Classes You Need To Take To Become A Nurse

Two How To Become Every Type Of Nurse

The first step in becoming a nurse is nursing school. But its not that simple. You need to choose a program figure out what prerequisites and other requirements you need for that program, figure out how to pay for school, and oh so much more.

When it comes to nursing school, there are a LOT of options available, but which is right for you will depend on your overall career goals, your financial situation, and a number of other factors. Here are the different nursing programs available.

Family Nurse Practitioner Overview

The Family Nurse Practitioner program educates advanced practice nurses to practice primary care.

This includes: health promotion, health maintenance, disease prevention and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illness, in a variety of settings throughout the patients lifecycle.

The program is designed for professional nurses who hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a M.S. in Nursing

Basic And Advanced Math

Future nurses should take three or four years of high school math, including geometry and first- and second-year algebra. Math classes are important classes to take in high school for nursing careers, because nurses must be able to compute the correct dosage of medications. Math proficiency will help you score well on college and nursing school admissions exams, too.

Read Also: Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Accelerated Program

So How Long Does It Take To Become An Rn

The answer to this question is: It varies. The factor that will impact your timeline the most will be which degree you choose to pursue. Depending on the specific nursing program that you enroll in, it could take anywhere from 16 months to four years to become a registered nurse.

I chose to earn my BSN, which takes four years, says ChiChi Akanegbu, who completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Regis College as a part of the Class of 2020. After that, I needed to take my board exams, which added a bit of time.

Meet Additional Requirements Such As Advancing Your Education

Educational requirements are subject to the state of employment. Due to this, it is common for state requirements to vary greatly. Furthermore, it is very common for school nurses to possess a Masters in Science of Nursing or a Masters in Education.

A few examples of school nurse pre-employment requirements include:

• Arizona: School nurses must obtain a school nurse certificate issued by the Arizona Department of Education
• California: Must possess a current credential in school nursing, which requires 26 credits beyond the bachelors degree in nursing
• New Mexico: School nurses must possess an RN license and a bachelors degree, whereas a school nurse supervisor must also possess a masters degree.

States that require a credential in school nursing often take the certification examination during an MSN program.

Individuals interested in school nursing in the aforementioned states should fully investigate the requirements to become a professional school nurse. Those interested in a supervisory role are generally required to have an MSN and Certification in School Nursing.

Also Check: Ways To Become A Nurse Practitioner

Requirements For Traveling Nurse

If youre ready to become a traveling nurse, you should be aware of some of the travel nurse requirements. For starters, youll need to at least be a registered nurse with some hospital experience. Many hospitals prefer nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, like the one offered at Gwynedd Mercy University. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you could earn an Accelerated Bachelor’s in Nursing degree, which is an accelerated degree for individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field. Once you earn your bachelor’s degree, you can go on to earn a graduate degree in nursing.

In addition, youll need to make sure you are certified to practice in the state where your assignment is. If your home state is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact Pennsylvania is not you are eligible for one multi-state license. However, because the NCLEX is a nationally recognized licensure examination, obtaining a license in another state should not be too difficult. Plus, your staffing agency will be able to provide some assistance. Rest assured that the licensing requirements for traveling nurse certification will not delay your new career as a travel nurse!

What Do Nurses Do

The question, What does a nurse do? is more complex than it might seem. A question that might be more helpful is, What does an RN do? More helpful information may surface if you specify the type of nursing youre interested in. Here are some responsibilities that are important across many different nursing specialties:

• Assess the condition of their patients
• Record patients medical data and relevant behavior
• Work and communicate efficiently with other members of the healthcare team
• Effectively use and maintain medical equipment
• Assist in forming a treatment plan
• Assess patient and families teaching needs, develop an individualized teaching plan and provide relevant teaching
• Advise families on the condition of the patient and post-hospital care

For more in-depth information on what nurses do, check our page dedicated to the topic.

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Travel Nurse Job Description

The travel nurse job description includes caring for patients using diagnoses, evaluations, and assessments, much like standard nurses. You may be required to visit patients in their home if they are not mobile. As a travel nurse, youll find yourself caring for patients as part of the team of permanent staff, despite your temporary role. In fact, when your contract ends, many of your co-workers might be surprised to learn you werent a permanent employee!

Core duties of a travel nurse also include:

• Educate patients and their families about conditions/treatments
• Tend to injured or sick patients
• Perform tests and analyze test results
• Administer medication
• Follow up with patients after treatment

Can You Become A Nurse Practitioner Online

The field of nursing is vast, with many opportunities to learn and grow. In addition to the foundational nursing knowledge and skills, there is always new research, methods, and policies that keep nurses learning constantly. Furthermore, there are advanced nursing positions such as that of a Nurse Practitioner where nurses have the opportunity to care for patients on a higher level and make a greater impact. With those advanced positions, comes a need for a higher level of education.

Many registered nurses are looking to take that next step in their careers, but might be concerned about the time commitment of graduate degree program. Fortunately, for prospective Nurse Practitioners or Advanced Practice Registered Nurses , there are online options that make earning a masters degree both feasible and flexible.

You read that right. Becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, or more specifically a Nurse Practitioner, does not require you to go to class in-person or balance your career with on-campus commitments. You can become a Nurse Practitioner online, through a flexible masters degree program.

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Basic Nurse Practitioner Job Functions

After receiving your certification, you are eligible to begin your nurse practitioner career. This means you will be able to do the following either autonomously or in collaboration with healthcare professionals:

• Assess and provide treatment for chronic conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure
• Assess and treat acute illnesses and injuries
• Request diagnostic tests, like lab work and x-rays, and have the knowledge to interpret such tests
• Prescribe medications
• Provide patients with a healthy management plan, including education about disease prevention and healthy lifestyle options
• Offer counseling

Being an NP is fast-paced work. The majority of NPs see 3 or more patients per hour. In addition, they write an average of 21 prescriptions per day.

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Complete An Accredited Nursing Program

As a first step, youâll typically want to enroll in a program where youâll learn the basic fundamentals of nursing. In these programs, youâll learn subjects like chemistry, psychology, and anatomy and physiology, as well as courses that teach wound care and other applied learning. There are several education pathways to choose from.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing : An accredited bachelor’s degree is the most common degree and the traditional path to becoming a nurse. Typically offered by colleges and universities, these programs take up to four years to complete*.

• Associate Degree in Nursing : You may opt for an associate degree, typically offered by technical or community colleges, which takes about two or three years to complete.

• Diploma program: ââLess common than BSNs and ADNs, diploma programs tend to be offered by hospitals. Like an ADN, these may also take two or three years to complete.

*If you already completed a non-nursing bachelorâs degree, you may want to look into accelerated nursing programs that can be completed in 16 to 24 months.

Read more: Your Guide to Nursing Degrees and Certifications

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Enroll In Nursing School

Once youve decided which degree path youd like to pursue, its time to find a nursing school that aligns with your goals and enroll in a nursing program. Weve covered how to get into nursing school before, but heres a brief summary.

After graduating high school, youll need to research different nursing programs and then complete an applicationtypically requiring you to round up some letters of recommendation, write the requisite essays and more. Youll also likely need to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills exam and prepare for your entrance interview.

It may sound like a lot is required of you right from the get-go, but when you break each step down and tackle it one piece at a time, youll start to see your path toward nursing success take shape. The time and effort put into each phase of your process are important factors that can help you get into the school youve set your sights on.

Different Nursing Degree Types

Definition: An LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse, provides basic care to patients. Duties: Considered an entry-level nursing position, LPNs perform essential tasks including,

• Administering medication
• Taking and recording vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse, or temperature
• Assisting patients with eating, dressing, and hygiene

LPNs also help other staff members, including Registered Nurses and Physicians, by entering information into patient records and relaying information between patients and their families and the medical team. How to Become: To become an LPN, you need to complete an accredited LPN certificate program. These are generally offered at community colleges and take approximately one year to complete.

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Healing Hands For A Hurting World

If you want to help people in a medical setting, you might look into becoming a registered nurse. The Associate in Applied Science degree in Nursing offers a curriculum that leads to positions that provide health care in a variety of settings. The program prepares graduates to provide and manage client care and to become members within the discipline of Nursing.

Get Your Bachelor’s Degree

If you dont already hold a BSN, you may want to enroll in and earn your Bachelors in Nursing Science degree. Nurses who have their ADN can enroll in accelerated RN-BSN programs, many of which can be completed online. It is possible to go straight from your ADN to an MSN program if you want to skip the step of earning your Bachelor’s degree, however.

Also Check: Del Mar College Nursing Application Deadline

Find Your First Job And Begin Your Career

When you graduate from a nursing degree program, youll be ready to join the ranks of healthcare heroes helping those with sickness and illness get better. You will also be positioned for an exciting new career path with many opportunities for advancement.

Take your first step with Herzing University and team up with an institution with decades of experience helping students become excellent nurses.

Our mission is to support your career success, learning and engagement, from your first class to your pinning ceremonyand throughout your nursing career.

Your new career path IS possible with Herzing!

Learn More About Our BSN Program

Program availability varies by campus.

* Bureau of Labor Statistics , U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020. BLS estimates do not represent entry-level wages and/or salaries. Multiple factors, including prior experience, age, geography market in which you want to work and degree field, will affect career outcomes and earnings. Herzing neither represents that its graduates will earn the average salaries calculated by BLS for a particular job nor guarantees that graduation from its program will result in a job, promotion, salary increase or other career growth.

Classes Start October 3rd

What Can I Expect To Earn As An Rn

Your pay as an RN depends on a number of things: where you live, what specialty you choose, and your experience, to name a new. The average annual RN salary, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019 Occupational Employment Statistics, is $73,300. This average is based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary.

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What Degree Do You Need To Be A Nurse

So you want to become a nurse? Amazing! What degree do you need to be a nurse? Well, that depends. The nursing profession runs wide and deep in terms of titles, as well as in the levels of responsibility, and educational requirements that each type of nurse carries. One of the most remarkable and rewarding things about the nursing profession is that no matter what entry point you choose, you can always make the decision to move forward, learn more, earn more, and do more.

Nursing is a profession that by its very nature involves continuous learning, and the type of nurse that you want to be will determine the degree that youll need to attain.

Bachelor Of Science In Nursing

In order to become a nurse practitioner, youll first need to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing . Earning your BSN prepares you for a career as a NP in a few ways.

First, like earning an associates degree in nursing, it will prepare you to take the NCLEX-RN exam, which you must pass before you can become a registered nurse. You must be a registered nurse in order to become a nurse practitioner.

Second, as you will see below, becoming a nurse practitioner will require you to earn a graduate degree, and virtually all graduate nursing degrees will require you to hold a bachelors degree before you can enroll.

Of course, in some states you can become a registered nurse by only earning an associates degree in nursing. In these cases, you will need to complete your bachelors degree before enrolling in a graduate program. There are, however, many accelerated nursing programs that you can consider to make this process as quick as possible.

After becoming an RN, you can choose to work in the field as an RN for a time , or you can immediately continue your education to become a nurse practitioner.

Also Check: Entry Level Master Of Science In Nursing

What Is The Fastest Way To Become A Nurse Practitioner

A nursing degree is a necessity if you want to become a nurse, but you need qualifications to get there. If you are starting from scratch, then it is important that you meet the entry requirements of your chosen university. If not, you will be unable to study a nursing degree.

Generally, students need 3 A Levels in certain subjects to be accepted on degree level nursing courses. UK-based learners that dont have A Levels may want to consider studying for an Access to Higher Education Diploma . Not only could it lead to university acceptance, but it is also one of the fastest ways to kickstart your career as a nurse practitioner.

Stonebridge Associated Colleges provides accredited online nursing courses that will put you on the right path towards becoming a nurse practitioner. If youre looking for the fastest way to get your career off the ground, then study for an Access to HE Diploma. This is because you can achieve the qualification in less than one year.

An Access to Higher Education Diploma is the equivalent to 3 A Levels, and you have two years to complete it but on average, learners achieve their Diploma in 9-12 months. Usually, it takes two years to finish A Levels, so by opting for an Access course, you can speed up the process. With these online nursing courses, you have the freedom to study at your own pace and in your own time.

Please note the following requirements needed to take our Access to HE Diploma course:

• Academic Writing Skills

Five What Is The Career Outlook For Labor And Delivery Nurses

With so many nurses coming into retirement age in the next decade, the nursing shortage is here to stay for a long time. And because L& D nursing is physically demanding, requiring long shifts, its particularly suited for new nurses who have to, in a sense, labor right alongside their patients.

In other words, as far as job prospects go, specializing in L& D will help power up your job security even more. To get an idea of just how many nurses will be needed, consider that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the field to grow at a rate of 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

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How To Become A Nurse In Four Steps

Now that you have a better understanding of the nursing field and the types of jobs available to nursing school graduates, its time to break down exactly how to become a nurse – from the education youll need to get your nursing degree or license, to the things you can do to stand out in the field.

Step One: Determine Your Nursing Goals

While becoming a registered nurse is a common path to a nursing career, there are plenty of other opportunities that could impact the preparation youll need for your career.

Its important to research each career path and determine which may be right for you – and research the educational and licensure requirements to join that particular nursing profession.

There are many different types of nurses and nursing jobs, including:

• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses
• Certified Nursing Assistants
• Nurse Practitioners
• Registered Nurses

What are the Requirements to Become a Nurse?

Nursing requirements vary by state, but each candidate is expected to complete at least an ADN or BSN from an accredited institution, as well as gain state licensure. On top of the educational requirements, gathering hands-on clinical experience is also necessary.

Step Two: Get A Nursing Degree

Your education is the most important step when determining how to become a nurse. Typically, if you want to become a registered nurse youll need to start with an associate degree or a bachelors degree.

Associate Degree in Nursing

• Ethics in healthcare