How To Become a Registered Nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) constitute the largest healthcare occupation, with 2.6 million jobs. About 60 percent of RN jobs are in hospitals. The three typical educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor's degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program; advanced practice nurses—clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners—need a master’s degree.

Overall job opportunities are expected to be excellent, but may vary by employment and geographic setting; some employers report difficulty in attracting and retaining an adequate number of RNs.

Registered Nurses otherwise called RNs are on demand. This is because of the shortage of registered nurses in many parts of the world. RNs are health care professional that are responsible for implementing the practice of nursing using nursing process in conjunction with other health care professionals.

Registered nurses advocate patients in the care and recovery of the sick. Health maintenance advices are likewise given by RNs. Because of their experiences, RNs use the nursing process to assess, implement, evaluate and plan how to properly care for the sick and the injured.

RN's in hospitals are not only bedside nurses but they are tasked in delegating work to LPN's and nursing aides.

In terms of salaries, RN's pay is higher. However, in terms of education before becoming an RN, you will have to spend about three to four years in college or university to get the diploma requirement to be an RN.

Thus, the best route would be to take a one year associate science nursing course and take RN online programs.

RN programs benefits licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses who cannot spend three to four years in school to get straight into the RN status.

LPNs or LVNs can get a job in a hospital and get the experience and the salary to support their family and their further education.

Programs to become registered nurses online are a form of distant learning which you may undergo anytime and anywhere you are. Thus, you will be able to work and earn your salary but in the same time continue your education leading to the diploma to become an RN.

As mentioned above, there is shortage of RN in many parts of the world and thus, the RN online programs will be helping the government and the institutions to fill the gap when nursing aids, associate science nurses, LPNs and LVNs be converted into registered nurses.

What are the benefits of being a registered nurse?
The scope of work and responsibility of an RN is further as compared to nursing aids.

First benefit and is often the reason why many nursing staff wants to be an RN is the salary. Today, salaries of registered nurses can be somewhere around $60,000. This is quite far from the nursing aid salary.

The second is the possibility of the RN to work independently. RN's are not limited to working in hospitals, insurance companies, physicians' offices, attorneys, private industries, school districts and ambulatory surgery centers all hire registered nurses.

In additional, RNs also act as research nurses who conduct evaluation in many areas of biology, psychology, human development and health care systems.

Because of the elevated responsibilities of a registered nurse, the education will have to be specialized that will allow them the knowledge to undergo beyond the bedside nursing practice.

RN online programs are helpful for people who want to take their nursing knowledge further. Take advantage of them.

Kelly Hunter owns and operates http://www.rnonlineprograms.org and writes about RN Online Programs.

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