Becoming a nurse requires licensure in a state of your choice. Every state in the United States contains a Board of Nursing (BON), which establishes standards for nursing care and awards nursing licenses in accordance with Nursing Practice Act (NPA) legislation.
At the national level, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) creates and administers the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which you must pass only after you have completed the academic requirements.
Understand that the designation of "registered nurse" is not a degree. Instead, it's a professional status that you receive after sitting for and passing the NCLEX-RN exam and meeting your particular state's criteria to become licensed as a registered nurse (RN).
Each state's board of nursing considers evidence that you as a candidate meet the state's qualifications. In addition to showing proficiency on the exam, the state might require proof of good moral character, sound physical and mental health, proficiency in English, or no felony convictions.
The prerequisite for sitting the NCLEX-RN exam, however, is indeed the achievement of an educational degree from an accredited college or university through its nursing school or program.
You also need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and complete state licensing requirements.
The criteria for becoming a nurse in the United States are determined by four types of institutions:
- the NCSBN
- state boards of nursing in each state
- accreditation agencies for nursing schools
- colleges and universities that offer nursing programs
What Academic Training Qualifies You To Become a Registered Nurse?
If you're interested in going to school to become a registered nurse, you have two to three options, depending upon the state you live in. To become a registered nurse (RN), you first need to earn an RN diploma, an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Candidates who apply to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam must have completed an RN diploma or certificate or graduated with either an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor's degree in nursing.
Each of these programs involves coursework plus clinical experiential learning. In addition to their courses, nursing students must complete clinical hours, which are faculty-monitored internship experiences that are part of the nursing school's curriculum.
Each state sets a required number of hours necessary before the graduate can qualify to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
Option 1: RN Diploma or Certificate
In some states, the minimum level of academic achievement to make you eligible to take the licensing exam to become a registered nurse is the Nursing Diploma. However, diploma program graduates receive just a diploma and not a college degree.
RN diploma programs are the original hospital-based training programs through which nurses were educated in the first half of the 20th century.
Today, some states still offer them through hospitals or vocational-technical schools, and completing one of these programs does entitle you to sit for the NCLEX licensing exam.
Option 2: Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)
A nursing associate degree is generally a two-year degree program that provides you with entry-level nursing skills.
You may find a school offering one of two types of associate nursing degrees:
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
- Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)
Prerequisites and nursing classes make up the ADN. Exact titles and requirements vary but each school must meet the requirements outlined by each state's board of nursing.
Prerequisites (i.e., pre-nursing courses) for an ADN program may include English, communication, psychology, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and statistics.
Nursing classes for the ADN program usually include:
- foundations in nursing
- nursing care of adults
- maternal and child nursing care
- behavioral health
- pharmacology
Option 3: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree
A Bachelor of Science degree is a full four-year college degree, which usually requires at least 120 credit hours.
However, depending upon your circumstances and previous college enrollment (such as whether you've earned an associate degree), you might be eligible for an accelerated or degree completion program such as an RN-to-BSN or LPN-to-BSN program.
These accelerated programs can reduce the number of credits you'll need, saving on both time and expense as you fast-track toward your BSN degree in as little as a year or two.
Most universities have several sets of courses that comprise a nursing degree program's curriculum.
These categories of courses may include (1) general education courses (a series of liberal arts courses representing the sciences and humanities), (2) the nursing program's required courses for the major, including clinical hours, and (3) in some cases, general "free" electives.
In the second category, the nursing school curriculum will typically require courses such as nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, anatomy, microbiology, research methods, leadership, ethics, community health, and gerontology.
Regarding your clinical experience, BSN requirements for clinical hours vary significantly between states, from 400 to 1,200 clock hours.
Accrediting Bodies That Oversee Nursing Education Standards in the United States
The particular school and program in which you enroll needs to be approved and accredited by your state's nursing board and by a leading U.S. accrediting body.
Accrediting bodies are third-party, non-commercial (not-for-profit) organizations that work with the nursing education leadership and the nursing industry to set professional standards and to ensure that nursing programs maintain those standards.
For example, they evaluate course content and faculty qualifications as well as ensure that each program includes a clinical or practicum component. They regularly assess student outcomes.
What Are the Accreditation Agencies for Nursing Schools and Programs?
The two primary nursing accreditation agencies in the United States are the:
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
The ACEN accredits programs at all levels, from nursing diplomas and other undergraduate programs to master's degrees and doctorates in nursing. The CCNE accredits bachelor's and graduate programs only.
Why Should I Avoid Unaccredited Nursing Programs?
Getting accreditation is a voluntary action on the part of a college or university, but non-accredited schools do not enjoy the credibility, status, or professional respect that accredited programs do.
If you graduate from a non-accredited program, you:
- may not qualify for federal financial aid or other scholarships or grants
- may not be able to be licensed as a nurse in some states
- may not qualify for employment since many public and private employers require their hires to have graduated from an accredited program
- may not be able to transfer your nursing credits to another nursing program or to qualify for admission to a graduate program
- may not be able to serve as a nurse in the U.S. Armed Forces
Prepare Yourself for a Nursing School Education
The best way to prepare yourself for nursing school is to maintain a high GPA in high school and in any post-secondary courses you take.
While GPA requirements vary by school, you're more likely to be accepted in your desired nursing program with a GPA of 2.5 or 2.75, if possible, especially in your STEM courses.
