Even as nursing career has diversified into many disciplines, the principal requirement of nurses remains in hospitals and different healthcare centers. However, many nurses prefer to function independently as nurse practitioners, certified midwives, specialist nurses for clinics, certified nurses for anesthetists and so on. Many of these specialized jobs call for nursing education up to master’s level after having served as registered nurses that require bachelor’s degree.

Let us now look at what a student needs to know in order to become a practitioner in nursing.

Studying Nursing

You need to be a student of Science in high school with chemistry, biology, physics, psychology, algebra, English, and preferably computer application. In order to enroll into a nursing school, you may need to take NLN Pre-Admission Examination in addition to other tests, such as SATs. It is always a good idea to seek admission in state-approved accredited nursing schools. For good career prospects, studying 4-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is preferable. Other common courses are 2-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program and 2 to 3-year Hospital Diploma in Nursing. A BSN degree will pave the way to study masters course in nursing, if later you so desire.

NCLEX Licensure Examinations

Assuming that you have already earned your bachelor degree in nursing, it is now time for you to pass one of the two licensure examinations conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). The examinations are meant to test your competence to effectively and safely serve as a newly licensed, entry-level registered nurse. The two examinations are the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).