When you don’t have all of the details, jumping into anything new might be frightening. That is why deciding on a career is so difficult. It’s not like you can just go to school for a few years, test out a job for a few months, and then change jobs if you don’t like it—at least not without extra education and training.
It’s no different when it comes to becoming a registered nurse (RN). Based on TV episodes or our real-life contacts in hospitals and doctor’s offices, we all assume we know what an RN performs. What happens behind the scenes, though? Is nursing school worthwhile once you’ve graduated?
How does it feel to work as a nurse? How difficult is it to train as a registered nurse? It’s hard to grab a good image of this profession. So, to assist you, we’ve compiled all of the information about how difficult it is to become a registered nurse.
What is the role of a Registered Nurse?
A licensed RN has completed the educational requirements—either an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing—clinical nursing requirements and passed the NCLEX-RN to get licensing in their state.
In hospitals, clinics, outpatient care centers, and residential care facilities, RNs give round-the-clock direct care to patients. Recognizing abnormalities, assessing patients, and delivering medicine while maintaining contact with a team of healthcare specialists is what they do. Oncology, acute and critical care, gerontology, and pediatrics are among the specialties available.
Clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and nurse anesthetists are all options for RNs with a graduate nursing degree.
How Difficult is it to Become a Nurse?
Being a nurse is difficult because you prioritize the lives of your patients. You must be selfless, empathetic, and ready for anything in this job. In the case of an emergency, the head nurse can quickly move you to another wing and expect you to do your tasks as expected, even if you are unfamiliar with that section of the hospital.
A nurse must be able to recall medicines and their dosages by heart. A nurse must keep track of a patient’s vitals and paperwork in order to determine whether or not to call the doctor.
A college diploma is required to work as a registered nurse. A bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), an associate degree in nursing (ASN), or a nursing diploma are the three options.
Bachelor of Science degrees, which are offered at universities and colleges, are generally seen to be the greatest preparation, but they are also the most difficult. Community and junior colleges provide associate degrees, while hospital departments offer diplomas.
How long it takes to become a registered nurse after high school?
It takes at least two years after graduating from high school to become a registered nurse, however, three or four years is more typical. Before enrolling in a degree or diploma program, many registered nurses opt to work as licensed practical nurses (LPN) or nursing aide for a year or more.
If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you can enroll in an accelerated bachelor of science in the nursing program, which takes 12 to 18 months rather than the standard 3 to 4 years.
Summing Up:
Nursing is an extremely difficult profession, and not everyone is made out to cope with people in distress (as well as joy). Working as a volunteer or assistant in a hospital before enrolling in a nursing course allows you to examine your emotional and compassionate abilities and enhances your chances of graduating from a nursing course. It will also make you more appealing to trainers, whose courses are frequently overcrowded.