How to Become a Nurse?

Proudly known to us as the frontline warriors, nurses are the eminent pillars of the healthcare system. They are caregivers and nurturers who stand by the side of patients after they have gone through a medical procedure or have been treated by the doctor. They are also the key link between a doctor and a patient as they ensure that patients recover after their treatments and are given proper care to restore their wellbeing. For those interested in following the career path of a nurse, there is a wide range of Nursing courses available from training diplomas to full-fledged specialised degree programs. If you are exploring the question of how to become a nurse, then here’s a blog with collated information on all the major courses, universities and the complete career map that you can follow.

Industry	Healthcare
Eligibility	-Candidates must have completed class 12th with PCB (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) with at least 60% aggregate marks.  -The eligibility criteria for postgraduate and PhD courses vary depending on the college.
Starting Salary (INR)	Average starting salary is INR 15,000 – INR 25,000
Job Opportunities	Emergency room nurses, nursing assistants, telemetry nurses, staff nurses, nurse managers, travel nurses, clinical nurse specialists, operating room nurses, and so on.

What Does a Nurse Do?

Nurses are the one’s who wear many hats in the medical field. From being able to coordinate with the doctors to provide complete care to patients. Here are a few responsibilities that are important across many different nursing specialities.

• They assess the condition of their patients and also assist doctors in forming a treatment plan.
• They record patient’s medical data and relevant behaviour.
• They operate and maintain medical equipment.
• Work and communicate efficiently with other members of the healthcare team.
• Advise families on the condition of the patient and post-hospital care.

Types of Nurses

There are various types of nurses that students can choose amongst after attaining the required educational qualification. The job profiles may also differ depending upon the need and requirements of the healthcare industry and the interests of the candidates. Listed below are a few job profiles for the same.

Types of Nurses	Description
Registered Nurse (RN)	These nurses are registered by medical institutions and organisations. They work in hospital premises with physicians to perform tasks related to different medical settings.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)	These nurses work with or under the supervision of registered nurses or doctors and are responsible for giving injections and checking and maintaining medical requirements.
Travel Nurse	These are registered nurses who work nationally and internationally on a temporary basis.
Clinical Nurse Specialists	These are nurses who are skilled to diagnose and treat illness within their area of expertise.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registered Nurse	ICU RNs have a prescribed and definite role designed only for taking care of medical requirements and maintenance related to the ICUs of hospitals or nursing homes.
Operating Room (OR) Nurse	Commonly known as Perioperative Nurses or Scrub Nurses, operating room nurses are responsible for taking care of patients before, during and after the operation or surgery.
Home Health Nurse	These nurses are the ones who provide medical help and support to the patients at their homes. These nurses offer care mostly for patients with mobility or development issues.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)	These nurses work under the supervision of a doctor or physician and can also become independent medical practitioners prescribing medicines and diagnosing diseases.

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Skills Required to Become a Nurse

The following are the skills that are required to become a nurse:

• Calm personality
• Teamwork
• Logical Thinking
• Communication Skills
• Patient Care skills
• Time management 
• Organizational skills
• Empathy
• Confidence
• Leadership
• Multitasking 

How to Become a Nurse Abroad?

Here is a step-by-step guide that will help you know about the procedure to become a nurse practitioner:

Step 1: Decision Making 

You must consider whether or not you are interested in the medical profession before entering the field of nursing. You must choose cautiously because this will be one of the most important decisions you will ever make.

Step 2: Subject Choices 

After completing 10th grade, candidates should choose PCB (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) as their major and study for the nursing exams.

Step 3: Entrance Exam Preparation

The next step is to prepare for entrance exams to get admission into a medical college. There are various entrance exams for the nursing department, such as the AIIMS nursing entrance examination, Indian Army Nursing 2021.  Exams differ from one university to the next. Prepare by watching online lectures on YouTube and practising previous year’s exam papers, as well as using high-quality study materials offered on select websites.

Step 4: Attend an Accredited Nursing Program

Whatever path you take, whether it’s a CNA, LPN, ADN, BSN, or something else, be sure your school is authorised. If you don’t enrol in an approved programme, it may affect your employment chances and ability to transfer credits later.

Step 5: Obtaining Licensure in Nursing 

After completing a diploma, bachelor’s or master’s degree course registered under Indian Nursing Council, you will be qualified to practice as a registered nurse in the healthcare sector in India. For those aiming to get a license in Nursing, you can register with the State Nursing Registration Council of the state you want to work in. For those who wish to practice as a nurse in the USA or Canada, you have to qualify for the National Nursing Licensure Examination. 

Step 6: Earn Additional Certifications and Continue Practicing

If you want to specialize in a certain area of nursing, you’ll want to earn additional certifications in that area. As a nurse, you’re always learning something new. Each year, you’ll be expected to maintain your Continuing Education Units (CEUs). In addition, as a nurse, your pay is directly proportional to your level of education. So, if you want to make more money in the future, you may wish to return to school for a BSN, MSN, DNP, or other degrees.

How to Become a Nurse in India? 

In order to become a nurse in India, one must be interested in the medical field, and biology is a required subject for most undergraduate degrees and diplomas.

Step 1: School Level Preparation 

Candidates must begin their education in order to pursue a career as a nurse. They must enrol in the Science stream, which includes Biology as a required course. They must enrol in the Science stream in 10+2 and devote their complete attention to preparing for admission exams well in advance.

Step 2: UG Level Preparation 

Candidates must have a grade point average of 70-80% to be accepted into a good college and complete a 3-year bachelor’s degree. It is suggested that individuals take certain certificate courses in nursing to obtain some experience and to assist develop their resumes, which will help them find better work chances.

Step 3: PG Level Preparation 

It will be favourable for the student to complete his or her post-graduate degree after completing his or her undergraduate programme in order to receive more knowledge that will be useful in obtaining good placements with a high pay package.

Also Explore How to Become a Doctor? [Step-wise Guide]

Courses to Become a Nurse

Regardless of the particular specialisation, the initial steps along the journey of becoming a Nurse remain the same. Generally, many students opt for a diploma or associate degree and get the requisite training to become a general registered nurse but if you aim to become a specialised nurse as the profiles mentioned above, then you must opt for a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the specialisation you want to pursue. Below, we have enlisted the major nursing courses you can explore to follow the noble profession of a nurse:

Diploma or Associate Degree

An associate degree can be the ideal option for you if you want to work as a Nurse Assistant. The general duration of an associate degree or diploma ranges around 1-2 years during which you will be provided with the foundational knowledge of nursing as well as equipped with the essentials of patient care and nursing practices. Apart from an associate degree, you can explore the following diploma courses in Nursing:

• Diploma in Nursing
• Diploma in GNM (General Nursing and Midwifery)
• Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM)

Bachelor’s Degree Courses

As one of the popular courses for those aspiring to become a Nurse, bachelor’s degree programs in Nursing are more focused on clinical training but the initial duration of programs emphasize strengthening your theoretical knowledge of the field. Following the course structure, you will be equipped with clinical education applicable in various subfields of nursing. Here is a list of popular undergraduate degree programs in Nursing:

• BSc Nursing
• Bachelor’s in Nursing and Midwifery
• Bachelor’s in Medical Rehabilitation and Nursing Care
• Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Psychological Science

Accelerated Nursing Programs

Accelerated nursing programs are often pursued by students who are targeting a senior-level job in the field. Accelerated programs are fast-paced courses that equip the individual with preliminary education of a chosen specialisation along with the skills to work in intensive situations. These programs are also suitable for those planning to steer towards a career in Nursing but have completed their earlier bachelor’s degree in a different discipline. You can either opt for an integrated Accelerated and Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Accelerated Nursing course and these programs are available online as well as full-time courses.

Master’s Degree Programs in Nursing

If you aim to specialize in a particular field of Nursing, then opting for a master’s degree is the best route for you. There are numerous master’s degree courses available in Nursing and some of the prominent ones are listed below:

• MSc in Nursing
• Masters in Nursing in Critical and Emergency Care
• Master of Advanced Clinical Nursing
• Master’s in Medical Rehabilitation and Healthcare Management
• Masters in Mental Health Nursing
• MSc in Public Health Nursing
• Master of Nursing (Research)
• Master of Nursing (Perioperative Nursing)

Eligibility Criteria

Now that you are familiar with the educational qualifications you need to fulfil to become a nurse, take a look at the general admission prerequisites for Nursing courses:

• For Bachelor’s courses: Candidates must have completed formal schooling of 10 + 2 with BiPC subjects.
• For Master’s courses: A undergraduate degree like BSc Nursing or a related field in Medical Science.
• If you are planning to study abroad, you will be required to submit scores of English language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. along with LORs and SOP.

Top Universities Offering Nursing Courses

There is a wide range of medical schools and universities across the globe which offer specialised Nursing courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. We have enlisted the top Nursing colleges and universities you must consider for pursuing a diploma or degree in this field.

• Michigan State University 
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Sacred Heart University
• University of Ottawa
• University of Strathclyde 
• University College Birmingham 
• Victoria University of Wellington 
• Ryerson University
• University of Southampton 
• University of Chester

Thinking of pursuing a Nursing course abroad? But don’t know which universities & courses are the best fit for you! Try our AI-powered Course Finder.

Top Universities in the UK 

Some of the top UK universities to become a nurse are as follows: 

1. King’s College London 
2. University of Manchester
3. University of Edinburgh
4. University of Nottingham
5. University of Glasgow

Top Universities in the USA

The top Nursing colleges in the USA to become a nurse are listed below.

1. Yale University 
2. University Of Pennsylvania 
3. Michigan State University 
4. University of Washington 

Top Universities in Australia 

The top Nursing colleges in Australia to become a nurse are given below: 

1. Victoria University 
2. James Cook University 
3. La Trobe University 
4. Western Sydney University 

Nurse Career Scope

Gaining the adequate educational qualifications required for becoming a nurse, you can explore lucrative opportunities in the healthcare industry. Here are the major employment areas for graduates in Nursing:

• Private Hospitals 
• Government Hospitals
• Private Clinics 
• Government Nursing Homes
• Community Health Centres
• Rehabilitation Centres 
• Rural Health Care Centres
• Educational Institutes 
• Corporate Organisations 

Salary

Nursing is a unique and rewarding field that is now being pursued by many students. There are many specializations that come under nursing with varying salaries. Here are a few of the professions along with their salaries.

Specialized Profession	Average Salary pa
Clinical Nurse	$90,616 (INR 74-75 Lakh)
Informatics Nurse Specialist	$82,710 (INR 68 Lakh)
Dialysis Nurse	$70,806 (INR 58-40 Lakh)
Nurse Midwife	$96,970 (INR 79-80 Lakh)
Nurse Anesthetist	$174,790 (INR 1.4 Cr.)
Nurse Anesthetist	$153,780 (INR 1.26 Cr.)
Family Nurse Practitioner	$114,000 (INR 94-95 Lakh)

FAQs

Hence, we hope that this blog provided you with the essential details on how to become a nurse. If you are unsure about the right course to pursue a career in Nursing, get in touch with our Leverage Edu experts and we will help you find the best program and university as per your interests and requirements. Call us at 1800572000 for a free session with us today!