RN Licensure Options  There are many opportunities
in registered nursing (RN). So you've decided you want to become a nurse but you're not sure where to go from here— there are so many nursing school and program choices and you have to find the right nursing career path to complement your individual nursing career interests. Well you can start by reading about entry-level nursing programs to learn the different ways to become a registered nurse (RN)—a degree that is in high demand with the current nursing shortage. There are three different entry-level paths into nursing, each offered by a different type of school: - The 4-year BSN is preferred by most nursing leaders and provides the best opportunities in today's job market. If you look in the classifieds, you'll find that a BSN is a requirement for many positions. It is the entry point for professional nursing practice. Find a 4-year BSN program.
- The 2-year Associate Degree focuses more on technical skills than theory and is often a stepping stone to the BSN. It allows a student to become a Registered Nurse and earn money more quickly than a 4-year BSN program, so it works better for many students. It is the entry point for technical nursing practice. Find a 2-year Associate's program.
- The diploma, a 2-3 year experience was more common before the 1970s, when there were more than 800 diploma schools in existence. There are now less than 100 such schools. A diploma experience prepares students for work in a hospital or other inpatient facility. Depending on your career aspirations, this may or may not seem limiting to you. Find a Diploma Nursing school.
While each of these entry level paths qualifies you to take the RN licensure exam (the NCLEX-RN® examination), you'll find that each qualifies you for different types of jobs.  Compare Nursing Programs The chart below will help you distinguish the differences between nursing diploma, associate's and bachelor's degree programs. | Diploma | Associates Degree (ADN) | Bachelor of Science (BSN) | | Usually 3-year program | Usually 2-year program | Usually 4-5 year program | | Located in a hospital, sometimes in conjunction with a community college | Usually located in a community college | Located in colleges and universities | | Prepares nurses for staff positions in hospitals and other inpatient facilities | Prepares nurses for staff positions in hospitals and other inpatients facilities | Prepares nurses for positions in both inpatient and community settings | Choosing Between Nursing Programs Choosing a nursing program is a very personal choice. For many prospective students, the choice involves complex tradeoffs between finances (e.g. need to support a family), your age (high school graduate vs. mid-life career change), and future career plans. Regardless of your place in life, there are ways to finance your nursing education. Learn more about nursing scholarships and grants in our How to Finance Nursing School article. Bachelor's in a Non-Nursing Field If you are wanting to go into nursing and got your bachelor's in a non-nursing field, then you probably want an Accelerated BSN or Second Degree BSN program. These programs are for students with a previous bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field of study. Accelerated programs are often intense, fast paced courses, but they can let you earn a BSN in as little as 12-16 months. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is often required. These programs are also known as "Second Degree" programs. Second Degree programs that aren't designated as "Accelerated" tend to be less fast paced, and are more like regular BSN programs except the student's prior degree is accepted as meeting the general education requirements of the BSN degree program. Find Second Degree BSN Nursing Programs Find Accelerated BSN Nursing Programs RN-to-BSN Programs RN-to-BSN programs are designed for Registered Nurses who are graduates of associate's degree or diploma programs who want to complete their BSN degree. It provides credit for nursing skills already learned through school or work experience. Most often these programs are available with a very flexible schedule designed to meet the needs of working nurses. Classes might meet only evenings, or weekends. Some schools have "RN-only" classes which are separate from classes taught to pre-licensure students. Many schools have multiple start dates each year for these programs, rather than just one date in the Fall. Several online RN-to-BSN programs are available. These programs are also known as "Bridge Programs," "BSN for RN's," "Completion Programs," "Nursing Mobility in Education Programs," "Advanced Placement," "Advanced Standing" or "Transition Options." Find RN-to-BSN Nursing Programs LPN-to-RN Programs Some schools have LPN-to-Associates or LPN-to-BSN programs. These programs are designed for Licensed Practical Nurses who want to earn a degree that will enable them to sit for the NCLEX® examination. It provides credit for nursing skills already learned through work experience or an LPN program. Find LPN to BSN Schools Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008.
Dunham, Kelli S. "How to Survive and Maybe Even Love Nursing School." |
Nursing & Health Care Professionals' Fun Facts If you enjoy science and are a natural caretaker, becoming a nurse may be the right career choice for you. Here is some fun trivia that nursing and health care professionals exchange with their patients: - The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
- The venom in a Daddy Long-Legs spider is more poisonous than in a Black Widow's or a Brown Recluse, but they cannot bite humans because their jaws won't open wide enough.
- The pop you get when you crack your knuckles is actually a bubble of gas bursting.
- Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.
Source: IHN Solutions, Maun Lemke Inc. How to Pay for Nursing School - As nursing school tuition has increased, a rising number of nursing scholarships and grants have become available for qualifying candidates. Nursing school is expensive, but there are many grants, loans, scholarships, work-study and loan forgiveness programs available to hard-working students. Gain access to financial first aid for nursing school.
How to Get Nursing Scholarships - Many scholarship and grant opportunities are available to nursing students to encourage people to enter the nursing field and help alleviate the increasing nursing shortages. With a little research, you can learn how to obtain this free money for your nursing school education. Learn how to uncover these funding sources to help free you from financial worries.
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