THINKING ABOUT NURSING SCHOOL?

Nursing is an extremely rewarding career that combines the art of caring and the science of nursing. As a nurse you have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others by focusing on the patient as a whole, not just a particular health problem. Registered nursing (RN) practice involves diagnosing and treating human responses to actual or potential physical and emotional health problems, as well as evaluating the outcomes of care.

Registered nurses function in a variety of roles and settings, depending upon education, competencies, and experiences. For example, nurses may work in high-tech settings such as those found in hospitals, or provide home health care in patients’ homes, or give nursing care to the elderly and disabled in long-term care settings such as nursing homes. Nurses with graduate education may work as nursing faculty, researchers, administrators, or as Advanced Practice Nurses in direct patient care in many different types of settings.

Preparing for a career in nursing requires a solid foundation in math; the natural sciences such as chemistry, biology, or physics; and the social sciences, such as psychology or sociology. Currently, there are three types of nursing educational preparation that prepare the graduate to sit for a standardized test to become a Registered Nurse (RN). In today’s labor market, new graduates have their choice of several job offers and start their nursing career with salaries in the low-to-mid $50,000 range.

  • The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a university/college-based nursing educational program that can be completed within four years of full time study.
  • The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is granted through community colleges. This nursing course of study can be completed in two years of full time study.
  • Hospital-based/diploma schools of nursing are affiliated with a hospital and generally can be completed in two years of full time study. A diploma in nursing is awarded. Most New Jersey schools have cooperating agreements with community colleges and an Associate Degree (not in nursing) is also awarded.

All three types of nursing education programs prepare the graduate to sit for the same Registered Nursing (RN) examination. For further information regarding a specific program and the admission requirements, just click on the schools home page links found below, or call the schools for more information.

Baccalaureate Nursing (BSN) Programs

Bloomfield College
973-748-9000, ext.134

College of New Jersey
609-771-2541

Fairleigh Dickinson University
201-692-2888

Felician College
973-778-1190, ext. 6030

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Camden)
856-225-6226

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Classes are offered on both the Newark and New Brunswick campuses
973-353-5293, ext. 630

Seton Hall University
973-761-9285

University of Medicine and Dentistry School of Nursing
973-972-5336

William Paterson University
973-720-2673

Associate Degree Nursing Programs

Atlantic Cape Community College
609-343-5035

Bergen Community College
201-447-7181

Brookdale Community College
732-224-2418

Burlington County Institute Of Technology
609-894-9311

County College of Morris
973-328-5352

Cumberland County College
856-691-8600, ext. 306

Essex County College
973-877-1868

Gloucester County College
856-415-2179

Mercer County Community College
609-586-4800, ext. 3391

Ocean County College
732-255-0400, ext. 2431

Passaic County Community College
973-684-5221

Raritan Valley Community College
908-526-1200, ext.8232

UMDNJ-Middlesex County College
732-906-4660

Hospital Diploma Nursing Programs

Bayonne Medical Center School of Nursing
201-339-9656, ext. 113

Bon Secours and Cantebury School of Nursing
201-795-8225

Capital Health Systems School of Nursing at Mercer
609-894-9311, ext. 7410

Charles E. Gregory School of Nursing
732-607-6505

Helene Fuld School of Nursing
856-374-0100

Holy Name Hospital School of Nursing
201-833-3005

Mountainside Hospital School of Nursing
973-429-6062

Muhlenberg Schools of Nursing, Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Science
908-668-2400

Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing
856-782-2104

St. Francis Medical Center School of Nursing
609-599-5190

Trinitas Hospital School of Nursing
908-659-5202

Already Have a College Degree?

If you already hold a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field, there are a variety of ways you might become a Registered Nurses (RN). For example, in New Jersey Seton Hall has a one-year accelerated full time program for students who hold a degree in another field. Their contact information is listed below. Other New Jersey schools are planning to offer an accelerated program in nursing for students who hold a non-nursing college degree.

Seton Hall University
www.shu.edu
South Orange, New Jersey 07079
973-761-9285

Still other schools, although none in New Jersey, offer what is called a “generic” masters for students who hold Bachelor of Science degree. It generally can be completed in two-years of full time study and the graduate can sit for the same nursing examination and become a Registered Nurse (RN) and at the same time earn a master’s degree, usually in a nursing specialty area, e.g., pediatrics, geriatrics, maternal/child, women’s health, etc. The graduate of this program is eligible to sit for a certification examination and become an Advanced Practice Nurse. Check out these possibilities for a fast-tract to nursing at www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/issues/Aug02.htm.

Practical Nursing (LPN) Programs

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) provides basic nursing care under the supervision of an RN or physician. Preparing for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) requires one (1) year of nursing educational preparation. After graduation from a Practical Nursing program, the graduate can sit for the Practical Nurse examination and become a Licensed Practical Nurse. If you are interested in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse, please contact the schools listed below for further information. Most of the schools have web sites, but if you click on the name and no web page appears, they do not have a web site.

Atlantic County Vocational Technical School
609-625-2249

Burlington County Institute of Technology
609-654-0200

Camden County Technical Schools
856-767-7000

Cape May County Technical School
609-465-2161

C.T.I. (OCVTS) School of Nursing
732-657-3800

Cumberland  County Technical  Education Center
856-451-9000

Essex County Vocational School
973-395-8550

Gloucester County Institute of Technology
856-468-1445

Holy Name School of Practical Nursing
201-833-7209

Jersey City Board of Education
201-333-6940

J. Riggs Adult Education Center (Camden)
856-966-2479

Mercer County Technical School
609-587-7640

micro TECH Training Center
201-216-9901

Middlesex County Vocational and Technical School
732-613-9200

Monmouth County Vocational School District Practical Nursing Program
732-869-1181

Morris County School of Technology
973-627-4600

New Community Workforce Development Center
973-824-5484

Ocean County Vocational Technical School
732-657-3800

Passaic County Technical Institute
973-389-2021

Salem Community College
856-351-2631

Somerset County Technical Institute
908-526-8900

Southern New Jersey Technical School
856-845-7373

Technical Institute of Camden County
856-767-7000

Union County College
908-791-4947

Vineland Adult Education Center of Practical Nursing
856-794-6943

Warren County Technical School
908-835-2814

 

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