Online and Distance Learning

If you want to become a registered nurse, an online nursing program might be the best way to do it - and there's no better time than now.  So if you like the idea, what's stopping you?

Take The Plunge - Become Registered As A Nurse

By Sophia Peters

Do you want to qualify as a registered nurse?  Are you are thinking about taking an online degree to qualify, or perhaps to enhance your existing career in nursing?  You may have some questions that are stopping you from taking that next step.  Here are some answers to some common questions and some thoughts to help you decide.

What is nursing about?

As a nurse you are the human face of so much health care - providing direct patient care. You are the first point of contact as regards administration of treatment and conduct of diagnostic tests.  As such, you are incredibly important in the health care profession and as the nature of health care changes, this importance grows.

What do you study if you want to become a registered nurse?

Nursing education usually includes courses in anatomy, physiology, biological sciences, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, sociology, nursing, pharmacology, statistics, environmental and occupational health, and the liberal arts.  But usually you don't get all your training to become a registered nurse online.  Many programs also include supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

What are the qualifications to become a registered nurse?

Nurses most commonly enter the occupation by completing an Associate or Bachelor's degree program. You must then complete a national licensing examination.  Licensed graduates of these programs then qualify for entry-level nursing positions.

In order to work as a nurse in any health care facility, you must be a Registered Nurse (RN).  To become an RN in the United States, you must pass the relevant National Council Licensure EXamination (NCLEX-RN).  In Canada , you must pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Examination (CRNE). In both countries, this exam tests that you have the knowledge and problem solving skills needed to provide adequate health care to patients.  The NCLEX-RN is taken by both associate degree (ADN) and bachelors degree (BSN) graduates.  The pass rates are about the same for both ADN and BSN prepared nurses.  So which ever you choose, make sure that it is an RN online program, i.e., one that prepares you for the Nurse Registration exam.

Further training or education

If you are a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), you may wish to upgrade to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.  Special online programs for nursing have been created to help you do this - they are LPN to BSN programs.  Similarly, if you are an existing licensed registered nurse (RN) with an Associate degree or diploma, you may wish to take an online nursing program at Bachelor's level. And some schools offer specific RN to BSN programs to do this. 

There are several advantages to getting your BSN degree if you have the time and money to do it. The BSN will give you a solid foundation in the theory behind nursing and in how nursing practice fits into the overall environment of health care. Many of the best nursing jobs - specialties such as Nurse Practitioner, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), Nurse Administrator, and so on - require a BSN degree or even a Masters degree.  And you can usually earn a higher salary with a BSN.

Some schools/colleges offer online RN to MSN programs. These accelerated online degree completion programs are designed for graduates of Associate Degree Nursing programs who wish to earn the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. RN to MSN programs allow nurses to pursue a master's degree while they still work on their Bachelor's degree. Nurses completing these accelerated programs earn their BS in Nursing and MS in Nursing degrees at a faster pace and lower cost than completing each degree separately.

As you can see, there are many career paths within the nursing profession. It can be a bit confusing at times, but remember that many hospitals will pay for further education when you start at an entry level nursing position. Most nursing positions will also have some continuing education requirements to renew your license. You can take courses online and track continuing education for nurses using Medscape.org, a well-known professional development resource.

What jobs are there for a registered nurse?

Nursing professionals are always in demand all over the world. Nurses are found in several major settings, including: Hospitals - where they provide bedside nursing care and administer medical care plans; Clinics/Centers/Healthcare Offices - caring for outpatients in doctors' offices, clinics, and emergency medical centers, where they assist with examinations, administer injections and medications, etc; Nursing Homes - caring for residents; Schools; Home Care/Hospice - providing nursing services to patients at home; Prevention/Education Programs; Public Health; And there are many other opportunities for nurses.

Technological advances in patient care are driving growth in the profession. In particular, rapid growth is expected in nurses for hospital outpatient facilities due to the growing trend in discharging patients earlier and performing more procedures as outpatients. Hospital jobs for nurses will not grow as rapidly. The aging population of the country will also lead to the need for more nurses over the next seven years. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow over 20% up to 2016.

Your salary will obviously depend on your experience, qualifications and which role you pursue. But in the US, the median salary range for an RN with 1 to 4 years experience is &40,550 - $59.069 whilst in Canada it is C$38.744 - C$55,887 (source: PayScale).  That's a fairly good salary - but that's probably not why you want to become a registered nurse.

More information on how to become a registered nurse

Click here to find out more about the degrees mentioned in this article:

• ADN (associate degree in nursing)
• BSN (bachelor of science in nursing)
• LPN to BSN
• RN to BSN
• MSN (masters degree in nursing)

If you don't find what you want here, try using the search facility on this site using how to become a registered nurse as your search term.