Nursing offers you the opportunity to administer care and support to patients. Do you have a passion for nursing? Have you longed to wear the attire peculiar to nurses? Do you feel you have a career in nursing?
(Need a nurse license defense attorney?)
Whatever your answer, all you need to know about getting your license is covered in this article.
What Do Registered Nurses Do?
Nurses play significant roles in the health sector, and their duties may vary based on the environment, organization, and team size.
Here are a few general duties of registered nurses.
- Updating patient files approximately
- Keeping a record of patient medical information
- Observing and evaluating patients
- Administering treatment and medication to patients
- Sharing valuable information with parents during the treatment process
- Collecting specimens for lab tests
Steps To Getting Your License As A Nurse
There are straightforward steps toward becoming a registered nurse. Let’s get to it.
- Earn A Degree
This is one important knowledge and certificate you need to qualify yourself before going into your profession.
Get a degree from an accredited institution of your choice. Your degree determines where you intend to work and your area of specialization.
Before now, registered nurses only need an associate’s degree in nursing before being given the license to practice. This system has changed. Today, a bachelor’s degree is required by most States.
The basic requirement for employment differs, some states may not require a bachelor’s degree for licensure, but private firms and individuals may require a bachelor’s degree when hiring. In earning your Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you can opt for a four-year course in an accredited institution.
If you already have an associate’s degree in nursing, you can enroll for a short-term education to upgrade to a B.Sc in Nursing. This course may run for 12 to 14 months. Earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing doesn’t prevent you from further studies.
- Scale Through The Nclex Exam
After your degree, you’ll need to enroll in the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX). Passing this exam is a criterion for getting a license. The NCLEX is meant to evaluate your knowledge of the rudiments and job description in nursing.
This exam checks your ability to withstand the future challenges encountered in this field. If you don’t get a good score in the first sitting, you’ll be required to wait for 45 days before trying again.
Before taking the exam, you should know the pass rate and basic resources to ensure a good score.
- Acquire Your License
This is one document that makes your nursing career valid. The license type may differ based on the State you wish to work with.
If you wish to work in more than one state, you may be required to obtain a license from each state. This can be avoided if those states accept the license of other States. Since each state has a specific requirement, check through their respective agency well.
