There are many ways to kill a cat. So to speak.
You’ve probably read my articles here on the different degrees to take to land you a career in nursing. Now we are down to one – the Diploma in Nursing.
This article will focus on the nature of the degree, the difference and similarities with other nursing degrees, and the salary that a nurse makes if schooled in Diploma in Nursing.
Just like the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), the Diploma in Nursing was developed in response to the scarcity of nurses during the World War II. Individuals who are interested to enter nursing are schooled for a year or two in the different nursing concepts and nursing procedures needed for patient care.
Unlike the Associate Degree in Nursing, which are being offered in community colleges, students take their classes, hands-on trainings or bedside trainings in a hospital or medical facility that offers the program.
The curriculum contains courses that will prepare the student to practice nursing not only the hospital but also in different settings like nursing homes, mental health institutions, community health clinics, and public health departments.
Here is a sample list of the courses being offered in the Diploma in Nursing:
- Medical and Surgical problems in Nursing
- Medical and Surgical Physiopathology
- Public Health
- Community Nursing
- Biostatistics and Applied Demography
- Community Infection Control
- Maternal and Children’s Nursing
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Fundamentals of Biochemistry and Biophysics
- Structure and Function of the Human Body
- Nutrition and Dietetics
- Clinical Pharmacology Applied to Nursing
- Management of Nursing Services
- Geriartric Nursing
- Applied Psychosocial Sciences
- Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
- Legislation and Professional Ethics
- Nursing the Critical Patient
- Social History of Nursing
- Caring for the Old in the Community
- Human Response Patterns: Movement
- Community Nutrition and Alimentation
- Human Embryology and Nursing
- Human Sexual Response and Alterations
- Nursing and Health at Work
- Community Development
- Nursing in School Health
- Nursing Theories and Models
- Documentary methods and Techniques in Scientific Work
- Nursing Documentation
- History of Nursing
- Health, Illness and Culture
- Accidents in Infancy
- Gerotopsychiatry Nursing Aid
- Physical Agents and Health Problems
- English Applied to Health Sciences: Oral and Written Comprehension in Health Sciences.
- Nursing Care in the Care of Physical Agents Diagnostics and Therapeutic Procedures
- Nursing Aid to Chronic Patients
- Special Nursing Care in Traumatology and Orthopaedics
- Common Acute Intoxications
- Hospital Infections
- Epidemic Outbreak Watch
- Physical Activity and Promotion of the Health
- Nursing Approaches to Mourning and Death
- Human Relations in Nursing
- Computer Science
Also included in the curriculum are the Practical Courses for the nursing courses. The practical courses are similar to the clinical courses in BSN wherein the student is allowed to be exposed in different clinical settings with real patients and clients.
After successfully meeting the needed requirements, graduates are qualified to take the NCLEX-RN exam and obtain the title Registered Nurse (RN) just as a student with a degree.
The courses in the curriculum are quite a handful but the program ensures that upon finishing the program, the nurse will be able to perform competently in providing care to patients. However, even the curriculum appears extensive, the present demand for nurses still leans toward those who finish the BSN or ADN programs.
Notwithstanding this factor, there are still schools for the Diploma in Nursing and more students opt to take this program instead of the BSN or ADN. One reason to look into is the financial burden that the student has to endure in paying for the tuition fees if she decides to take up the BSN program.
The Diploma in Nursing is shorter compared to the latter, thus it will only take less money to spend in order for the individual to find a career in nursing and work in an entry-level position.
When it comes to remuneration, entry-level nurses with a diploma degree usually receives $16-$20 per hour; whereas a BSN graduate earns $25-$30 per hour. This is one factor that will differentiate the degrees. Nonetheless, continuing education is possible if you decide to pursue for the BSN degree while working at the same time. There are many programs all over the state that offers this kind of professional transition.
The opportunities for a diploma in nursing graduate may be limited at first but this is not a hindrance to have a flourishing career in nursing. One must be able to promote personal and professional development in order to succeed in the job.
Once you have established yourself in the profession and with substantial trainings and education, the opportunities for you will get more lucrative.