing.
Early in your accelerated program, you will take a variety of beginning nursing courses. These classes are intended to teach you the basic assessment of patients, pharmacology, nursing techniques, and physiology of the human body. Typically, you finish these courses fairly early and then move onto higher-level nursing courses.
Maine nursing schools give you experience in many different nursing specialties. The courses you take depend on which school you attend, but most schools require you to take classes in psychiatric nursing, obstetric nursing, and pediatric nursing, as well as several population and community based nursing.
You will also be taking a selection of courses in nursing leadership and management. As a Baccalaureate prepared nurse, you will receive training intended to help you learn how to best lead and manage others in the healthcare industry. This is one aspect of having a Bachelor’s degree that sets your education apart from other entry level nursing programs.
As a part of your nursing courses, you will perform clinical rotations in order to incorporate your book learning with the nursing skills you will use in patient care. For clinicals, you will go to one or more healthcare sites in Maine and practice nursing skills under the supervision of your clinical instructor. Many clinical rotations take place in nursing homes, hospitals, and community based locations such as schools and public health agencies.
Nursing Career Outlook in Maine
Maine has a rapidly growing need for skilled nurses, particularly graduates with BSNs who can work in specialty fields. Between 2010 and 2020, O*Net predicts a 20% increase in available nursing jobs, resulting in 580 new nursing jobs per year in Maine.
In addition to a wide variety of nursing jobs, Maine offers competitive salaries for nurses. The median salary for a registered nurse in Maine is $59,800 per year (O*Net, 2012).
Depending on which nursing setting you want to work in, you may find that many of the job opportunities offer benefits, holiday pay and vacation time. Some of the largest nursing employers in Maine include Gentiva Health Services, CoreMedical Group, Kindred Healthcare, Dialysis Clinic, and Coventry Health Care.
Nursing Licensing Considerations in Maine
As part of the Nurse Licensure Compact, Maine nurses can use their Maine nursing license to work in other compact states. Other nearby compact states include New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. You can earn your nursing license from the Maine State Board of Nursing after receiving a passing score on the NCLEX-RN Exam. You must renew your license every two years, and the majority of nurses in Maine do so online.
To keep up to date with the nursing field, many nurses recommend joining the Maine State Nurses Association. The association is currently working to change health care practices by making affordable health care accessible to all residents. As part of this, they are doing a “Health Care is a Human Right” tour. You can also take special continuing education courses and get a subscription to RN Magazine.
