If you are thinking about pursuing a career in nursing, you will need to find a university in Miami that will offer you the best education, a flexible schedule, and financial aid options to help you compete in the growing nursing industry. According to the American Nursing Association, there will be more registered nursing jobs available through 2022 than any other profession at more than 100,000 per year. Work for these RNs will range from a variety of different healthcare settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, and private practices. More than 500,000 seasoned Registered Nurses (RNs) are expected to retire by 2022, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the need to produce more than one million new RNs.
Florida National University (FNU) is a regionally accredited university to grant associate, baccalaureate, and master degrees in nursing by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Founded in 1982 with two campus locations in Hialeah and Miami, our curriculum will teach our students the tools they need to reach graduation as well as enter the growing nursing profession.
How Does FNU’s Nursing Programs Work?
There are many training and education programs available in the nursing profession, and each of the nursing programs at FNU offers specific goals. While it is up to the student to decide their personal goals when determining which program to enroll in, FNU is there to make sure that they succeed.
RN’s take one of three educational paths when they peruse a nursing career: the Associate of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master’s Degree in Nursing. Each program varies in not only length but also the kinds of nursing jobs that a student can obtain. After completing any of the programs, registered nurses will need to become licensed, which they can do by passing a national licensing exam.
Now, let’s take a closer look at each program.
FNU’s Nursing Programs: Which is Right for Me?
The Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) is an applicant for accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), and FNU awards an ADN upon graduation after a minimum of 72 credits have been met. Though the ADN program takes the least amount of time of the three nursing paths to complete, it might limit you from obtaining higher level nursing jobs.
The purpose of the ADN program is to prepare you for employment as an entry-level registered nursing position. Curriculum for the ADN program includes prerequisite science courses, such as Microbiology, Physiology, Psychology, and Anatomy, followed by core nursing classes. These classes include Health Assessment, Fundamentals of Nursing, and Nursing Pharmacology. Next, students will take courses that provide an in-depth look at specialties, like Pediatric Nursing, Psychiatric, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Maternal and Infant Nursing.
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
The BSN program will give students the knowledge and training to become an RN by preparing students to become professionals in the field of nursing. You might not think that obtaining a BSN is necessary for the nursing field since the pay between an ADN and BSN may be the same but having a BSN may qualify you for administrative positions that an ADN wouldn’t. Getting your BSN is more of an investment than an ADN, both finically and timewise, but you increase your chances of a better return on your investment.
The main courses offered in the BSN program at FNU dive deeper into the fundamentals of nursing, which helps students qualify for more jobs in the healthcare industry. Courses required for the BSN program include nursing theories and concepts, research, health assessment, leadership and health promotion across the healthcare industry. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredits the BSN program and FNU awards a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion when a minimum of 120 credits has been met.
Master’s Degree in Nursing at FNU
Lastly, FNU offers a Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN). The MSN is a program designed to build on the knowledge you will learn with a BSN, and it is a degree that is most helpful if you aspire to pursue a career in upper management within the healthcare industry.
Through the MSN program, students will be able to choose from one of three concentrations:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Educator
- Nurse Leadership and Management
The core courses in the MSN program will focus on Nursing Theory and Nursing Research, Advanced Health Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacology. For a student to graduate from the MSN program, a total of 36 credits hours is required for graduation from all three concentrations. The MSN program at FNU is currently seeking accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
At Florida National University, We Are Here to Help!
At FNU, we offer many scholarship opportunities to our nursing students that include the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program. Our semesters of 16 weeks are divided into two 8-week terms. Our academic calendar allows our nursing students to finish their programs faster than traditional programs, which gets them into the workforce more quickly. We also offer many of our degrees online, and we also provide a combination of online courses or on-campus courses to accommodate your schedule. Our job placement staff is here to help both students and alumni get ready for the workforce by building partnerships with potential employers. They also work with local hospitals both in the private and public sectors, hosts job fairs, and workshops. They also offer help with interview prep, resumes, and job search assistance.
If you are considering becoming a nurse or have any questions about any of our nursing programs, you can contact an FNU advisor. To view a full list of FNU’s curriculum, you can check out our entire academic catalog here. A career in nursing is waiting for you today!
FNU Accreditation
BSN
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Florida National University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
MSN
The master’s degree program in nursing at Florida National University is pursuing initial accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org.) Applying for accreditation does not guarantee that accreditation will be granted.
