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Careers for Homeschoolers: Nursing

College Prep HS Math/Science Homeschool Career

Friday, 13 December 2024

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Do you have a child who wants to be a nurse one day? Maybe you have a child who has a real heart for helping others in need and isn't too squeamish. What homeschool courses might help your student best prepare for a career in the nursing field?

Nurses are in high demand. With the population growing older, there are fewer nurses and the need is rising. There are a huge variety of careers within nursing, not just hospital care. The job can be physically taxing, with long hours spent on your feet, but many places will work with your schedule and your needs. Sometimes the work is long and hard for a season, then you can slow down again. It is an extremely flexible career that easily adapts for parents with young children and a great field for missionaries, and a great "foot in the door" as a skill that can benefit any country.

Nursing requires a lot of math and science. Unlike some careers, algebra is a daily use skill when working as a nurse. When calculating medication and IV fluids, one small math mistake could cause a serious medication error, or overdose. As with any medical or science field, it is helpful to keep to the standard science courses of biology, chemistry, and physics and include upper mathematics like Algebra II and pre-calculus.

Overall, the more biology, chemistry, and physics the better! For most colleges, general biology and chemistry are the minimum requirements for admission, and physics is sometimes required as well. Passing an AP test in one or all subjects will help significantly and act as a standardized bar your student can work toward.

I used Apologia's Advanced Biology when I was in my junior year of high school, and let me tell you, it was certainly advanced. I would highly recommend this text for any student going into the medical field, as well as any student who is fascinated by the human body and all its workings. It does a deep dive of every single organ, function, and pathway in the body, leaving the student with a very comprehensive understanding of human anatomy and physiology.

You also cannot skimp on math in this field. The more math the better. Pre-Calculus is good and often a minimum requirement but having Calculus before graduation is even better. I recommend a Teaching Company Course called Calculus Made Clear with a running time of about 12 hours. Lee's children loved it so much they watched it repeatedly. If your child is ahead in math, consider a good Statistics course, or use the Teaching Company Course called Statistics Made Clear, also about 12 hours total, as a math supplement or elective.

Take physical education seriously. Nursing is a physical job, and some strength and fitness is required. There are some specific PE subjects that can help prospective nurses. All these things can be taught within your normal physical education courses. These topics include:

Nutrition: I would suggest the Teaching Company Course called Nutrition Made Clear. I have heard great things about this course. The total running time is about 18 hours, so it is not enough for a credit, but an excellent supplement.

First Aid: Take a day-long first aid class or first-responder course through your local fire department or Red Cross.

General Health: I'd recommend the Total Health textbook. This book counts for one whole Health elective credit and presents a moral basis for a healthy lifestyle based upon scriptural principles. Teaches food choices, exercise, diseases, stress, emergencies, responsibility, and more.

Sleep hygiene: The importance of sleep is remarkably important for all college students, but particularly for nurses who will eventually work odd hours and crazy shifts. At some point your student could do a research project on sleep, including practicing healthy habits or correcting bad ones.

Teens who are interested in medical careers can search for volunteer opportunities to research careers. Many hospitals are hungry for eager volunteers, often called Candy Stripers. While providing a service to the community, young people are also learning skills critical for medical fields. They learn about the daily sights and smells, so they are not shocked by their first day of nursing practicum. They learn basic skills, like bed-making, caring for ill people, critical for determining a career in caregiving, and the wide range of careers available in the medical field, so they can know which specific medical field is right for them.

Be sure to find work or a volunteer position in a nursing environment somehow. Anything from volunteering at a hospital to doing summer camps for kids with medical interests. This experience and the volunteer hours they wrack up can be included in their homeschool transcript too!