Anyone who has spent any time in a healthcare facility understands how important nurses are. They assist doctors and are responsible for making sure that patients are comfortable.
To become a nurse, you'll need education and a nursing license. Keep reading to learn more about what's required to become a registered nurse.
What Is a Registered Nurse?
A registered nurse (RN) is the type of nurse most people think of when they think of nurses. These nurses are responsible for many different tasks that come with patient care.
While the job duties of a registered nurse can vary depending on the department they work in, they often include:
- assessing the conditions of patients
- assisting with diagnostic testing
- developing patient care plans
- educating patients and families about health and medical conditions
- monitoring patients' vital signs
- observing patients
- recording patient medical histories and symptoms
Registered nurses may specialize in working with a particular patient population or department.
Some of these specialists include:
- addiction nurses
- cardiovascular nurses
- critical care nurses
- genetics nurses
- neonatal nurses
- pediatric nurses
The majority of nurses work in hospitals, but many also work for clinics and other ambulatory healthcare services, nursing homes, and residential care facilities. Some work for government or educational programs.
As most medical facilities need to be staffed 24 hours a day, nurses can work a variety of shifts and don't often work a traditional nine-to-five schedule.
Educational Requirements for Registered Nurses
Registered nurses need to have an undergraduate degree in nursing. This can come in two forms: an associate degree in nursing or a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) degree.
Associate degrees usually take about two years to complete, while bachelor's degrees take four. However, there are some benefits to earning a bachelor's degree.
Nurses with bachelor's degrees are often more likely to be eligible for leadership roles and some employers may require a bachelor's degree.
Some students opt to earn their associate degree in nursing, so they can become licensed and begin working, then return to school and earn their bachelor's degree through an RN-to-BSN program.
Nursing programs usually begin with a mix of classroom instruction and lab work.
Courses cover topics such as:
- anatomy and physiology
- lifespan development
- medical ethics
- microbiology
At some point in your program, you will begin clinical experiences, in which you will be training in a medical setting. This gives you hands-on experience working as a nurse.
You can find a full list of accredited nursing programs through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (AACN) Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Graduate Degrees in Nursing
It's not typically required for registered nurses to hold a graduate-level degree, but there are two reasons why you may decide to earn a graduate degree in nursing.
The first is if you already hold a bachelor's degree in a different field, but want to switch to nursing. Many colleges offer master's-level nursing programs specifically for this reason.
The second is if you want to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). APRNs, also known as nurse practitioners, are able to perform many tasks that regular RNs cannot.
If neither of these applies to you, you generally don't need to worry about earning a graduate degree.
Other Requirements for Registered Nurses
Before you can work as a nurse, you'll need to obtain a license from your state. Requirements for licensure can vary depending on the state you're in.
All states require students to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
Other requirements for licensure may include:
- passing a background check
- a certain number of hours of clinical experience
- certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS), or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
If you want to work in a specific specialty, your state or employer may also require that you're certified by the professional association in that specialty.
National Council Licensure Examination
The National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX, is a standardized test that nurses must pass to earn their license.
Questions on the NCLEX fall into four categories. These are:
- safe and effective care environment
- health promotion and maintenance
- psychosocial integrity
- physiological integrity
Within those four categories, students are tested on six different concepts. These are:
- caring
- clinical judgment
- communication and documentation
- culture and spirituality
- nursing process
- teaching/learning
You'll take the exam on the computer at an approved testing location. The exam is adaptive, meaning your previous answers determine what the next questions will be.
If you don't pass, you'll receive a report that details what areas you did well on and what areas you need to study more. You can retest up to eight times a year.
If you do pass, you'll have fulfilled the majority of your requirements to earn your license and work as a registered nurse.
Become a Registered Nurse
To become a registered nurse, you'll need to earn an undergraduate degree in nursing. You'll also need to pass the NCLEX and obtain a nursing license from your state.
With the information above, you can start your journey toward becoming a registered nurse today.
