Steps to Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN)

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Planning a Nursing Career

The news has been out for a while; there is a shortage of nurses. Actually, the shortage is in the number of qualified registered nurses who can fill the requirements for hospitals and clinics. Rapid changes in technology have made nursing a complex, highly sophisticated medical skill. Registered nurses must keep up with new treatments, procedures and diagnostic and life-saving equipment at an almost break-neck pace. Additionally, there is a heightened awareness in preventive care, with its accompanying advocacy in health care nurses, and a growing number of elderly as the largest single generation reaches old age.

The requisites for becoming a nurse are not rigid. You must have a high school diploma or its equivalent. You must maintain a grade average of C or better, but before you actually enter the nursing program, you will be tested on your degree of preparation. In order to begin actual college credited nursing courses, your preparatory background needs to include four years of English courses, three to four years of math, including algebra and geometry, three to four years of social study courses and two to four years of science. The recommended sciences are biology, chemistry, and computer sciences. Some schools also recommend two years of foreign language as part of your high school studies.

Choose Your School

There has never been a better time to become a RN. The demand is so great that many colleges have added extra departments to their facilities, and some have filled their capacity and have had to turn away new applicants. Filling the gap, there are now many accredited online nursing schools available. Make sure the school you choose is recognized by a reputable accrediting agency.

There are many grants and scholarships available for those who choose a nursing career. Visit the school you are thinking of entering. Talk with the guidance counselor of the school you have chosen to see what is available for you. If you are interested in a specialized field of nursing, make sure the school offers the courses you’ll need to take.

Determine Your Program

Becoming a registered nurse takes up to four years of formal study. While grants and scholarships could conceivably take you a long ways, especially if you’ve maintained a high grade average, you may still find it difficult to complete your education without entering the job market. Many registered nurses completed their requirements for licensure by first earning an associate’s degree and passing the exam for Licensed Practical Nurses. They were then able to compete their courses for RN licensing while working part-time in a clinical setting.

This hands-on approach to acquiring RN credentials has been the most common educational route until recent years, when the trend began changing to pursue a Bachelor of Science in nursing. The difference between the degree program and the diploma is that a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree concentrates on the academics of nursing, teaching the disciplines in research and nursing theory. Many specialized fields in nursing, such as school nurse or nurse educator, will require a bachelor’s degree or better. RN with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in nursing are also hired for administrative positions.

Upon completion of your program, prepare yourself to take the NCLEX-RN exam. It is mandatory in all states, as well as the territories of the United States and the District of Colombia to pass this examination before you can receive your RN licensure. The examination is designed to test the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary for the safe nursing practices of entry-level applicants.

Keep a positive attitude. You may find the field of nursing highly challenging, with enormous responsibilities and not a great deal of time you can call your own. Nursing is more than just a job, however. It’s a statement that you care about the wellbeing of others, understand their pain and the distress of their loved ones. If you remain positive and focus on your goal of contributing to the health care profession, you’ll make an excellent registered nurse.