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Some Easy Guidelines For Becoming A Nurse In The USA

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There are a number of education steps that you have to complete to accomplish becoming a registered nurse or even an LPN. However, the route that you choose will vary depending on the type of nurse you want to come.

Before you embark upon this journey of becoming a nurse, you should have a basic outline of what your requirements will be. There are entry level requirements that you must comply with if you want to get started in a nursing program. You need to have attended a community college, preferably earning an AA, that will give you the foundation for stepping into a nursing program. Some of the classes that you take must involve science, including human biology, math, and basic English classes. Essentially, you need at least three A level equivalent qualifications to begin this process.

The Educational Requirements

The first and most important step in how to become a nurse will be your education. All nurses have to complete formal training and education, but the level of this does vary. There are some types of nurses who have to complete a year-long training program while others need a master’s degree in nursing.

If you want to become a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse, you will need to complete entry-level training. This is a one-year program offered by vocational schools, community colleges, and technical schools. The program includes classroom learning as well as clinical practice in a hospital or clinic.

Tests Or Exams That You Will Have To Pass

Some of the exams that you will have to pass will include the accreditation test so that you can be a registered nurse or our and. You also need to pass the NCLEX-RN test, obtain a state license for wherever you will be working, and also get employment as a registered nurse. From that point forward, you are required to take additional training to keep up with your education as a nurse. That is because many medical breakthroughs come out from time to time. You also need to refresh your awareness of the skills that you learned in nursing school just to make sure that you are doing things to the best of your ability.

How Long Will It Take To Complete Nursing School?

There are two different programs that you can take. First of all, you can earn your AA or Associates degree in nursing over the course of two years. Following that, if you are at the same school where your credits will transfer evenly, it will take an additional two years to complete your bachelors program. There will be additional courses that you may want to take such as those that will give you training within a hospital setting. Therefore, it may take an additional three years after your AA to complete your training, but this will give you more opportunities because you will be highly skilled.

If you want to become a registered nurse, the minimum in educational requirements is an Associate’s Degree in nursing. Once you have completed this degree, you will be able to take the examination for licensing. You could also consider completing a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing and getting work experience in a medical setting.

If you want to become an advanced practice nurse, you will have to complete a Master’s of Science in Nursing. These programs will not accept all nurses and only take licensed RNs. When you complete this training you will be able to practice as a nurse-midwife, a clinical nurse specialist and a nurse anesthetist.

Getting A License

In order to get a job as a nurse, you will need to have a nursing license. To get a license, you will need to complete the National Council Licensure Examination. There are 2 forms of this examination and you need to know which you should take.

The first is for registered nurses and is the NCLEX-R. The second is for practical nurses and will be the NCLEX-PN. You will have to pay a fee to take either of these exams and they are completed via computer. The number of questions you are asked will vary depending on your performance as the computer continues questioning you until it is certain that you are qualified or not.

Getting Certifications

After you have passed the licensure examination, you will be able to start working as a nurse. However, you may want to consider further certification to care for specific groups such as people with mental illnesses, children and the elderly. While these certifications are voluntary, certain employers may insist that you have them in order to be hired. Certifications can be obtained via the American Nursing Credentialing Center as well as the National League for Nursing.

Depending on the state that you live in, you might have to undergo additional certification. This will generally be a requirement for RNs and will depend on the state regulations. This is required as an RN in some states can prescribe medication.

Following these guidelines, you simply need to start contacting the schools that you locate online and requesting applications for their registered nursing degrees. They will then tell you how to apply, how much it will cost, and give you a general guideline as to how long it will take to complete this type of training. Finally, they may also provide you with job placement options that may only be available from certain well-known registered nursing schools. All of this information can be obtained online, allowing you to make the right choice as you are deciding on a nursing school to pursue your your career as a registered nurse.