Working towards an education in Nursing can provide students with a variety of different choices and paths to take. Whether it be pursuing a top online Bachelor’s degrees in nursing, or a Master’s in Nursing degree, one major requirement of many roles within the nursing industry is becoming a Registered Nurse. As a Registered Nurse, healthcare and medical organizations are able to offer you more job responsibilities which in turn increase your ability to earn more and move up within the organization. But it’s not always clear the easiest way to become a Registered Nurse. Here at Nonprofit Colleges Online, we’ve devised a simple step-by-step guide to becoming a Registered Nurse.
1. Enroll in a Nursing School
The first step in becoming a Registered Nurse is attending a Nursing School. Through a Nursing School, you will gain the training needed to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). This is one of the most basic, entry-level positions in the field of nursing and will start you on your way to becoming a Registered Nurse.
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2. Determining your undergraduate study and complete it.
To become a Registered Nurse, a certain amount of additional schooling is required. Students can take one of two routes: they can pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing or they can work for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Choosing to pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing has its positives and negatives. An Associate Degree in Nursing program is often shorter than a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. That means that students can enter into the workforce much more quickly with this type of degree. However, many roles and organizations require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in order to be employed there, so an Associate Degree in Nursing might just be delaying you from earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing down the road. Once you have decided which program is best for you, now you must go and graduate from said program.
3. Take and pass the NCLEX-RN exam
Completing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree or an Associate Degree in Nursing will give you the education to become a Registered Nurse but you still must pass the NCLEX-RN to prove your knowledge and earn Registered Nursing certification. Administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) the NCLEX-RN exam will test all facets of your nursing knowledge to ensure that you are ready for work in the field. This exam will required memorization as well as critical thinking skills. It is recommended that students pursue some sort of study plan that involves mock tests. Pass the exam and you will have successfully become a Registered Nurse.
While the process to become a Registered Nurse may have seemed nebulous at first, we hope the this quick step-by-step guide gives you an overview of the steps it takes to go from a high-school graduate to a Registered Nurse ready to enter into the world of nursing and health care.
