How to become an RN nurse

Becoming an RN (registered nurse) opens up possibilities and opportunities that can take you to places, using nursing as a career, that you never thought you could get to. You are also able to make a huge difference in peoples lives and, in some cases, save them. So how do you go about becoming an RN? What is an RN and what academic and personal skills do you need to attain to become one? This article will give you all the information.

Why become an RN ?

What advantages do registered nurses have? Unlike LPN's and non qualified nurses, being an RN (registered nurse) means that you are qualified to work with adults in a vast array of settings. This is also known as general nursing. You can be a fairly autonomous practitioner and need no supervision to carry out tasks. You will have a lot of say in a patients care and will liaise with doctors and other members of the team. The nursing salaries are a lot better than for lesser qualified staff. How to become a nurse Becoming an RN takes time and patience and a lot of hard work. You need to go to university or an accredited college and study for three or four years to get your degree that will enable you to register with the governing body wherever you become a nurse. In Britain this is the NMC. Check with the state or the country you are in to see who you need to register with.

What does a nursing degree involve?

What does a nurse degree involve? Nursing courses are divided into practical and theorical aspects. You will learn about the role of a nurse, physiology, patient care, ethics and illnesses and medications. You will get a chance to put this knowledge into practice by going on various placements in differing clinical areas. As a student in these placements, you will learn a huge amount if you are willing to work hard, listen and do anything that is asked of you. You get out of placements what you put in. You are marked on these placements and can fail them, so it is important to make the most of them. Exams and tests The theory that you learn will be examined by means of essays and exams, so a good grade in English and Biology from school is a pre-requisite to admittance to a nursing program. If you are doing a bridge programme from being an LPN in America, then you will have to sit for an exam to get your professional qualification. Once you have your qualification, the world is just waiting for you !