A CAREER IN NURSING

Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN)

CREDENTIALS high school diploma

Some nursing schools require a pre-admission test

one of these three programs offered at many registered nursing schools:

Associate degree in nursing

Bachelor's of science degree in nursing

Nursing diploma

most popular program is the associate's degree in nursing

After completing a program you must pass a national licensing examination (NCLEX-RN)

NCLEX exam, also known as the National Council Licensure Examination,

JOB REQUIREMENTS Registered nurses (RN) hold a position of seniority over licensed

practical nurses and nursing assistants and are often in charge of assigning tasks in a hospital environment.

Some RNs work evening, weekend or on-call hours, and are exposed to a variety of medical conditions. 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 Managing and assigning tasks to licensed practical nurses and nursing

assistants Advising and providing emotional support for patients and their families

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.

ADVANCED DEGREES Degree Completion Programs for RNs: (RN to BSN/RN to MSN)

Master’s Degree: (MSN)

Doctoral Degree: (PhD, EdD, DNS, DNP)

Post-Doctoral Programs:

REWARDS Very gratifying job because you focus on

the care of others Well paid Many opportunities for advancement Great benefits

BACKGROUND In 1860 Nightingale set up the first nurse training school at St Thomas' Hospital,

London. Yale School of Nursing became the first autonomous school of nursing in the

United States in 1923. In Europe the University of Edinburgh was the first European institution to offer a

nursing degree in 1972.

WORKS CITED Evangelist, Thomas A.; Orr, Tamra.; Unrein,

Judy. Publication: New York McGraw-Hill Professional, 2009. Product ID: 251051

eBook ISBN: 9780071599382 ISBN: 9780071599375. Web.

Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, Jan/Feb2011, Vol. 40 Issue 1, p131-134, Apr. 14, 2011. Web.

Vallano, Annette T.; Your Career in Nursing. Publication: Kaplan Publishing, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-4108-3 Apr. 14, 2011. Print.