Fastest Way to Become a Registered Nurse: Programs, Licensure, & Skills
The ever-growing prospects in a field of work such as nursing can significantly accelerate the decision-making process of choosing one’s career path. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BSL), the employment rate for registered nurses (RN) is projected to grow by 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, therefore the chances for employment are high. Moreover, registered nurses’ median salary of $75,330 makes this a financially rewarding career that is worth pursuing.
Nursing as a career path offers a lot of entrance opportunities and routes to get there, therefore if you are determined to get into this field and looking to find the fastest way to become a registered nurse, below we have listed some of the steps you can take and what to expect.
How to Get a Nursing License
The multitude of career opportunities available in nursing allows you to decide between various specialties which may require further education and qualifications. Becoming a registered nurse, however, is the first step to practicing nursing in your state.
After graduating from a nursing program and meeting country, state, or province-specific requirements for obtaining a nursing license, you will undergo a standardized, computer-adaptive, and graded pass-fail licensing exam. All 50 states use the NCLEX-RN exam created by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), which tests the application of the theoretical knowledge learned in nursing school and determines whether it is safe for you to practice nursing at an entry-level.
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How to Become a Nurse
The NCLEX-RN exam will determine whether you can begin practice as a nurse, but prior to this examination, you will have to complete an accredited registered nursing program that will teach you the fundamentals of nursing. There are different types of nursing degrees that vary in their time of completion and the career path you plan to pursue.
In order to qualify for entry-level nursing jobs, registered nurses typically graduate from three types of nursing programs: a diploma from an approved nursing program, an associate’s, or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. A bachelor’s degree in nursing is, however, required the most by employers in jobs with more responsibilities and a higher salary.
Fastest Way to Become a Nurse
If you are wondering how to become an RN fast, there are plenty of possibilities that you may choose from depending on the time you can invest in the program and the career path you are aiming for. Here are some of the programs and options available that you can explore and decide from.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
If you are aiming towards becoming a registered nurse, an associate degree in nursing (ADN) is one of the fastest paths to get there. This undergraduate degree is the minimum educational requirement for becoming a registered nurse and usually takes two to three years depending on the credits.
This degree offers both the theoretical knowledge and clinical training that you will need in order to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Upon completion of the associate degree and certification as a registered nurse, there are various opportunities of employment such as:
Urgent care/clinics
Home health care agencies
Acute hospitals
Mental health facilities.
An associate’s degree is a great option especially when there is a shortage of qualified nurses, which has lately been an ongoing trend in the U.S.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
While it may not be the fastest way to become an RN, a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing is worth mentioning as the more popular choice for candidates who aim for more advancement opportunities after starting work in this field. The average program length for a BSN is four years and requires completion of around 120 credit hours.
What differentiates this program from others is that it additionally prepares students with knowledge from physical and social sciences and it teaches critical thinking, leadership, and management skills needed in this field of work. Moreover, completion of a bachelor’s in nursing qualifies you for a master’s or doctoral nursing program if you intend to advance in your career. This degree is often a prerequisite for administrative positions, research, consulting, and teaching, therefore it is worth considering if you want to work toward these roles.
Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
Accelerated bachelor programs are intended for individuals who have already completed a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, but want to switch career paths and pursue nursing. These programs can vary in length, but they are typically 12 months to 19 months, with some being up to two years.
This program is suitable if you enjoy learning in a fast-paced environment and you can fully commit to a more intense schedule when it comes to classes, clinicals, studying, etc. This means that working while studying may not be possible, but completing this program will open new doors and opportunities for a career change.
Nursing Diploma and Certificate Programs
Nursing diplomas and certificates are programs that are usually offered by hospitals or community colleges, which focus on more nursing-specific curriculums rather than the more extensive curriculums of nursing degrees. These programs can take from one to three years to complete, depending on the institution. They are not fully academic degrees, and for this reason, they have started to become less common as employers seek nurses with academic degrees. However, accredited diploma and certificate programs still qualify you to enter the NCLEX-RN exam and gain your RN license.
Registered Nurse Skills and Abilities
Apart from the theoretical knowledge you gain through nursing study programs, there are some essential traits and skills you need to have, develop, and sharpen when training to become a registered nurse. Some of the key soft skills each nurse should possess include:
Good communication skills
Teamwork
Compassion & empathy
Networking
Organization
Professionalism
Conflict resolution
A strong work ethic
If you are looking for the easiest way to become a nurse, there is no such thing, as ultimately each program requires dedication and commitment to studying, your future role as a nurse, and to the patients whose lives you touch every day. However, when it comes to landing jobs as a nurse, some of the routes we touched upon are quicker than others.