Nursing is the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations. Nursing is a popular field of study in China.  As such, nursing education is offered at most of the major universities throughout the country, with programs leading to diplomas and certificates, as well as both undergraduate (bachelor) and graduate (master’s) level degrees. 

To qualify for admission into one of the many undergraduate nursing programs in China, students must, at minimum, possess a secondary school diploma and meet the university’s admission requirements, which may or may not entail an entrance examination of some kind.  Those students pursuing a Master of Science degree in Nursing must possess a baccalaureate degree in order to be considered for admission. Once admitted to the undergraduate nursing program, students are classified as nursing students and will be required to take approximately 240 credits over a four year span; credits that will cover both general education classes (mathematics, composition, science, social sciences, etc.) and nursing-specific coursework.

The setting where a nurse works determines the specific tasks assigned to him or her. Nurses working in medical-surgical hospitals care for sick and injured patients. They perform tasks such as giving medications, taking vital signs, including temperatures, pulse and blood pressure. They also administer medications, including intravenous medicines. A nurse is required to document care given and the patient’s response in the medical record. Those working in hospitals may specialize in specific areas of care, such as pediatric nursing, where they work primarily with children, gerontology, a field that focuses on older adults and psychiatry. Qualifications for working in the field include earning a degree or diploma and passing a state examination that leads to a license. The pathway to becoming a nurse can vary. A one-year program leading to a diploma helps one meet the qualifications to become an LPN. Those desiring to earn the RN credential can take one of three routes. There is the associate degree, which takes two years to complete at a junior college or community college. A diploma program is usually undertaken in a hospital that offers training. These programs are generally 2-3 years long. A bachelor’s degree is earned at a four-year college or university.

It is also possible to achieve education through an online nursing degree program. Earning an online nursing degree allows a candidate the convenience of working toward the credential at home, work or where ever he or she can access a computer. As with the other programs, the person who decides to study online will need to arrange for the clinical practicum. The clinical component is required in addition to courses such as English, biology, chemistry, nutrition, medical terminology, pharmacology and courses that focus specifically on the field.