What education is needed to become a registered nurse

Registered nursing is a highly rewarding and challenging career. It requires adept clinical skills, dedication, and an eagerness to help those in need. To become a registered nurse (RN), you need to have a broad-based knowledge base and strong foundational medical training.

An RN needs to understand the complexities of diagnosis, treatments and preventive care for a wide range of medical conditions. Therefore, educational requirements must be fulfilled before practicing as an RN. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) or bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN) is typically required to become an RN. The ADN program can be completed at a two year college or university depending upon your geographically located areas while the BSN normally takes four years at a Baccalaureate Nursing Program. Each program requires completion of general education courses such as English, chemistry, human anatomy & physiology, psychology etc., in addition to coursework specific to the nursing field such as nutrition, pharmacology, pathophysiology etc. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 is accepted for entry into the RN program.

The next step for becoming an RN is successfully passing the NCLEX-RN examination which is required for licensure by State Boards of Nursing throughout the US and Canada to demonstrate core competencies necessary for safe practice as an entry level nurse. Once licensure is granted you must maintain professional knowledge by completing continuing education on a regular basis and adhere to individual State Board's requirements throughout their career to remain current with advances in healthcare systems and regulatory measures related to patient safety standards of practice.

See more about sscasn bkn 2023