how long does it take to become a registered nurse?
hello, my name is sara and I'm a junior in my vocational high school. my vocation is nursing assistance . i have many interests such as music, singing, cosmetics, hair. but with my vocational program i really enjoy my experience working with patients. i have many questions like how long would it take to become a registered nurse? what classes would i need to take in college? and what a good college for me (BOSTON)? #college #nursing #classes #registered-nursing
3 answers
Jared’s Answer
I am not from the northeast so I cannot give a good recommendation on a nursing school but I can tell you about becoming a nurse. Nursing school from start to finish is a total of four years in college. This is two years of prerequisite classes, followed by applying to get into nursing school, followed by attending nursing school for two years. It is not like other majors where you simply take the required classes along with some electives and end up graduating with a degree. Nursing is a specialized school that you apply to apart from already being in the college you attend. Your freshman and sophomore years include taking prerequisite courses that include (this will encompass most nursing schools but not all):
Biology
Chemistry
Statistics
Anatomy
Physiology
Microbiology
Psychology
Pharmacology
Human Development
Along with so many hours of electives that include fine arts, humanities, etc
The classes to get into nursing school can be taken along with others who are pre-med, pre-dental, etc. During your Sophomore year you apply during the second semester to attend the Nursing program the following fall. This includes an application and an interview along with possibly an essay depending on the program. Most schools have several students applying for few spots and this can be very competitive. This was eye opening to me since I had no idea it was a special program within the college I was attending and thought it was much like a business degree where you take the required classes and end up with a degree. I hope this helps
Estelle’s Answer
Teresa’s Answer
Hi Sara- I think it's great that you are already working with patients-- it really helps to know that you already like working with them. Nurses can be trained in different ways. There are programs that are Associate's Degree programs that only take 2 years. There are Bachelor's programs- 4 years and Masters Programs- 6 years. What makes you an "RN/ Registered Nurse" is the test that you are allowed to take after your program- called the NCLEX. Most hospitals now are encouraged to hire nurses with a Bachelor's degree or more because many are pursuing a quality level of "magnet" status which requires a large portion of the nurses to be at least a bachelor's degree. There are LOTS of great colleges for nurses-- I live in Memphis, so I don't know about the best ones near you in Boston. I wish you the best of luck! Nursing is a great field- I still love it after 29 years!
Teresa