To become a registered nurse (RN), you finish a state-approved nursing program, usually a two-year associate degree (ADN) or a four-year bachelor’s (BSN), then pass the NCLEX-RN exam and get licensed through your state board of nursing. Science prerequisites come first, and admission to nursing programs is often competitive, so the planning starts earlier than most people expect.
What nursing is really like day to day
An RN assesses patients, gives medications and treatments, watches for changes, documents everything and coordinates with physicians, therapists and families. A big part of the job is teaching patients how to manage their care at home.
Hospitals run around the clock, so many new nurses work 12-hour shifts that include nights, weekends and holidays. You are on your feet, lifting patients and handling hard moments with frightened families.
- Hospital units: medical-surgical, intensive care, emergency, labor and delivery, pediatrics, oncology.
- Outside the hospital: clinics, doctor’s offices, schools, home health, long-term care, outpatient surgery and public health.
ADN, BSN or LPN: the main training routes
- Associate degree in nursing (ADN): offered mainly at community colleges, often after a semester or more of prerequisites. It leads to the same NCLEX-RN exam and is usually the lower-cost route. Waitlists and competitive admission are common.
- Bachelor of science in nursing (BSN): a four-year degree that adds public health, research and leadership coursework. Many hospitals prefer it, and some units and leadership roles expect it. Plenty of ADN nurses later finish an RN-to-BSN program while working.
- Licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN): a shorter certificate program and a separate exam, the NCLEX-PN, with a narrower scope of practice under RN or physician supervision. Some people use it as a paid step toward an LPN-to-RN bridge.
- Accelerated BSN: an intensive full-time program for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field.
Most programs require anatomy and physiology, microbiology, chemistry, statistics and English, and science grades weigh heavily in admissions. Starting at a community college can keep costs down; see starting at community college.
Licensing in plain terms
Every RN passes the NCLEX-RN, a national exam, and then meets state requirements, which commonly include fingerprinting and a criminal history review. Requirements vary by state, so check your state board of nursing and confirm that any program you consider is board-approved and accredited. Many states belong to a multistate compact that lets a nurse practice in other member states on one license. Advanced roles such as nurse practitioner require graduate school and further licensing.
A step-by-step path from high school
- Take biology and chemistry, plus anatomy if your school offers it. Dual enrollment can get a prerequisite out of the way early.
- Get near patients: hospital volunteering, or a short nursing assistant (CNA) course, which some high schools and community colleges offer.
- Decide between ADN and BSN based on cost, admission odds and what local hospitals hire. Ask a hospital recruiter directly.
- Finish prerequisites with strong grades and apply to more than one program.
- Complete nursing school, including clinical rotations on several kinds of units.
- Pass the NCLEX-RN and apply for your license.
- Look for a new graduate residency, a structured first year that many hospitals offer.
How to test the fit before you commit
- Work as a CNA or patient care technician. Nothing tells you faster whether you like hands-on care.
- Ask to shadow an RN for a full shift, ideally a night shift too.
- Hold informational interviews with nurses in two or three specialties.
Who thrives, and why some people switch out
Nurses who last tend to stay calm when things go wrong, notice small changes, like applied science and can stay kind to a patient who is rude to them. People leave bedside nursing over night shifts, physical strain, staffing pressure or disliking the hospital itself, and many move rather than quit: school nursing, clinics, case management or education. If you love the patient contact but want a different scope, compare becoming a physician assistant or dental hygiene. For current pay and job outlook, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Nursing as a second career
With a bachelor’s degree already, an accelerated BSN is fastest but hard to combine with a job. Without one, an ADN lets you take evening prerequisites while working. Either way, plan finances for the clinical years. Our guides on changing careers and a mid-career pivot cover the money and timing questions.
Where a mentor helps
Nursing is a long chain of deadlines: prerequisites, entrance exams, applications, clinicals and NCLEX study. A mentor helps a student map that chain, keep science grades up through weekly check-ins, prepare for program interviews and plan the first job search. Mentors are not career counselors with credentials, admissions counselors or licensing experts; the program’s advisors and your state board give official answers. See career and education mentoring and mentoring for college students.
Related
- Careers for people who like helping
- How to become a physical therapist
- How to become a doctor
- All career path guides
- Nurse vs Physician Assistant: Roles, Training and Fit
Common questions
Is an ADN or a BSN better for becoming a nurse?
Both lead to the NCLEX-RN and an RN license. An ADN is usually faster and cheaper; a BSN opens more hospital jobs and leadership roles, and many nurses start with an ADN and finish a BSN while working.
Can I become a nurse if I am not good at science?
You need to pass anatomy, physiology, microbiology and chemistry, and nursing uses that science every shift. Many people who struggled in high school science do well with steady weekly study habits.
What is the NCLEX?
It is the national licensing exam for nurses. RNs take the NCLEX-RN and practical nurses take the NCLEX-PN, after finishing an approved program and applying to their state board.
Is working as a CNA worth it before nursing school?
For most people, yes. It shows you the physical and emotional side of patient care, gives you something real to talk about in applications, and some employers help pay for nursing school.
Get started
Planning a path into nursing and want help staying on track? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.