How To Become a Registered Nurse

Are you thinking of making a switch in your career and becoming a registered nurse? Have you always wanted to become a registered nurse? Whether you fall in either you first need to be mentally ready for lots of nursing responsibilities.

Once you become a registered nurse, you will be able to gain skills on how to become a nurse as you decide if you want to continue as a nurse or specialize in another level of nursing like a nurse practitioner. Becoming a registered nurse is not as easy as it looks. But be assured that all that hard work and sweat will be paid back.

Different Types of Nurses

Before you register to be a nurse you need to decide which type of nurse you want to be. The different types of nursing are

1. i) Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
2. ii) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

• iii) Registered Nurse (RN)

1. iv) Certified Nurse Practitioner (CNP)
2. v) Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
3. vi) Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

After you decided on which type of nurse you want to become, you can now start your steps toward becoming a registered nurse. But first, let’s analyze all the key responsibilities of a nurse and guide you on how to become a registered nurse.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Registered Nurse

A registered nurse plays the role of the right hand of the doctor. He/she is always present around the patients more than the doctor is. Their responsibilities depend on where they are stationed. Can be in a doctor’s office, school clinic, or hospital. Those responsibilities include:

• Administer medication and treatments to the patients
• Update and educate the patient’s family about the patient condition and treatment
• Take care of the patient’s wounds
• Note down the patient’s medical problems
• Update the patient’s medical file
• Looking after the patient and conducting the required assessments
• Collecting lab samples needed for lab work like urine, blood, and stool

Getting the nursing certifications is one of the best decisions because once you become a registered nurse be assured to secure a well-paying salary no matter where you are stationed. With all the new medical technologies coming up more hospitals are being opened and that means nurses are in high demand. At the same time, the nurse’s salary keeps on rising.

How to Become a Registered Nurse

Steps on how to be part of the registered nurse team in the world are very simple and straightforward. First, you need to have the nursing entry points and have the right degree. Then, you need to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and make sure you pass it. Finally, get the nursing license and you are ready to start your nursing career.

Here are other requirements in detail for you to be a registered nurse:

Get Your Nursing Degree

This is the first step you need to take if you have already decided to study nursing. The nursing degree has to be from a well-accredited university whether from your country or abroad. The type of degree and the duration of studying will depend on which level of nursing you want to study.

In some countries, for you to be a registered nurse you are not required to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing just an associate’s degree. Over the years, the rules of the game have changed. For you to be a registered nurse, you have to hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) which will take 4 years. Our nursing assignment help service can help you complete your degree.

Some accelerated BSN programs do allow nursing students to have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree so that they can complete the BSN quickly. Still the duration of study depends on how you enroll in the university. If you enroll full-time, you have a better chance to finish quickly but still, you can enroll part-time.

The best and quickest way to be a registered nurse if you are a first-time student in the university is to enroll in a 4-year BSN. If you had already started on your associate’s degree, you can study an RN-BSN completion program. This program can take up to 12 months for you to complete. Mark this, if you have a bachelor’s degree in a different field, accelerated nursing programs have programs that you can finish in just 16 months.

Let’s look at the two different types of registered nursing programs

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

This type of degree is for students with a degree but not in the nursing field. It is very affordable and is offered in the local community and technical colleges. It’s mostly used by people with families or who are still working. You can study and still be able to finish because it takes only 2 years to complete. Studying ADN will help you to be able to work and start to save for the BSN.

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

This is the main nursing degree. You need to have BSN so that you can be considered to work in big hospitals and have a high salary. BSN graduates are highly considered in a private hospital that pays better. It takes 2 years more from the ADN degree making a total of 4 years to finish your BSN. After obtaining a BSN you can study Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctorate if you want to become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).

Sit and Pass the NCLEX Exam

The next step after you have finished your bachelor’s degree in nursing is to make sure you sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX).

This exam is intended to examine your knowledge in the nursing field and make sure that you are ready for the challenges. You have to pass this exam for you to get a license to practice nursing. In cases where you don’t pass, you will have to wait for 45 days to retake the exam.

The National Council of exams, reports that most students fail in their first attempt at this exam. So, don’t panic if you fail on the first attempt. You have seven more attempts for you to try and pass. The passing standard of NCLEX is –0.18 logits. You need to answer at least 75 questions for you to pass but not 100% guaranteed. You have to study hard and smart too and use the best resources to pass. The results take up to 6 weeks to come out.

Best resources to study for NCLEX

1. Nurse Plus Academy.
2. Free NCLEX Questions

• Union Test Prep.

1. Official NCLEX-RN and NCLEX –PN practice test sets
2. RegisteredNursing.org.
3. Kaplan Free NCLEX Questions and Review

• Paid NCLEX Questions and Tests
• NCLEX Mastery

1. NRSNG Academy

Using the best resources is good but you have to make good use of them in the right way. These tips will guide you on how to become a registered nurse.

Here are the best tips to ensure you pass your NCLEX-RN exam:

1. Prioritize the main NCLEX questions.

You need to have access to NCLEX exam questions and prioritize the frequent and main questions asked. In a case where you don’t have access to official questions, you can prep with the frequently asked questions from reputable test-prep companies.

1. Do a Practice Exam

They say practice makes perfect. It does help some people when revising for the NCLEX exam. Taking a test before the main exam will help highlight the questions that you need more revision on to have a better score in the main exam.

You can use your computer to test yourself but use an official test if possible. Do the practice test, record your score, and make sure you concentrate on the questions that you did not pass. The official tests come with detailed explanations that will guide you in figuring out why the answer is wrong.

1. c) Focus on Your Mistake Patterns

As you go through your practice exam, highlight the pattern mistakes you are making when answering the NCLEX exam. Identify the mistakes, have a detailed revision on them, and answer them again but differently to see if you will get it right this time.

1. d) Track Your Practice

Do as many practice exams as you can as you study for the exam. The more the practice exams the better chances you have to pass with flying colors. As you move to the next test check your progress and pay attention to your weak areas.

1. e) Have a Study Plan

Create a schedule for you to study and make sure you commit to it. If you are working, plan on the days that you will study for the exam. Set specific hours that you get away from all distractions and focus on studying. You can set a goal for each study session you have.

1. f) Make Use of Test Prep Resources

Invest in different test prep resources online that will help you be ready and confident in the exam. They have the best test questions and answers to guide you in your NCLEX exam revision.

1. g) Believe in Yourself

This is the most important tip. You can go through the test prep questions but if you don’t have faith in yourself that you can make it, you will end up failing even after the second attempt. Even if you don’t pass the first attempt wait for the next and the next attempt until you pass.

Get Licensed

Congratulations you passed the NCLEX exam! You are just a step away to be able to make a difference in people’s lives. Now all you need to do is get a nursing license. Every country and state has its process on how to get a nursing license and fees to be paid for you to obtain the license. Choose the country you want to work from and apply for the license according to the country’s rules.

Take the first step and become a registered nurse

Taking everything into account, the journey of becoming a registered nurse is not very easy. It’s full of lots of hardworking hours, 100% dedication to studying nursing, and the heart to change other people’s lives.

Once you become a registered nurse, you will have the opportunity to make a direct difference in the patient’s medical life. There are other benefits like a competitive salary and a stable job despite of where you are located.