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New Hampshire RN Certification and Schools - NH
By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: February 16th, 2010
Registered Nurse Education in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, RN schools offering programs that lead to the Registered Nurse certification are regulated by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing. If a specific school in New Hampshire is not listed on the Board’s website, do not attend. Registered Nursing programs are found at community colleges, 4-year colleges and universities and vocational schools.
Admission requirements for an RN program will vary from one school to the next. Few schools will allow individuals with no prior nursing experience to enter an RN program, but they are out there. Many schools in New Hampshire require LPN status, which involves graduating from an LPN nursing program. LPN nursing programs may require nursing assistant/medical assistant/phlebotomy certification as part of their admission requirements.
While coursework among degree programs will vary, all nursing programs require a criminal background check, medical insurance, CPR certification and proof of immunizations. A required entrance examination called the National League of Nursing Pre-Admission Examination or NLN PAX is required. The examination tests verbal skills, reading comprehension, mathematics, and science. The NLN Pax is standard for entry into nursing programs in New Hampshire. Letters of recommendation, GPA scores and minimum coursework may also be required.
Nursing programs are highly competitive. LPN programs typically take about two-three years to complete and an additional two years for the RN program. Nursing programs that do not require LPN licensure, will take longer than programs that do. Registered nursing programs are distinguished from LPN programs by advanced practice content, advanced anatomy and physiology, advanced mathematics and hours in advanced clinical practice. There are ample opportunities for registered nurses to specialize in health areas, such as psychiatry, oncology, neonatology, etc. Registered nurses are also eligible for entry into Bachelors of nursing programs. Nursing Bachelors programs are require about 120 credit hours. Students with previous college credit from an accredited school may be able to count those courses toward their degree.
Through campus or online programs, aspiring Registered Nurses in Manchester, Nashua, East Concord, Concord and Derry Village, New Hampshire may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Concord Hospital, Wentworth Douglas Hospital, Catholic Medical Center and Cheshire Medical Center.