Life-Long Learning Archives | Joyce /blog/tag/life-long-learning/ Thu, 13 Nov 2025 01:32:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.3 /wp-content/uploads/2022/01/favicon1.ico Life-Long Learning Archives | Joyce /blog/tag/life-long-learning/ 32 32 9 Facts 黑料网最新入口 Our RN to BSN Completion Program /blog/rn-to-bsn-program-facts/ Tue, 02 Apr 2024 16:08:06 +0000 /?p=20277 One of the many benefits of working as a nurse is that there is always an opportunity to grow and expand your career path. If you are a Registered Nurse (RN) with an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, you can further your education and work experience by earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in just over one year. 黑料网最新入口鈥檚 RN to BSN program offers the perfect way to grow your nursing knowledge, job prospects, and salary potential.

We designed our RN to BSN program with working nurses in mind 鈥 it鈥檚 online and flexible so you can balance school, home, and work. This program will build on your prior nursing education and practice with classes on nursing ethics, healthcare management, advanced nursing practice, and more.

Here are 10 reasons why you should earn your BSN at Joyce.

1. Our RN to BSN Program is Only 4 Semesters

Your time is valuable, so we designed an accelerated RN to BSN pathway that only takes four semesters, or just over one year, to complete. That makes this one of the fastest ways to grow your nursing career. Joyce鈥檚 online RN to BSN program is 120 credit hours, consisting of 51 credits and 45 practicum hours, adding to the 69 hours of transfer credit previously earned in your ASN program. We build on your prior education, so you can fast-track your nursing career growth.

2. Our RN to BSN Coursework is 100% Online

We created an online RN to BSN program that you can complete on your schedule and at your convenience. 黑料网最新入口 is staffed with seasoned nurse faculty, so we recognize what it takes to balance work, school, and family.

Our RN to BSN coursework is asynchronous, which means that you can complete weekly assignments when it鈥檚 convenient for you. Our online format also means that you have a digital library, virtual tutoring, student services support, and IT help at your fingertips. Students in this program are not required to travel to campus for any training, enabling qualified out-of-state students to complete the program in their location.

3. Our RN to BSN Program Focuses on Holistic Nursing Practice

You already know that nursing is about much more than administering medications. Our RN to BSN degree integrates practice standards set by the American Holistic Nurses Association that promotes a well-rounded, client-centered nursing philosophy.

For 黑料网最新入口, holistic nursing means that we consider the client as a whole person. Patients have social, cultural, and spiritual lives that extend beyond the walls of any healthcare facility. We teach communication, cultural sensitivity, evidence-based practice, client education, complementary therapies, and how to collaborate with the whole healthcare team, and we find that well-rounded nurses exceed expectations for bedside manner and client care.

4. Our RN to BSN Doesn鈥檛 Require a Traditional Pre-Licensure Clinical

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 no need to send qualified RNs through traditional supervised clinical rotations to obtain their BSN. At Joyce, we create the opportunity for RN to BSN students to dive into specialized work with hands-on practicum experience. BSN practicums are immersive ways for nursing students to bring theoretical knowledge into their nursing practices.

5. Every Project is Practical and Designed for Portfolio Development

We designed the Joyce RN to BSN degree to hone your nursing instincts at every step and build your portfolio for future job applications. Coursework at Joyce is practice-focused and offers real-world applications. You can be sure that everything you learn is relevant to your career. When applying for jobs at the end of your BSN program, you can look back on every project and tell an interviewer how it has strengthened your nursing and critical thinking skills.

6. You鈥檒l Learn From Seasoned Faculty with a Variety of Specialties

Just because our RN to BSN program is online doesn鈥檛 mean that you鈥檙e on your own. Joyce鈥檚 faculty members have all worked in the nursing profession, representing a wide variety of professional and educational experience. Our faculty makes themselves available to mentor students and empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. We also have faculty advisors available who can help you develop your career, network, and land the right job. At Joyce, we have your back.

7. The Curriculum is Founded on a High Standard of Excellence

On top of our institutional and programmatic accreditation, we structured the RN to BSN program to meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing鈥檚 The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education guidelines. These guidelines are designed as a framework that pushes nurses beyond the basics and into a higher realm of critical thinking and client care.

8. Our RN to BSN is Current to the Changing Healthcare Industry

Evidence-based practice is always shifting to reflect scientific developments. Because Joyce鈥檚 curriculum is designed for working nurses, we keep up to date on current nursing practice, including healthcare research and trends. In this way, we prepare our RN to BSN students to lead the nursing field and shape it in positive ways.

9. Our RN to BSN Has High Job Placement Rates

A Joyce BSN is a great move for your career, and most BSN nursing graduates who pass the NCLEX find employment within six months of graduating. A Joyce degree will challenge you to meet high standards of excellence and provide you with marketable skills designed to prepare you for the workforce. Our career services team is to assist you as you all along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions 黑料网最新入口 RN to BSN Programs

Where Will You Complete Your Practicum?

Practicums get students out of the virtual classroom and into the community. Clinical practice experiences take place in local-to-you healthcare facilities and may include interviews, observation, and research. During your practicum, you鈥檒l collaborate with preceptors and faculty mentors. This can open the door for future job placements and gives insight into nursing management.

What Is the RN to BSN Curriculum?

Our curriculum builds on your prior nursing education and will raise you to the next level of professionalism and expertise. RN to BSN courses focus on professional development, research, advanced nursing practice, ethics, collaboration across professions, nursing management, and more.

What Can BSN Nurses Do That ASN Nurses Can鈥檛?

Our RN to BSN program prepares students to fill advanced specialist roles after graduation, which ASN-prepared RNs rarely get the opportunity to do. BSN nurses typically have better job placement, more leadership opportunities, more career options, and increased earning potential. Because many healthcare facilities prefer to hire nurses with BSNs over an ASN, a Joyce BSN may open up your career prospects and your potential for a rewarding healthcare career.

Start Your RN to BSN Journey Today

黑料网最新入口鈥檚 RN to BSN completion program can fast-track your growth in a little over one year. We designed our flexible, online format to give you control over your career, and our focus on projects with real-world applications will prepare you for nursing excellence.

Ready to get started? Talk to an admissions advisor today.

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How to Choose an Occupational Therapy Assistant School /blog/ota-schools-things-to-consider/ Tue, 02 Apr 2024 15:50:29 +0000 /?p=20812 Note: As of 2024, 黑料网最新入口 no longer offers the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. You can still start your healthcare journey as an RN through our 20-month ASN program.听

If you’re looking into Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) school, you鈥檙e starting down a meaningful and lucrative career pat. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a in OTA job opportunities over the next decade, meaning that an OTA career will be stable and offer a great salary right out of school.

Before you start your journey, it’s important to choose a school that will be a good fit for you and set you up for long-term success. Here鈥檚 how to choose the best OTA school for you.

What is OTA school?

OTA school is how you become an OTA. A good OTA program will include courses and lectures, hands-on learning, fieldwork, and exam prep. All these learning formats work together to prepare you to be a competent, successful OTA.

9 Considerations for Choosing an OTA School

1. Accredited OTA Programs

It鈥檚 important to attend an accredited OTA program. Accreditation means that a respected outside organization has thoroughly vetted a school or program and found that its curriculum, faculty, programs, and services are up to standards. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education () is an organization that reviews OT schools and programs to make sure that they鈥檙e preparing students for OT careers. There are also accredited online OTA programs, so you can be sure of a quality OT education both in person and remotely.

黑料网最新入口鈥檚 OTA program is ACOTE accredited, and we have institutional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). At the time of this publication, 黑料网最新入口 is one of only six schools approved to offer an OTA program through distance education, enabling students from select states to prepare for NBCOT licensure in just 20 months.

2. OTA Program Length

OTA school generally takes two years to complete but some programs are faster, and some let you go at your own pace. At Joyce, you can finish your OTA program and qualify as an OTA in just 20 months.

Compare OTA program lengths and choose a school that works with your lifestyle and plans. Some students want to stay in school for longer and take their time, and some prefer to move quickly through OT school and hit the ground running with a career. Either way, be clear on your own plans and learning style to choose an OTA program that you鈥檒l thrive in. Students looking for a fast-track program thrive at Joyce.

3. OTA School Cost

When you鈥檙e considering OTA school cost, remember to factor in:

  • Tuition
  • Books and materials
  • Fees
  • Cost of living and/or relocation
  • Licensure and certification costs
  • Financial aid

According to , the average cost of OTA school (including tuition and fees) as of 2023 is $38,545, which means that the average cost of OTA school per semester is around $9,600. Investing in your future with OTA schooling can feel intimidating, but it comes with a great return. The BLS that in 2022, the median annual wage for OTAs is $64,250, with top earners making an average of $85,580 per year.

You can also defray the cost with financial aid. Most OTA schools will have a financial aid office and resources to help you pay for school.

As of 2023, 黑料网最新入口鈥檚 OTA program costs $44,175. Our financial aid office is here to help you find scholarships, grants, loans, work study opportunities, and (if applicable) veterans benefits to help you pay for your OTA training.

4. OTA School Requirements

Many OTA schools have prerequisites, which can include physiology labs, general education classes, and medical terminology courses. Make sure you check the OTA school requirements for every program you consider.

Joyce鈥檚 OTA program has no college-level prerequisites. To enroll, students must have proof of high school graduation or its equivalent, pass a college readiness exam, and meet our general admissions requirements.

5. OTA Program Format

In the digital age you have access to different types of OTA schools, including traditional in-person classes and online OTA programs. Keep in mind that this career requires hands-on learning, so OTA online programs generally include in-person aspects like labs, clinical experiences, and fieldwork.

At 黑料网最新入口, you can do accredited OTA classes online and you don鈥檛 even need to live near our Draper, Utah campus. Distance learners from several states take advantage of our flexible, convenient OTA program. Joyce鈥檚 didactic courses are held mostly online, and out of state students travel to our campus for short periods to participate in labs. You can read more about our residency requirements and resources for distance learners here.

6. NBCOT Test Preparation

Your OTA program should set you up for success when it comes time to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy () test to earn your OTA certification. Look for schools and programs with a high NBCOT pass rate and courses dedicated to test prep.

We鈥檙e proud of Joyce鈥檚 98% NBCOT pass rate. Your final semester in Joyce鈥檚 OTA program will include a dedicated review course, which is a big way that we support students in successfully becoming certified OTAs.

7. OTA Program Curriculum

Accredited OTA programs will all cover the same OT basics, but the specific curricula will differ. Some will include general education courses, and some may have varying emphases, like pediatric or geriatric care. If you have a specialty in mind or know where you want to work, make sure to apply to OTA schools that cover your area of interest.

Joyce has a comprehensive OTA curriculum that covers the lifespan from pediatrics through adult and geriatric populations. You鈥檒l learn both knowledge and hands-on skills from didactic courses, labs, simulations, and fieldwork. Take a closer look at Joyce’s OTA curriculum here.

OTA school is designed to be challenging. Look for schools with supportive faculty and student resources to help you succeed. Joyce鈥檚 student portal gives insight into how your OTA student experience would be here. It has links to student services like IT support, tutoring programs, and additional resources for student success.

8. Faculty Experience

Professors and faculty will shape much of your day-to-day experience at OTA school. Connecting with a faculty mentor can give you someone to turn to during school鈥檚 challenges and later, when you鈥檙e facing questions during your OTA career.

Look into each prospective school鈥檚 faculty. You鈥檒l want to learn from highly-qualified professionals with lots of teaching experience. At Joyce, we hire experienced, doctorate-prepared faculty.

9. Job Placement Support

The result of any good OT school is job placement as an OTA. Your education and licensure will qualify you for work and are important parts of this process, but your OTA program should also support you in finding a good job.

When you鈥檙e researching OTA programs, look for schools with career services offices. These will support your long-term success with jobs that are a great fit for you.

All 黑料网最新入口 students and graduates can access our career services for support. Career services tracks student job placement by program, showing that 76.9% of OTA graduates were employed.

罢丑别谤别鈥檚 a lot to consider when you鈥檙e choosing the right OT school. Remember, you are entering this field as an OTA to make a difference in your clients鈥 everyday lives. Take the next step in your OTA education by exploring a variety of programs to find the one that best fits your schedule and cultivates career opportunities.

Explore All Healthcare Education Options at 黑料网最新入口

From our renowned OTA program to our nursing pathways鈥攚hether you’re beginning your healthcare journey with our ASN program, pursuing a 3 year BSN degree or accelerated BSN program, advancing through our RN to BSN program, or reaching higher with an MSN degree, discover which healthcare pathway aligns with your career goals by exploring our nursing programs.

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4 Tips for Navigating Change as a Healthcare Professional /blog/what-is-change-management-in-healthcare/ Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:45:42 +0000 /?p=20749 Change is inevitable. We see it nearly everyday in healthcare. As the population ages and technology advances, the healthcare workforce must adapt in order to better serve the general population. As such, at Joyce we are in a constant state of change in order to best prepare our students to be competent and confident healthcare professionals. If 鈥渢raining the next great generation of healthcare professionals鈥 is truly our goal, our efforts must evolve with the changes that are occurring in workplace.

Are you considering a major change in your life? Perhaps you鈥檝e started down a new path and are experiencing the discomfort that is inevitable with learning and growing. Navigating change聽is tough, but here are 4 helpful tips to help you thrive during times of change.

1. Address your feelings.

If you鈥檙e uncomfortable with change, successfully navigating change starts with figuring out what your worries and fears are. Often it鈥檚 a matter of a perceived lack of control 鈥 even if the change is self-directed. Take the time to understand what鈥檚 driving your fear. Write down your feelings. This will take work, but it鈥檚 worth it!

2. Communicate with others.

At Joyce, we encourage Joyce pride. To us, Joyce pride is about selflessly giving of one鈥檚 time to help someone else achieve whatever goal they鈥檙e trying to accomplish. It鈥檚 a way for our students to understand we鈥檙e all in this together. An essential component of Joyce pride is the willingness to openly communicate your feelings or goals with those around you. Fear of change is due in part to the fear of the unknown. Communicate with others. It is likely that someone around you has gone through similar circumstances and can impart some wisdom.

3. Be fluid.

Flexibility is often touted as the strongest weapon in your arsenal for navigating change. While powerful, flexibility implies being firmly rooted and simply bending and flexing based on changing circumstances. As professionals who have spent decades in patient care, we understand fluidity is king! To be fluid means to go with the flow of circumstances. It鈥檚 the ability to adjust and adapt during change. A person who is fluid can transform and think in new ways. Flexibility will help you get by, but those who are fluid with thrive!

4. Take time for healthy habits.

It鈥檚 seems clich茅, but it鈥檚 impossible to overstate. Creating healthy habits is one of the most important parts of successfully navigating change. Stress increases during times of change. Exercise, eat healthy, sleep well, and be open with your emotions. All other steps are less relevant if change is not managed along with a steady dose healthy habits.

Change encourages growth. It pushes us past our comfort zones and makes us stronger as a result. When change occurs, remember these tips and thrive!

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3 Learnings From Florence Nightingale Every Nurse Should Take to Heart /blog/florence-nightingale-on-nursing/ Mon, 25 Apr 2022 23:03:11 +0000 /?p=20363 滨蹿听you鈥檙e a nurse, then you鈥檙e the beneficiary of a long legacy of care. The most prominent figure of that legacy is Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. Medical science has advanced since Nightingale鈥檚 day, but many of the values, ideas, and teachings she advocated for are still applicable today. These are a few lessons from the life of Florence Nightingale we still take to heart at 黑料网最新入口 well over a century later. Just as Nightingale passed them on to generations of nurses, we endeavor to pass them on to our students.

Related resource:聽10 Famous Nurses in History That Revolutionized Healthcare

1. She Answered a Call

Florence Nightingale wasn鈥檛 supposed to be a nurse. When she grew up in the first half of the 1800s, women of her class and station were supposed to marry well and not pursue careers of their own. Had Nightingale鈥檚 family had their way, she would have led an easier, more comfortable life of wealth and security. Nightingale, however, resisted these conventions and eventually became a nurse in the Crimean War of 1853-56. She saw war, human suffering, and hardship up close 鈥 and then did something about it.

For many nurses, nursing is more than just a job. It鈥檚 a vocation. It鈥檚 something you鈥檙e called to. Nurses choose a life of long shifts, hard problems, and human vulnerability. But they do it anyway. Plenty of students pass through our doors with the drive to do something that鈥檚 meaningful, difficult, and satisfying. Nightingale understood that when she chose to go to Crimea, and we continue to carry on her drive today.

2. She Emphasized Patient Well-Being

One of Nightingale鈥檚 most important innovations was her emphasis on hospital cleanliness and sanitation. Her famous聽鈥,鈥澛爁irst published in 1859, devotes several sections to cleanliness and patient environment. When she first began her career, many hospitals were filthy. Patients were often stuffed in cramped quarters, served inferior food, and left to suffer. Nightingale insisted on bringing light and fresh air into what had been a dank quagmire, improving patients鈥 quality of life as they recovered.

That emphasis on the whole person and their environment continues to inform the work we do at Joyce. Wellness and well-being is still a main focus of holistic nursing, something we emphasize. Narrowly treating a single symptom or focusing on one issue is never enough. You also have to make sure the person is well in a broad sense.

Related resource:聽What Is Holistic Problem Solving?

3. She Charted, Documented, and Got the Right Data

Nightingale鈥檚 not just famous for her approach to hospital environments. She also documented the rate and spread of disease in the Crimean War, and created clear, easy-to-read charts that resemble modern graphs. It鈥檚 totally sensible to call聽, and nurses today still have a commitment to documentation and data just like Nightingale did. While modern nurses might not spend their shifts charting the ravages of war or epidemics, Nightingale did emphasize the importance of collecting and keeping good data. Ask any nurse what they do all day, and they鈥檒l probably mention charting. Nightingale, like the rest of us, did plenty of that. We carry on her legacy every time we record a data point.

Nightingale鈥檚 influence reaches further than just graphs and charts, though. Her real power was inspiring legions of other nurses to provide care to their patients in a comprehensive manner. Today, at 黑料网最新入口, our belief in holistic nursing is informed by Nightingale鈥檚 commitment to make a patient鈥檚 environment as clean, functional, and humane as possible. She didn鈥檛 just treat diagnoses, she treated people. She approached her patients with empathy and humanity, and gave them hope. It鈥檚 our mission to ensure that our graduates do that as well, each and every shift.

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When is the Right Time to Go Back to School? /blog/when-to-return-to-school/ Fri, 22 Apr 2022 23:32:37 +0000 /?p=20371 If you鈥檝e asked yourself when would be the right time to go back to school, you鈥檙e probably wondering: Is now the right time?

Whether you鈥檙e considering nursing school or any other program, going back to school is a big, often daunting decision. Many factors come into play, and the answer can be different for almost everyone. Before you decide when to go, you need decide why 鈥 why you want to go back to school, and why a healthcare program would benefit your life, career, and family.

Firmly answering why is the first step in your journey. It鈥檚 the reason you鈥檒l return to often, as the demands of school, studying, and life increase. Are you going back for a better life? Do you want more career opportunities? Have you always wanted to be a helper, a life saver, a nurse? Once you know why it鈥檚 important to go back to school, you can think about what school will require and whether or not you can make the commitment. Answering these questions will reveal when, for you, it鈥檚 the right time to go back to school.

Can you can manage the stress and expectations?

While exciting, going back to school is stressful, and it can dredge up a level of anxiety you haven鈥檛 experienced since taking your SATs in high school. People manage different levels of stress better at different points in life. An 18-year-old will have different priorities than a 28-year-old, for instance.

Knowing you can manage the pressures of school will indicate when you鈥檙e ready to go back. Reaching this place of mental preparedness will vary person to person. On the one hand, recent high school graduates often have fewer responsibilities and family commitments, but older students will have more life experience balancing the demands of school and life.

Wherever you are in life, be honest with yourself on how much time you actually have to give. Write down everything you do every day for a few weeks. This will help you organize your schedule and give you a feeling for how much time you have for class and studying. It can also reveal the support you鈥檒l need, and which parts of your life you may need to give up.

Do you have the motivation to finish?

Research conducted found that only 33.7 percent of non-first-time college students who enrolled in higher education finished their degree (versus 54.1 percent for first-time students). The number is even more staggering when you look at the total: 2,535,946 adults who re-matriculated from 2005 to 2008 did not finish their education.

While these figures are startling, it鈥檚 important to know what you鈥檙e in for when you go back to school. College isn鈥檛 easy; yet, if you have the drive and motivation to finish, the reward of completing your goal is huge. By going back to school and graduating, you鈥檒l have accomplished something rare and valuable 鈥 for yourself, and for your career.

Learn 黑料网最新入口 Our Programs:聽ASN,听BSN,听aBSN,听RN to BSN听&补尘辫;听MSN

Will you have the support you need?

This one is simple, and sometimes doesn鈥檛 require more than the words, 鈥淲e believe in you.鈥 Knowing that your spouse, family, employer, and friends support your decision can be just the push you need to take the plunge and be successful the second time around. This is especially true when you may need to rely on others during finals and clinical rotations. Having a supervisor who allows you to trade shifts, or a spouse who鈥檚 willing to cook every night for a week can clarify when you鈥檙e ready to go back to school.

Have you done your research and set goals?

School requires a lot of resources, financially and otherwise, to complete. If you don鈥檛 know what to expect and what you want out of your experience, there鈥檚 a good chance you won鈥檛 finish. Even before you apply to nursing school or a medical assisting program in Utah, you should volunteer, talk to people in the field, visit the campus, and read every piece of information you can find.

Know your goals ahead of time, and prepare for all of the costs. Giving serious thought to what you want and will help guide your decision. If you want to be a nurse, you have several options to get you there, such as an accelerated nursing program. There are many ways to become a licensed RN in Utah, but some require more time and money than you may be able to give.

At Joyce, we鈥檙e here to help and will make sure you have all the information you need to start your career in聽nursing off right.

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