This post is created to give you the steps to become a registered nurse.
The nursing field is such a great field to be a part of for so many reasons.
- You can work 3 days and have 4 days off to be with your family
- The income for your family is great
- You can move up in the nursing field
- There are opportunities to work in different departments of the hospital
- Nurses are in demand, positions are available for you!
When I first graduated high school, I wanted to be a nurse so bad! For all of the reasons that I listed above.
I didn’t know much about the field, just that I loved helping others, and the hospital was a place I could do it!
My college plan was mapped out with the steps to become a registered nurse, and I was very passionate about helping others.
So, I applied to work as a volunteer for the hospital in the Emergency department and saw a lot of traumatic things. But as a volunteer, I went to help the patients who were waiting to be seen, and it really opened my eyes to the field. I loved nursing, and I was okay with blood and what I saw as a nurse thus far.
As time went on in college, I had half of my prerequisites done, so I focused on those that applied to nursing, such as anatomy, chemistry, physiology, etc. However, I struggled with two courses again and again, which were college algebra and physiology.
How to Become a Registered Nurse
Even though my journey was different, I am still passionate about helping you find the steps to become a registered nurse so that you know what you can expect in this career field.
There are so many people that I know that are registered nurses. I have many friends that are registered nurses, so I can share with you the steps to become a registered nurse. They love their job for several reasons! If they get bored they have many different options of departments they can work in. The hours are great for those that are parents, and there are benefits as well as incentive pay (where you get paid more).
Some nurses are even able to work the night shift for more money or work a full 40 hours in 3 to 4 days to have time to travel or spend time with their family.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN Degree)
To become a registered nurse, different colleges will have different requirements based on the state you live in. Most universities are similar, and the courses do not change very much.
Everyone’s path is unique, but these steps to become a registered nurse will help get you started.
In becoming a registered nurse, you will need an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. If you have a master’s degree, you will have other options to advance your pay rate and job title.
For example, with a master’s degree, you may be a manager and manage all of the nurses in a specific department. You can become a nurse practitioner and have a specialized degree.
Most hospitals will require at least a bachelor’s degree and that will pay you much more because of your bachelor’s degree. This may not be true for every state or every hospital! But for most, it is true.
Here are the steps to become a registered nurse.
Steps to Become a Registered Nurse
Step 1: Volunteer at a hospital
If you want to become a registered nurse, you want to prepare your resume to stick out amongst the crowd of nursing that is applying too. To do this, volunteer at a hospital and gain at least 50-100 hours to add to your resume.
You just need to talk to someone in the volunteer services department, and you can do it once a week for 3 hours until you build up your hours. Volunteering will help you decide early on if you can truly handle the job duties of a nurse and help you potentially find a department you love!
Step 2: Take the required pre-nursing courses
- Anatomy I with Lab
- Anatomy II with Lab
- Microbiology with Lab
- Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- College English
- Psychology
- Statistics
- College Algebra
- Health
Step 3: Apply to the nursing program
Before entering the nursing program, you may have to write a statement explaining why you want to be a registered nurse and take an exam that showcases your education skills thus far. The exam is called TEAS for most universities in California, but every state may have its own exam title or no exam at all, depending on the state.
Step 4: Complete 2 years of the nursing program
In the nursing program, you become prepared in every area. The program prepares you with several different courses and hands-on preparation, which are called clinical rotations. Your program will teach you medical terminology, types of medicine, mental health conditions, treatment practices, and how to make ethical decisions in the field.
It is an intensive program, but everything is intense. You just have to love what you do enough to sit down and study a lot of hours!
Step 5: Complete practicum hours in the nursing program
In your nursing program, you will complete a total of hands-on training between 1200-1600 hours total. Throughout this time is when you have clinical. Some programs may weave practicum hours within each semester, and others may have practicum hours at the end of the program. Your clinical rotations will support your hands-on learning providing you with experience in different departments such as mental health, pregnancy and childbirth, working with children and newborns, and medical-surgical fundamentals.
It is through this experience that nurses work at hospitals in different departments and clinics. Some nurses add additional certificates that allow them to do botox on fillers on the beauty side. Others can work in surgery centers for doctors that provide cosmetic breast, body, and other types of surgeries.
There are several fields you can go into with a bachelor of science in nursing. If you want to increase your pay and expand your opportunities, you can even become a nurse practitioner and get a master’s degree.
Step 6: Take the NCLEX Exam
The NCLEX exam is the ultimate exam after your coursework and clinical that is a must for obtaining your Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. Nurses must pass this exam to become certified to work as a nurse!
Types of Nursing Positions
- School Nurse
- Military Nurse
- Travel Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Home Caregiver Nurse
- Emergency Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Educator in Nursing
Nursing Programs
California
Texas
Utah
Hawaii
Chaminade University of Honolulu
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