How do I prepare to enter a career as a professional health worker?
National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses
The Mission of the National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses is to foster high standards of nursing care and promote continued competence through education/certification and lifelong learning, with a focus on public protection. The National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses is committed to: Quality and professionalism in the delivery of nursing care working with other organizations and groups in a cooperative progressive spirit to build strong professional and public relationships. The National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses aspires to be the professional organization of choice. Dedicated to quality driven decisions that elevate the profession of practical/vocational nursing.
“The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the only full-service professional organization representing the nation's 2.9 million registered nurses (RNs) through its 54 constituent member associations. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.”.” – From “About ANA” page
North Carolina Association of Nursing Student
Since 1958, the North Carolina Association of Nursing Students (NCANS) has served as the statewide professionalizing vehicle of North Carolina nursing students. Conceived as a student branch of the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA), NCANS has historically worked with and continues currently to work with NCNA to aid nursing students in making the important transition from students to licensed nurses.
A service of the National Library of Medicine, this resource offers an index to more than 15 million citations from Medline for biomedical articles, including many nursing journals, dating back to the 1950s. It also links to the full text of some articles and nongovernmental Web resources.
The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing (OJIN)
OJIN is a free, peer-reviewed, international journal addressing topics affecting nursing practice, research, education and the wider health care sector. “OJIN presents timely information required by nurses and other health care professionals to provide current and informed patient care, to be socially responsive health care professionals, and to meet professional development needs.” – From “About OJIN” page
This webpage is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus gives easy access to medical journal articles as well as extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and the latest health news.
Available from the Erwin Library (so you'll need your library barcode), Ferguson's Career Guidance Center is a great place to begin planning for a career! You can:
Ferguson's Career Guidance Center
Published by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) can help you find career information on:
for hundreds of occupations.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Homepage
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Nursing Assistants and Orderlies
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Statistics: Registered Nurses
Becoming familiar with current, reputable and authoritative websites providing patient information on symptoms, drugs, medical tests and therapies is crucial to developing communication skills for the medical care professional and his or her patients. Three of these sites are often consulted more than others:
"The Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. Because physicians, scientists and other medical experts dedicate a portion of their clinical time to this site, we are in the unique position to give you access to the knowledge and experience of Mayo Clinic.” A Symptom Checker is provided to help you identify important information to share with your physician.
“MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health’s Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free … learn about the latest treatments, look up information on a drug or supplement, find out the meanings of words, or view medical videos or illustrations. You can also get links to the latest medical research on your topic or find out about clinical trials on a disease or condition.” You can easily look up Symptoms to help you identify important information to share with your physician.
“WebMD provides valuable health information, tools for managing your health, and support to those who seek information. You can trust that our content is timely and credible. The WebMD Medical Team works closely with a team of over 100 nationwide doctors and health experts across a broad range of specialty areas to ensure WebMD’s content is up to date, accurate, and helps you live a healthier life. ” A Symptom Checker is provided to help you identify important information to share with your physician.