Nurses play an important role in the healthcare team. They take high level responsibilities for the patients. They are usually the main point of contact who is usually providing great care to the patients.
To become a nurse, you should have a nursing degree which is a vocational degree, which means you will be trained and you will become a nurse after the completion of the degree. In the beginning, you will be given basic knowledge skills. Including, bedside manners, how a patient is responding, and how to give medications responsibly. The degree will allow you to apply your skills to what you have trained throughout.
Initial Requirements:
Bachelors of nursing courses vary from different institutes around the world. In general, their tenure is three to four years. The pathway to becoming a nurse is different around the world. For example, in the US you do not need to have a nursing degree. You can become a nurse by having a 2- or 3-years diploma in an associate degree in nursing. But many people prefer to have a bachelor’s degree to increase their chances of specialization in advanced courses.
Initially to enroll yourself in bachelor in nursing courses you need to have good high or secondary school grades. You should qualify for at least one science subject like biology is preferable. Nursing schools may also want that you should have previous experience related to the degree like some sort of voluntary work, part time job, etc. You may need to have a health screening and provide other evidence that you are not involved in a criminal activity previously. An institute can conduct its background check for you.
Levels of the Degree1:
There are different potentials in a nursing degree which means you have multiple opportunities in this profession. Options are wide once you will become professional. There are multiple levels of the degree to fulfill the desires of every individual. The levels are as follows:
Nursing Assistant (CNA):
It is also sometimes said by the nursing aides or Certified Nursing Assistants. They are not merely professional nurses but they are the bridge between the medical staff and the patient. It is the starting point for many nurses to become professionals. They have multiple duties like bathing the patients, help them dress, eat and use the bathroom. To listen to their patient’s concerns and monitor their vitals and transfer the information to the doctors.
To become a Nursing Assistant, you should complete a certified educational program. It takes for to eight weeks to complete the CNA training. After completing the training, you must pass the exam in order to become a certified CNA. On completion of the certification, your initial annual salary will be approximately $25,000 to $29,000. And you will have a growth of 7 to 9 percent yearly.
Licensed Practical Nurse(LPN):
They are sometimes called licensed vocational nurses2. They are responsible for various duties of patients. They monitor the patients and provide them basic care. Their responsibilities might include checking blood pressure and other vital signs, starting drips, and change their bandages. They also communicate with patients and their families to guide them about their care plans.
You can become LPN by completing a practical nursing diploma. You can find this diploma in community colleges, technical institutes, and career colleges. It can be completed within 6 to 12 months usually. After the completion of the degree, you have to pass the exam of NCLEX-PN to get your license and you will be qualified for the work.
Many additional certificates are available for nursing if you want to boost your skills. This certificate shows that you have an advanced level of skills and you have more growth in your career if you are promising. After this, your annual salary might be $40,000 to $48,000. And you can project 8 to 11 percent employment growth.
Registered Nurse:
They are often called the nurse. They are experienced and performed a wide range of roles in the care of patients. Their key responsibilities are to record the patient’s medical history, monitor the symptoms, administer the medical equipment, diagnose the patient by performing different tests, collaborate with doctors, and maintain the caring plans.
They are responsible to take care of Licensed Practical Nurse and Nursing Assistants in their supervision. Their duties vary depending on what type of patients they care for and where they are working. They have the opportunity to take care specific population of patients in which they are specialized.
There are two types of RN degrees, one is Associate Degree in Nursing and the other one is Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. You can complete an ADN in 12 to 18 months and BSN in 24 to 33 months. Before choosing the track to which you want to go you must think about it and how much you are dedicated to your work. You will have to make hard choices during this degree. Whichever degree you have, you must pass the NCLEX exam to get the license. Your annual salary might be $60,000 to $75,000, it can vary from where you are working. Your annual employment growth rate can be 10 to 12 percent.
Advance Practised Registered Nurses (APRNs):
The nurses who have their MSN degrees can become APRNs. When it comes to choosing a career these nurses have a wide range of opportunities. They have the liberty to work independently as well as can collaborate with a physician. They can perform all the duties of a registered nurse and more extensive tasks than others. For example, they can order the nurses that are working under them, evaluate the results of different tests. They can refer a patient to different specialists.
The first step in becoming an APRN is you have to be a registered nurse. You must have the license of RN. But most of the time BSN degree is preferable. After graduation, you must pass the NCE in your area of expertise. Your annual salary maybe $100,000 to $120,000 and employment growth can be 24 to 26 percent.
1 https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/nursing/blog/different-levels-of-nursing/
2 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses.htm
