How to Become a Nurse - Qualifications Needed
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How to Become a Nurse:
There are three ways to qualify as a Registered
Nurse and apply for entry level nursing
positions. They are as follows
1. Completing a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing
(BSN),
2. Completing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN),
or
3. Completing a Diploma Program in a hospital.
Registered Nursing Programs:
All registered nursing programs include
classroom instruction and block experience in
hospitals or clinics. Typical subjects studied
by student nurses include:
- Chemistry, Nutrition, Psychology, Anatomy,
Physiology, Microbiology, Behavioral Sciences,
and Nursing.
During the practical block of a nurse’s
education, student nurses are supervised in a
hospital department, and usually rotate around
such departments as pediatrics, psychiatry,
maternity, and surgery. Nurses with an Associate
Degree can later choose to enter a Bachelor's
program, this will allow for more career and
educational opportunities in the future.
Bachelor’s of Science Degrees in Nursing
programs are also available for individuals with
a primary degree in another field. Some
universities offer transfer credits to students
who may have previously completed some of the
modules in another science degree program.
Transfer credits are at the discretion of each
university.
Qualifying: In the past, most nurses qualified by completing
diploma programs. Due to advances in Nursing
practices, today most Nurses qualify by
completing an associate degree or bachelor degree program. Once a student nurse obtains a
degree or diploma, he/she must then obtain a
nursing license by completing a national
licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN.
NCLEX-RN: This test is a computer-based test, designed to
measure the skills and knowledge of potential
nurses. This test can ask between 75 and 265
questions depending on the student nurses
knowledge. The more questions he/she gets right
the quicker he/she will move through the levels.
If a question is answered wrong, the student
nurse will stay at that level until he/she
displays that they have a enough knowledge to
move onto the next level, or the time runs out.
Student Nurses should allow six hours to take
the test. It will not take long if he/she is
very knowledgeable on the subject matter.
Some state laws have previously dictated that to
work in a state other than where the Nurse
qualified in, he/she would have to sit an
additional license examination. Today many
states have entered into an agreement known as
The Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement. This
agreement allows nurses who are licensed by one
member state to practice in another member state
without obtaining any additional license.
Preview different types of positions:
Search and review the different types of
Nursing Jobs &
Health Care Jobs posted on our
jobsite, for an idea of the duties and
responsibilities, education/skills required,
salary and benefits associated with Health Care
related, Medical & Nursing jobs in USA.
Below is a list of some of the various types of
medical nurses / assistant nurses: |
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