Is becoming a nurse right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
Still unsure if becoming a nurse is the right career path? Take the free CareerExplorer career test to find out if this career is right for you. Perhaps you are well-suited to become a nurse or another similar career!
Described by our users as being “shockingly accurate”, you might discover careers you haven’t thought of before.
How to become a Nurse
One of the first steps to becoming a nurse is getting a solid education, whether you hope to be a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse, or a nurse practitioner. Every state requires students to graduate from an approved nursing degree program in order to become licensed.
An associate degree program takes less time to complete, which allows one to enter the workforce sooner. However, employers are more apt to hire a nurse with a bachelor's degree because they receive a more in-depth education. Having said that, plenty of nurses with associate degrees go on to earn higher degrees with the help of tuition reimbursement from their employer.
Many of the university courses for students pursuing a nursing degree are challenging. Classes are focused on science and mathematics, medical terminology and biology, and many hours studying and memorizing can be expected. A clean background check and drug screening are also almost a given for people in the healthcare industry, since the level of trust between employer and employee is very high.