Do you want to become the good nurse but are worried about the job description and other details? You’re on the right page now, so there’s no need to worry since you choose to research. In the twenty-first century, nursing has developed into a collaboration in our healthcare experience from conception to death. The care, education, and safety of patients are provided by nurses with specialized skills and a lot of heart.
The nursing profession is a dynamic one. We will thus strive to advise you on everything pertaining to this career in this text. We’ll talk about nursing, a step-by-step path in order to become one, the qualifications and other prerequisites, the duties and tasks, and the pay for RNs in all 54 states in the USA.
Also read: How to Be A Certified Nurse Assistant
How To Become A Nurse?
Let’s talk about a step-by-step manual to help you comprehend how to become a nurse.
1. Determine for Yourself What You Really Want To Be
Prior to anything else, you must choose a nursing career. Do you wish to work as a nursing assistant, nurse practitioner, or registered nurse? Let’s proceed now that you got it resolved.
2. Check Basic Requirements
To enroll in a nursing degree program, you must fulfill the prerequisites. So, it would be wise to check. Here are the typical prerequisites to enroll in a nursing program; undoubtedly different institutions and states may have distinct sets of criteria.
- GED equivalent or high school diploma.
- Courses that are prerequisites include anatomy, biology, mathematics, chemistry, and physiology (where appropriate).
- GPA and academic performance, if relevant.
- Scores on the SAT or ACT (where appropriate).
- Recommendation letters, as appropriate.
- Essay or a personal statement, as appropriate.
- Where appropriate, clinical or volunteer experience.
- Interview for admission (if applicable).
- Suitable Schools
3 Pick Between A Degree Or Diploma Program
There are many different nursing degree programs available. Let’s talk about each of them.
Diploma Or Certificate
Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)
If you pass the certification exam after completing this nursing training program, you can become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). The RNs or other healthcare professionals are helped by nursing assistants.
This program is available through community colleges, technical schools, and hospitals. The National League for Nursing Accredited Commision (NLNAC) and the state’s nursing board must both have authorized it, so be sure to double check.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
They provide patient care by helping registered nurses (RNs) and doctors with routine medical procedures. They are the ones who are seen with the patients giving continuing care in hospitals. Daily responsibilities include keeping an eye on patients’ health, regularly checking their blood pressure, giving them medication, and helping them with simple activities like getting dressed and using the restroom.
The community, technical, and vocational colleges offer LPN programs that you can complete in roughly a year. You need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination in order to obtain a license in order to work.
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
They are the ones giving patients in hospitals the most basic bedside care. They are managed by RNs and doctors while they are at work. Their primary responsibilities include providing comfort and care to patients while also monitoring their vital signs, changing bandages, helping them get dressed, move around, and eat.
In the state where you want to work, you must enroll in a recognized associate’s program in nursing or healthcare. It takes around a year to complete this program. In order to be job-ready after graduation, you must obtain your licence by passing the NCLEX-VN, or National Council Licensure Examination for Vocational Nurses.
Degree Programs
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
The associate degree program is typically short, taking two to three years to finish. They give you the fundamentals of nursing education, and your ability to advance depends on your experience. However, before you may become a certified nurse and begin working, you must pass the national licensing exam (NCLEX).
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
A BSN degree can be earned in around 4 years and will adequately equip you for employment. You will have more chances to land employment with more responsibility and better pay as a result. In order to become a certified nurse, you must pass the national licensing exam (NCLEX), even if you have a BSN.
You can continue your education and advance in your career if you don’t want to be restricted to the position of a nurse providing direct patient care.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
With this advanced nursing degree, you could work as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), nurse educator, or nurse practitioner.
Doctor of Nursing Practise (DNP)
You could work in advanced administrative and research positions after earning this doctoral degree.
4. Get A Registered Licence
Either an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s degree in nursing must have been earned before you may become a registered nurse. After completion, you’ll need to pass the licencing test and obtain a state licence.
As we said, different licence examinations must be passed in order to become a certified nursing assistant. You must succeed on the NCLEX-RN exam in order to become an RN.
The NCLEX-RN and a national certification exam given by a professional organization like the American Nurses Credentialing Centre or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners must first be passed in order to become a nurse practitioner (NP) after receiving your MSN.
5. Find A Nursing Job
You may now proceed. You are qualified to work in a range of places, including medical offices, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted housing communities, and long-term care institutions. Join your dream company now.
You can now select a nursing speciality after landing a job, such as neonatal nursing, clinical nursing, critical care nursing, etc.
You need experience, more education, and training specific to your goal for job progression.
What Skills Do You Need To Be the Good Nurse?
Only having a good degree won’t ensure your success as a nurse and become a good nurse. In addition to having the right knowledge, you should have or develop a few abilities that are essential to succeeding in your role as an RN. The skills needed include:
Critical-thinking skills
To give the patient the greatest care possible, you must be able to think analytically to evaluate their condition, recognize any changes in their health status, and act quickly.
Communication skills
To comprehend patients’ problems and assess their health situations, you are able to interact with them effectively. You should be able to readily and effectively explain complicated medical information to patients.
Additionally, you must provide explicit directions about the way to take medication, whether before or after a meal, as well as the dos and don’ts. You should consult with other healthcare experts about the patient’s needs as needed because you work in a team with them.
Organizational skills
It’s crucial for you to be organized because you’ll be working with a variety of patients who have different health needs. To make sure that every patient receives the right care, you should be able to coordinate diverse treatment plans and records.
Emotional equilibrium
Without a doubt, a career in nursing may be emotionally taxing and difficult. Therefore, it is crucial for you to develop emotional resilience and the capacity to handle stress, emergencies, and other pressures.
Physical endurance
You might occasionally need to carry out some physically demanding activities, including lifting and moving patients and carrying equipment. Additionally, this occupation requires standing for longer stretches of time, such as eight hours. You must be in good physical shape for this. Therefore, eat well.
Detail-oriented
Precision is important in nursing, therefore you should exercise it. You should be able to carefully observe patients, give drugs on time, and accurately record data.
Compassion
The difficult scenario has already made the sufferer or their family anxious and afraid. Therefore, it is your responsibility to show sympathy for them by being kind to them and reassuring them. You should deal with them patiently.
What Registered Nurses Are Paid To Do?
As a registered nurse (RN), you have the option of specialising in a number of nursing specialities, including neonatal nursing, cardiovascular nursing, critical care nursing, psychiatric nursing, and more. You can choose from a variety of healthcare environments, such as the military, clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes, etc.
However, based on the specialization and the patient’s demands, the spectrum of duties and responsibilities may change. The duties that RNs are typically responsible for are listed below:
Evaluation and Record
They keep track of their observations while they observe and evaluate a patient’s condition. They document the patient’s symptoms and medical background.
Administering health plans and medications
In order to provide patients with medications and treatments, they consult with doctors and other healthcare specialists. Additionally, they create patient care plans or add to already-existing ones.
Medical Supplies
In order to conduct diagnostic tests and analyze the data, registered nurses (RNs) operate and monitor medical equipment.
Patients’ and Families’ Education
They impart knowledge on how to treat illnesses or injuries to patients and their families. What exactly is necessary at home following treatment is explained.
Emotional Assistance
Nurses support the patients and their relatives emotionally, especially in trying and stressful circumstances.
Promotion of Health
They take part in activities that promote health, such as educating the local population about preventative measures.
Studying and Developing
Some registered nurses (RNs) are engaged in research, which helps to establish evidence-based nursing practices. No matter their speciality or area of study, all RNs adhere to an equivalent nursing process. The technique of nursing is a scientific system that uses 5 standardized phases to provide the best possible patient care. The actions are:
1. Assessment
You will be evaluating the patient based on their lifestyle, as well as their physical, financial, and social conditions.
2. Diagnosis
Through careful study of both the patient’s physical symptoms and behaviour, you’ll be developing a patient diagnosis.
3. Planning and outcomes
You’ll make strategies or achievable objectives for the patient’s recuperation using your skills. Following that, you’ll keep a tight eye on the results or goals attained.
4. Execution
To ensure continuity of treatment for the patient in addition to documenting their development, you need to first generate a treatment plan and then put it into action.
5. Evaluation
An assessment of your medical treatment plans and the goals you’ve set is the last step. You must evaluate the plan’s efficacy and comprehend the patient’s reaction. To provide the greatest possible outcomes for the patients, you should adjust or improve the strategy as necessary.
Salary Ranges for Registered Nurses in Each US State
Salary information for nurses from the BLS
- The typical annual wage is $89,010.
- The typical hourly wage is $42.80.
- California has the highest wage with $133,340.
- Puerto Rico has the lowest pay of any state, at $37,360.
Average annual salary by state:
Alabama (AL) – $66,910
Alaska (AK) – $103,310
Arizona (AZ) – $86,740
Arkansas (AR) – $66,530
California (CA) – $133,340
Colorado (CO) – $86,590
Connecticut (CT) – $94,260
Delaware (DE) – $85,020
District of Columbia (DC) – $98,230
Florida (FL) – $79,910
Georgia (GA) – $85,180
Guam (GU) – N/A
Hawaii (HI) – $113,220
Idaho (ID) – $78,610
Illinois (IL) – $82,220
Indiana (IN) – $75,580
Iowa (IA) – $69,370
Kansas (KS) – $71,990
Kentucky (KY) – $77,620
Louisiana (LA) – $75,920
Maine (ME) – $77,410
Maryland (MD) – $87,990
Massachusetts (MA) – $104,150
Michigan (MI) – $80,660
Minnesota (MN) – $88,860
Mississippi (MS) – $67,930
Missouri (MO) – $71,860
Montana (MT) – $78,350
Nebraska (NE) – $73,510
Nevada (NV) – $96,310
New Hampshire (NH) – $83,420
New Jersey (NJ) – $96,670
New Mexico (NM) – $85,580
New York (NY) – $100,130
North Carolina (NC) – $77,420
North Dakota (ND) – $75,000
Ohio (OH) – $78,450
Oklahoma (OK) – $76,920
Oregon (OR) – $106,610
Pennsylvania (PA) – $80,630
Puerto Rico (PR) – $37,360
Rhode Island (RI) – $88,250
South Carolina (SC) – $74,330
South Dakota (SD) – $64,500
Tennessee (TN) – $72,480
Texas (TX) – $84,320
Utah (UT) – $76,400
Vermont (VT) – $79,990
Virgin Islands (VI) – $69,200
Virginia (VA) – $81,860
Washington (WA) – $101,670
Washington DC (DC) – $98,540
West Virginia (WV) – $72,230
Wisconsin (WI) – $81,000
Wyoming (WY) – $81,010
