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Sunday, June 8, 2008

Ten Steps to Becoming a Nurse

Do you want to become a nurse but don’t know where to start out? Here is a ten step guide that will help you find the way. You will learn about the nursing profession, find out about the educational requirements and certifications, and you’ll discover tips on how to survive your first year as a nurse. This guide is meant for prospective, current, and second career nurses.

  • Decide on a Specialty

Get Prepared For Your First Year As A Nurse

The first year on the job is often the toughest for new nursing graduates, especially those who work in hospitals. In fact, new nurse graduates account for more than half of the turnover rate in some hospitals, according to a study published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing researchers.

“There really are multiple reasons for [the first-year exodus],” says Patricia Benner, RN, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Francisco and a senior scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “One is that nursing practice is incredibly complex. Over the past 60 years, the transfer of responsibility to nursing from medicine has been incredible. I think society doesn’t typically recognize that.”

Get Hired

You will be happy to find out that getting hired is truly “the easy step.” In nursing school, the employers come to you. as you will find yourself at many career fairs, with nurse recruiters from local hospitals trying to entice you with their cool pens and magnets. Do not be dazzled! Decide what you are looking for before the recruiters talk to you. Some things to consider include doing share time. Call the unit or floor where you would like to work and schedule some time to shadow a nurse. This simply means that you will spend some time observing a nurse at work so you can get a feel for how the unit operates, and whether or not you feel you will fit in.

Consider Possibilities For Your First Job

There are many options for where you can work, and it may be hard to make a decision. Do your research and find out if the employers you are interested in offer orientations and support services. Observe the unit and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to jump right in and get your feet wet. You may surprise yourself.

Pass the NCLEX

There are many study guides to help you pass the NCLEX, and you can find some good ones here. It helps to take as many practice questions as you possibly can. Use tips on answering multiple-choice questions correctly. Have questions? You can always post a question on the NursingLink Student Lounge where you have access to thousands of seasoned nurses who may just share their expertise with you.

A common theme for NCLEX questions is prioritization. The question will give you a list of scenarios and ask which one you would attend to first. Don’t sweat these questions. They very often come down to this simple mnemonic: ABC, which stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. The airway is always your first priority in any emergency situation. If an airway is blocked, oxygen cannot reach the lungs. The second priority is to assess whether the patient is actually breathing. Then the patient’s circulation is assessed by determining if they have a pulse. You will often find that NCLEX questions are testing your knowledge of this concept.

Decide on a Specialty

The good news is that you have a wide range of specialties to choose from. The bad news? You have a wide range of specialties to choose from. How do you make up your mind? Fortunately you will have lots of exposure to each one. In nursing school you will typically spend about a semester in each specialty. Here’s a run down of each one:

Adult health – this encompasses a wide range of specialties from oncology to OR nursing. The benefit to specializing in adult health is that you will build a good solid foundation for your nursing career. The skills you learn in this area can be carried over to other areas; the reverse isn’t always true.

Critical Care – Do you crave excitement? Do you like to be where the action is? Then critical care is for you. It encompasses the ER and the ICU. ICU nursing involves more specialized skills. You have a smaller patient load (often 1-2 patients) but your patients are much more acutely ill.

Pediatrics – Caring for children can be one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences. The challenge? Children aren’t “supposed to get sick” so to see them and care for them in such a state can take its toll on you.

Maternal Health/Labor and Delivery – This is a good specialty to choose if you are interested in women’s health.

Psychiatric Nursing – This involves caring for the mentally ill in various capacities. Psych nurse can facilitate group therapy meetings, and they also carry out care plans for patients who are in the hospital.

Community Health – One thing that you will learn about in nursing school is the importance of health promotion. This is the concept that maintaining health starts with the actions that you take before you get sick. Community health nurses are great facilitators of this concept.

Complete Your RN Program

Complete Your RN Program – What to Expect

Nursing clinicals are what really get you ready for working in the healthcare setting. During clinicals, you will spend time working side by side with actual nurses, so you can get a feel for what it is they actually do. Many students find clinicals to be stressful at first. You worry about whether you will make a mistake that could actually harm a patient. Nursing students joke about this (“I made it through clinicals today with out killing anyone!”) but the truth of the matter is that you can find yourself in some very stressful situations.

Get In To The School of Your Choice

By now you know that there is a nursing shortage. What people don’t think about is the shortage of nursing instructors that goes along with this. What does this mean for you? It means that you may be facing waiting lists and steep competition among prospective nursing students. You will need to do everything possible to make sure you get to the top of the list.

Nursing schools will be looking at

  • Your grades
  • An Admissions Essay or Statement of Purpose
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • On the Job Experience

Choose the Nursing School

Choose the Nursing School That Fits You


There are nursing programs in the largest universities as well as the smallest community colleges. There are even online programs! So there’s bound to be something for you. Here are the questions to ask yourself when selecting a school.

Deciding whether you want to go for an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree is essential at this point. Community colleges typically offer associates degrees and are a good value if you are trying not to spend too much money. The advantage of getting an ADN is that it doesn’t take as long as a BSN and it requires less of the prerequisites. However, there are many positions that require a Bachelor’s degree for advancement, so it may be advisable to get the BSN when you can.

You must also consider where you want to go to school, and if you want to be a full- or part-time student. Luckily, there are plenty of options when it comes to nursing programs. Not only are there full- and part-time degree programs, there are also online schools where you can go to class from the comfort of your own home.

Find Your Path to the RN Title

In all States and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN. But there are many ways to get there!

You can obtain one (or more!) of several degrees in order to become a nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN): This degree is typically gained through a year of training at a hospital, graduation from vocational-technical school, or through community college.

Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN): is acquired through graduation from community college and usually takes two years. It prepares an RN for a very defined set of clinical practices, and coursework includes technical practice and nursing theory. Many nurses with an ADN will return to school for a BSN or higher degree.

Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN): A Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN) requires graduation from a traditional 4-year college or university, and provides the full preparation for the entire scope of RN responsibilities. The preparation from a BSN includes nursing theory and broad clinical practice, as well as study of human development, psychology, chemistry, biology, and nutritional sciences. BSN holders are qualified to pursue masters degrees and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) professions, including Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNW) , Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

The Nursing Profession

Learn Everything You Can About The Nursing Profession....



Nursing is the largest health care profession in the US, with over 2.9 million RNs nationwide. Because nurses are involved in every type of health care need from basic health to acute care, every nurse has followed a specific path of education to become an RN and develop an expertise.

Nurses do everything from treat and educate patients, provide emotional support, record medical histories, and perform diagnostic tests. Most nurses work in hospitals, but they can also be found in nursing homes, community health clinics, and ambulances.

Nursing as a Second Career

Attracted by strong demand, healthy salaries and prospects for more meaningful work, many mid-career workers – including some men – are giving nursing a closer look as a second career. So how do you get there from where you are?

Whether you decide to be an LPN/LVN or RN, you can find a nursing program that’s suited to your current educational level and time frame.

Once you’ve gotten your education and license, what can you expect on the floor? Along with the rewards that come from caring for patients, you’ll likely experience a few letdowns common to novice nurses. You’ll also face – and learn to handle – on-the-job issues you may not have encountered in your previous career.

10 Reason To Become a Nurse

Thinking about nursing? Here are 10 reasons why nursing makes a great career.

1. Nurses are in demand now, and will be even more in demand by 2020. In fact, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has projected a shortfall of 800,000 nurses by 2020. Think of the job opportunities there will be.

2. Nursing pays! According to the US Department of Labor, an average registered nursing salary is over $52,000. Many nurses earn over $72,000.

3. There are lots of different opportunities in nursing. You can work in hospitals, schools, government agencies, home care facilities and more.

4. Flexible schedules. Nursing shifts can come in increments of 4, 8, 10 or even 12 hours, on weekends and weekdays. There are many opportunities.

5. Nurses make a difference in people’s lives. Caring for people and helping others lead healthy lives is satisfying and important.

6. Nurses interact with different people everyday, including patients, doctors, medical staff and administrators.

7. Nursing is exciting. You never know what’s going to happen, and have to stay one your toes, solve problems and make good decisions. Everyday is different.

8. There are lots of opportunities for advancement in nursing. You can get promoted and take on bigger roles over time.

9. Nurses can change specialties. If you’re interested in pediatrics or trauma, you can move into those areas when the opportunities arise.

10. Nurses can take it on the road! Nurses are in demand everywhere and with portable skills; you can go where you want.