A CAREER IN NURSING

1. A CAREER IN NURSING Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN)

2. Credentials • You need a high school diploma to enter nursing school • Some nursing schools require a pre-admission test called the National League for Nursing (NLN) Pre-admission Exam. • Credentials can be acquired by completing one of these three programs offered at many registered nursing schools: • Associate degree in nursing • Bachelor's of science degree in nursing • Nursing diploma • The most popular program is the associate's degree in nursing, which takes an average of two-to-three years to complete. • After completing any of these programs a nurse must pass a national licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) • NCLEX exam, also known as the National Council Licensure Examination, is a standardized exam that each state board of nursing uses to determine whether or not a candidate is prepared for entry-level nursing practice.

3. Job Requirements • Registered nurses(RNs) make up the majority of workers in the health care industry. They hold a position of seniority over licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants and are often in charge of assigning tasks in a hospital environment. • Being a registered nursecan be both a challenging and a rewarding profession. Some RNs work evening, weekend or on-call hours, and are exposed to a variety of medical conditions. But they also have fairly lucrative salaries as well as the satisfaction of making a valuable impact on the lives of patients and their families. RNs can also have quite diverse jobs, depending on their work setting and area of expertise. • Some of the job requirements include; observing and recording patient medical history and symptoms • Establishing a plan of care for patients or adding to an existing one then putting the plan into action • Managing and assigning tasks to licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants • Advising and providing emotional support for patients and their families

4. Salary • Salaries can range from about 37,000 to 83,000 annually depending on the specific specialty as well the years of experience a RN has.

5. Advanced Degrees Degree Completion Programs for RNs: (RN to BSN/RN to MSN) Hundreds of bridge programs are offered for nurses with diplomas and ADN degrees who wish to complete a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program in nursing. Many programs are offered online and in flexible formats designed for working nurses.Master’s Degree: (MSN) Master's degree programs prepare nurses for more independent roles such as Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse-Midwife, Nurse Anesthetist, or Nurse Psychotherapist. Doctoral Degree: (PhD, EdD, DNS, DNP) Doctoral programs prepare nurses to assume leadership roles within the profession, conduct research that impacts nursing practice and health care, and to teach at colleges and universities. Post-Doctoral Programs: Post-Doctoral programs provide advanced research training for nurses who hold doctoral degrees. Currently, 24 research-focused universities across the country offer post-doctoral programs in nursing.

6. Rewards • Very gratifing job because you focus on the care of others • Well paid • Many oppurtunities for advancement • Great benefits

7. Works Cited • Evangelist, Thomas A.; Orr, Tamra.; Unrein, Judy. Publication: New York McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009. Product ID: 251051 eBook ISBN: 9780071599382 ISBN: 9780071599375