Want To Be A Nurse

What Is The Fastest Way Of Becoming An Rn

Many people might think that pursuing an associates degree in nursing is the quickest way of becoming a registered nurse, particularly as opposed to earning a four-year BSN. After all, an associates degree in nursing takes an average of only two years to complete. But as mentioned above, while an associates degree in nursing may fulfill the technical requirements of becoming an RN, more and more employers now require that any new hires earn their BSN in order to be considered for an RN position.

With this in mind, if speed is important to you, you are likely to be better served by pursuing an accelerated BSN program which will allow you to earn your bachelor of science in nursing in less than the standard four years.

For example, Regis College offers multiple degrees which are specifically designed to help students graduate as quickly as possible so that they can start their career, including:

Find Out How To Become A Nurse In Your State

Already know which state youre planning on working as a nurse in? View requirements for some of the top states that employ nurses below. You can also review your nursing licensure requirements by state, to get an idea of what is needed in your area.

How to Become a Nurse in California

Nurses in California have a breadth of options for their practice. There are licenses you can obtain with undergraduate-level education, including public health nurse, psychiatric nurse, and registered nurse. If you have a masters degree, you can qualify for a clinical nurse-midwife or nurse practitioner license, among other options.

Learn more on how to become a nurse in New York.

Nurses Can Pursue Their Education Online

You can also choose to get your nursing degree through accredited online nursing programs, which means you can be located anywhere in the U.S. Since nursing is a hands-on profession, you will be required to both take classes online and complete in-person nursing clinicals at a healthcare setting.

It’s important to ensure the online program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This is necessary to take the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs and master NCLEX-style test questions to get your license.

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Four Choosing A Nursing Speciality

During nursing school, students get to experience working in some different nursing specialties, but definitely not all of them. This can make it difficult for new nurses to pick a specialty when applying for nursing positions.

Its important to take each clinical rotation and the specialty into consideration. Give each rotation an opportunity and a fair shot. But consider if you can see yourself in that specialty. Is this a specialty that will fulfill you and challenge you?

No one can decide what specialty of nursing you should go into but remember your goals. For example:

Nursing At Every Level

Readers hooked by articles ranking the best and top jobs are likely already savvy to the idea that health care is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying industries in the nation, and that nurses are leading the charge. From diploma to doctorate, the nursing field offers rewarding careers for nurses at every education level. Learn more about some of the most popular nursing careers below.

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Becoming A Registered Nurse

If you are interested in caring for people and are a high school graduate, you can eventually become a Registered Nurse . There are a number of steps you need to take before you can turn your dream into a career, but they are straightforward and youll find there is plenty of support along the way. If you are interested in becoming a Nurse Practitioner, the steps follow below.Step #1. You will need a post-secondary education.Why? All provincial and territorial nurses associations have adopted the goal of having a baccalaureate requirement for entry into nursing. Evidence supports the fact that baccalaureate-prepared nurses are most able to provide safe, ethical, cost-effective and high quality nursing care for Canadians.The trend toward a university education for Registered Nurses is here: with the exception of students in Quebec, students must choose to obtain a baccalaureate degree in nursing in order to prepare for a RN career.

• Check out a complete list of nursing schools and continuing education options.
• Check out where to apply for nursing financial assistance here.

Step #2. You need to apply to the College of Nurses of Ontario directly for assessment.

All nursing graduates who plan to practise in Ontario must be registered with the CNO.

Once you are deemed eligible , youll take the registration exam. Why? This exam is designed to measure the competencies of nurses at the start of your practice.

• What if Im an internationally educated nurse?

Provide A Personal Anecdote

Sharing a personal story about why you want to be a nurse offers employers a unique view into your personal values with context. Sharing anecdotes also differentiates you from other candidates as no one else shares your same background.

For example, you may be pursuing a career in nursing because a close friend or family member experienced a health problem. Perhaps the nurses that provided them with care during their hospital stay inspired you to pursue a career in nursing. No matter your reasons for pursuing the nursing field, this question allows you to identify and articulate motivating factors in your own life. A personal story will always be memorable.

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Nurses Have A High Level Of Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction and career satisfaction are different. The first measures satisfaction with a specific job, while the second measures satisfaction with your career choice. The 2019 American Mobile Nurses Healthcare survey found that 81% of nurses were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their career choice.

When asked if they would encourage others to become a nurse, 70% said “yes.” The survey also found that supporting professional development was tied to job satisfaction. When employers supported nursing professional development, 52% were extremely satisfied with their jobs. When employers did not support professional development, only 7% were extremely satisfied.

That Nurses Really Do Eat Their Young

This expression refers to a type of bullying in the nursing world where older, more established nurses treat their new recruits poorly, just for being new recruits. While you certainly hope it doesnt happen to you, Wilson has experienced this trend and advises new nurses to be ready, just in case.

There are skills you can learn to prevent being a victim, Wilson says.

Make sure you understand your rights as a professional, and dont put up with workplace abuse. New nurses naturally want to make a good impression and get along in their first jobs, but certain behaviors are never okay. Wilson offers a great article on resources and strategies for how to stand up for yourself.

Sweeney encourages nurses to be ready, but also not to expect bullying behavior from their colleagues. Theres often a feeling of more experienced nurses eating their young, so to speak. While that does happen, more often than not, experienced nurses are willing and able to help guide new nurses when they are struggling.

New nurses may often need support from more experienced nurses, and Sweeney emphasizes that they should feel free to ask for help. Everyone has been the brand new nurse at some point.

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My First Nursing Post

My first qualified post was at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in North London. At the time, the clinical skills required were assessed by practitioners and tutors but only once.

If you did it correctly, that might be the only time you had given an injection.

I can remember giving my first injection of an anti-sickness medication as a qualified nurse, unsupervised.

As someone who is very needle-phobic, I set my mind, checked the drug, the dose, the patient, the route, and the prescription about a hundred times.

I found my injection site, gave the injection, and by the time I left the room, I was shaking so much I had to sit down and recover.

What Is The Job Outlook For Nurses

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Make Connections During Clinicals

When its time for you to complete clinical rounds during school, youll likely be assigned to a hospital where youll shadow a nurse . During this period, be an attentive learner with a positive attitude. Make connections with your preceptor and even their managers. If a position opens up, they may be more willing to recommend you for the job.

Once your clinical ends, stay in touch with your preceptors as they may be a good resource for job opportunities.

More Common Nursing Interview Questions

Along with the above question, there are several other answers you might consider preparing before your interview.

Some of the other open-ended, commonly asked nursing job interview questions include:

• What aspect of nursing do you find to be the most rewarding?

• How have your education and training prepared you for a nursing role?

• What did you like most/least about previous nursing roles or internships?

• How well do you work in a team setting?

• How do you plan to stay organized during your shifts?

• What value do you feel you will offer your patients?

• How would you handle a patient who is unhappy with their care?

• How do you deal with stress on the job?

• Have you experienced conflict with colleagues on the job? How did you resolve your differences to work together?

• How do you handle interactions with physicians?

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I Became A Nurse To Help People

I didnt become a nurse to do mountains of paperwork unrelated to my patients and their care.

I didnt become a nurse to have to answer for my appropriate actions to administration.

I didnt become a nurse to have to defend my license every day because some doctor/ CEO/ patient decides they want something a certain way and no one will back me up when that something is dangerous or just not good common sense.

I love taking care of patients, but its not enough anymore.

Hard work and dedication come naturally to me, but its not enough anymore.

My educational requirements and every task that is handed to me are done, but its not enough anymore.

The Nursing Profession Is Well

Nurses have been consistently rated as the most respected profession by consumers, according to Gallup research polls.4 Nursing is a career that you can be proud ofeven respected for. While nursing might not be the first profession people think of when looking at the medical world, it is one of the first professions people think of when they look for ethical and honest work.

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Many Nursing Students Find Financial Aid Opportunities

Student debt can be overwhelming. Payback programs can take up to a decade to pay off. However, nursing students have many ways to get nursing school paid for. These include nursing scholarships and grant money from a range of organizations. Financial aid is available for students seeking an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and even DNP degree. Also, many hospitals offer tuition remission programs for staff looking to go back to school.

Financing your nursing school education doesn’t have to leave you in a large amount of debt.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Nurse

Depending on the certifications and designations you plan to obtain, becoming a nurse could take anywhere from a single month to four years. The fastest route into nursing is through a certified nursing assistant course, which provides a basic foundation of the field in four to eight weeks. The Red Cross offers such CNA courses. Licensed practical nurses can complete their training in as little as 12 months, while registered nurses may earn an associate degree in nursing. That typically takes 18 to 24 months to complete.

For aspiring nurses who plan on advancing to senior roles, a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree can make it easier to apply to graduate school down the road. This is also the typical route for those hoping to become advanced practice registered nurses .

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What Does A Nurse Do

Nurses responsibilities vary by specialization or unit, but most share more similarities than differences.Nurses provide and monitor patient care, educate patients and family members about health conditions, providemedications and treatments, give emotional support and advice to patients and their family members, and more. They alsowork with healthy people by providing preventative health care and wellness information.

The tasks nurses perform and the settings in which they perform them are at least partly driven by specialty, work experience and education. Although most nurses work in hospitals, some work for schools, private clinics, nursing homes, placement agencies, businesses, prisons, military bases or other employers. Nurses with associate and bachelors degrees often provide hands-on care, though the scope of this care varies by state and employer. Those with more experience and graduate degrees might supervise other nurses, teach nursing, become nurse practitioners or do research.

Many nurses spend long hours on their feet. Although nurses working in physicians offices, schools, corporate settings or other places with traditional hours may work regular shifts with set schedules, those working in nursing facilities and hospitals providing round-the-clock care often have to work long weekend and holiday shifts. It is not unusual for some nurses to work 10 to 12 hours a day, three to four days each week.

Discover your career fit

Nursing Grads Have Smoother New Hire Transitions

All nurses experience a transition as they move from an academic to a clinical setting after graduating as a nurse. For many nurses working in large teaching hospitals, this transition may be eased by the hospital’s one-year nurse residency programs designed to help new nurses successfully transition from school to various work settings for nurses.

Although there is a nursing shortage across the U.S., it is still challenging to get a premium job. You can improve your success by working while you’re in school to gain nursing experience and accept internships. Nursing students who gain volunteer experience and professionally network while in nursing school also have an advantage when it’s time to apply for their first job.

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Nursing Interview Why Do You Want To Be A Nurse 7 Sample Answers

Whether you interview for a place at a nursing school, or for a job of a nurse , one thing is certain: they will ask you about your career choice. The question has several variations, such as Why nursing?, Why do you want to work as a nurse?, or Why do want to become a nurse?, but the meaning is always the same.

You have several options for a good answer. Maybe you feel a , or you have a role model in some nurse who helped you when you were young and battling some disease. Or perhaps your father runs a small clinic or medical practice, and you simply want to work in the place. Lets have a look at 7 sample answers to the question. Do not forget to read also the section below the answers, where I explain some common mistakes people make while answering the question.

Why Interviewers Ask Why Do You Want To Be A Nurse

Nursing is a wonderful field with many diverse opportunities, yet the great rewards it offers come with many challenges. Its not a career to take lightly. Therefore, the interviewer will want to know how serious you are about the position.

Nursing is a profession with a prerequisite for assisting others in potentially high-stress environments. So by answering this question, you are given the opportunity to highlight not only your skills, but more importantly, your passion for nursing and ability to keep cool under pressure.

Additionally, interviewers hope to learn why you got interested in the field in the first place. Telling a story about an impactful experience with a medical professional or about the sense of satisfaction you feel when helping a patient can help illustrate that youre not only skillful, but have deep compassion for the people youll be working with.

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Why I Want To Be A Nurse

Usually, when we look up the word nurse in a dictionary, we find out that it is somebody who cares for a sick person. It sounds so simple and so impersonal. However, I believe being a nurse is much more than just taking care of the needs of a sick person. As one wise man once said, nursing is a profession where the need to understand your patient outweighs your need to be understood. Nurses, both male and female, offer invaluable support to people who may be in great pain, who may have suffered life changing injuries, or who may be dying. This is why it is my belief that a nurse has to be not only perseverant, but also determined, strong-willed, and very thoughtful of others sufferings.

So, why do I want to become a nurse? Every day I see people begging for a few pennies on the street so that they can help their loved ones. They are desperate to help people who cannot help themselves. This makes me feel so helpless. I want to be able to do more than just give a few pennies to these people. I want to be able to help them directly. To be honest, I have always felt the need to care for people who cannot take care of themselves. It is in my nature. This is why I know that nursing is what I want to do for the rest of my life.