Latest job projection is that there will be a 26% growth from 2010 to 2020 in the demand for nurses in the U.S. This growth rate is faster than most jobs. If you are considering becoming a nurse in the US there are certain requirements that you will be required to meet.
Nurse in the US : Qualifying as a Registered Nurse
There are three ways to qualify to be Registered Nurse, after which you can apply for entry-level nurse positions:
-Complete a BSN- Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing
-Complete an ADN- Associate Degree in Nursing
-Complete a Diploma Program in any hospital.
If you have an Associate Degree, you can later opt to enter a Bachelor’s program. This will add to your future educational and career opportunities.
If you have a primary degree in any other field you can choose to do a Bachelor of Science Degree in any nursing program. Some universities also offer transfer credits to those who may have completed some modules in any other science degree program. These transfer credits are always given at the discretion of individual universities.
Nurse in the US : Curriculum of Registered Nursing Programs
All registered programs comprise of classroom training as well as block experience in clinics or hospitals. Typically, the subjects that student nurses will study include:
-Anatomy,-Chemistry,-Physiology,-Psychology,-Nutrition,-Microbiology,-Nursing,-Behavioral Sciences
In the practical block of your education as a student nurse, you will be supervised in a hospital department and will generally be rotated around departments such as pediatrics, maternity, psychiatry and surgery.
Nurse in the US : Qualifying To Be A Nurse
In the past, most nurses qualified for their jobs via diploma programs. Today, advances in nursing practices have also changed the qualification requirements and a large percentage of nurses qualify via completion of an associate or bachelor degree program. After you have acquired your degree or diploma, you will then have to obtain a nursing license, which involves taking a national licensing examination called the NCLEX-RN.
The NCLEX-RN is a computer-based test that has been designed to measure the knowledge and skills of potential nurses. The test asks between 75-265 questions. The larger the number of questions you get right, the faster you move through the required levels. Answering a question wrong will mean that you will have to stay at that particular level until such time that you prove that you have the knowledge to move through to the next level. There is also a time limit for the test. Student Nurses are allocated six hours to take this test.
Nurse in the US : Additional Qualifications
Earlier, many state laws required that a qualified nurse would have to take an additional license examination in order to work in a state apart from the one that they had qualified in. Today this is obsolete as most states have entered into “The Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement”, which gives licensed nurses permission to practice in any of the member-states without the need for any additional license.
Study Nursing at American International Medical University (AIMU)
American International Medical University (AIMU) is an institutional partner of Washington Medical Science institute and the Government of Saint Lucia. AIMU’s US Campus /Clinical Admin is centrally located at the Washington Adventist University and Hospital Campus, Takoma Park, Maryland, USA.
At AIMU, our mission is to prepare highly dedicated students to become effective, successful Physicians & Nurses by focusing on imparting the knowledge, skills, and values required for our students to establish a successful path in their career.