Additional Information
Becoming a registered nurse requires college study and a licensing examination
administered by a nursing association.
There are two common paths to nursing in the U.S. One is earning a bachelor's
of science degree in nursing (BSN). The other is earning an associate degree
in nursing (ADN). There are also diploma programs administered by hospitals,
but they are far fewer in number.
BSN programs take about four years to complete. ADN programs take two to
three years, and diploma programs take about three years.
In general, graduates of BSN programs will have greater opportunities for
advancement.
Many nurses do graduate work after earning a bachelor's degree. Extra education
can lead to higher levels of pay and additional responsibilities.
Universities across North America offer BSN programs. Most nursing associations
recommend that students pursue a degree in nursing rather than a diploma.
It will qualify them for better job opportunities, as well as provide them
with a good education to prepare them for the increasing complexity of health
care.
Nursing students get supervised clinical experience in addition to classroom
instruction. Course material includes physiology, chemistry, nursing theory,
psychology, anatomy, nutrition and microbiology. Nursing programs typically
includes liberal arts courses as well.
"Middle school is a real good time for students to begin thinking about
what they want to do," says nursing professor and RN Dennis Sherrod. "They
really need a good, strong preparation in science and mathematics.
"They [also] need strong interpersonal skills, and that is interacting
with individuals, social skills," Sherrod says. "[And] they need technology
skills. That's one of the things that's big these days -- much of the stuff
we're doing in hospital settings and clinical settings, we're using more and
more technology."
If you're considering a career in nursing, it's a good idea to volunteer
at a hospital. As well, you might want to take a first aid course and a CPR
course to find out if you're comfortable with this type of work.
"Volunteering when you're starting out and supporting your community is
a great way to see what any kind of health-care career is about," says RN
Kathie Swindell. "We have junior volunteers in hospitals [and they can] find
out what it's like interacting with patients... [T]hose are times in their
lives when they're most needy, and so to have skills to be able to interact
with people and make them feel comfortable is very important."