Information for Parents

As a parent you must be concerned about the career your son or daughter chooses. This information sheet will provide answers to frequently asked questions about nursing. For further information, contact us at nursing.school@lau.edu.lb or by calling +961-9-547254 ext. 2494. You can also check the B.S. in Nursing recruitment brochure.

What is the role of professional nurses in hospitals?

Some people think that the only thing nurses do is follow doctors’ orders. While carrying out a doctor’s treatment plan is important, nurses have independent responsibilities. Nurses and doctors work as colleagues in the health care team. In addition to being compassionate and caring, professional nurses assess, monitor and diagnose patient problems. Professional nurses provide care that helps assure patient recovery and prevent complications such as managing a patient’s pain, providing emotional support, administering medications, changing dressings, and teaching self-management skills. The courses for a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (B.S.N.) provide the broad base of medical and nursing knowledge needed to assume these responsibilities.

Do professional nurses work in settings other than hospitals?

There are many places other than hospitals where nurses work, such as private and government clinics, schools, universities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and pharmaceutical companies. In these settings the focus is on helping people stay healthy. For example, a nurse in a school may attend to an injury or an asthmatic attack, while a nurse at an NGO may conduct health-awareness campaigns and research.

Will my child be able to get a job after graduating with a B.S.N.?

Lebanon is experiencing a shortage of professional nurses, so your son or daughter will have no difficulty in finding a job after graduation. The shortage of nurses is global. A graduate of LAU’s B.S.N. program has many opportunities to work and earn excellent salaries in other parts of the world, such as the Middle East, Europe, and North America, with easier access to work permits and visas. In addition, there is a dire need for male nurses in the Middle East. This explains why almost one fourth of nursing students in Lebanon are males.

Is it true that nursing is sad and depressing?

Working with people who are very ill can bring sad moments for nurses. Yet, more often nurses help people recover from illness or they comfort dying patients and their families, which is satisfying and rewarding. Delivering a new baby to the world is also rewarding. Sad moments are thus tempered when the nurse’s support and care are appreciated by patients and families in difficult times. One should not forget that sad moments are inherent in every profession.

I’m concerned that my son or daughter would be viewed as subordinate to other health professions.

Some people may consider the nursing profession as subordinate. They may be referring to the skills that nurses learn, such as helping patients with their personal care — eating, toileting and dressing. It may seem repugnant to have to help others with these tasks. However, hospitals employ different levels of nurses such as nursing assistants and practical nurses who perform most of the personal care for patients. As a graduate of a B.S.N. program, your son or daughter will most likely supervise these assistants and practical nurses in performing patients’ personal care. Nurses find dignity in providing assistance to sick patients. Imagine if you were sick and in a hospital, unable to get out of bed to take a shower. Would you not appreciate the help and assistance the nursing staff provide? This assistance is not only for patient comfort but also promotes speedy recovery.

Nurses have to work night shifts. Doesn’t that create problems for them?

When patients are admitted to hospitals, they require care around the clock. Nurses’ vigilance in caring for patients day and night is essential for patient safety and recovery. For example, nurses working the night shift in intensive care units (when physicians are not available) will be the first to notice that a patient is having difficulty breathing or is having pain after surgery. Immediate action will be taken by night nurses to ease the breathing and lessen the pain. Working evenings and nights may be a strain for nurses with young children. However, this is inherent in the profession and the commitment to patient care. Remember that working nights is on a rotation basis, and a nurse may choose to work in sites that do not require night shifts, such as clinics, schools and operating rooms.

Are there opportunities for promotion for professional nurses?

Graduates with a B.S.N. degree are similar to any other university graduates with a bachelor’s degree — they have many opportunities for promotion and advancement. One of the most common promotions is to management positions, such as head nurse. Head nurses are experts and managers for clinical units (e.g., emergency room, medical-surgical unit, or ambulatory clinic) and are mentors of new graduate nurses. Nurses with a B.S.N. degree can pursue higher education such as a master’s degree in nursing or in another health field, as well as earn a Ph.D. degree. Higher education enables them to acquire a position such as director of nursing in a hospital or faculty member at a university.

Will I be proud of my son or daughter as a nurse?

Yes, of course! You will be very proud of your child’s work as a professional nurse. You will be even prouder when you need help or answers to your health problems and you find that your child is an expert in answering your questions and tending to your health needs.

Why should my son or daughter study nursing at LAU?

There are several reasons:

1. LAU offers an innovative curriculum based on new guidelines from America, which will enable the School of Nursing to get accreditation.
2. Nursing students will study alongside students in medicine, nutrition, pharmacy, and social work, which will reinforce their collegiality.
3. LAU is providing excellent nursing scholarships. Furthermore, the nursing students may qualify for additional financial aid based on need and grades.