In addition to job security, career growth, and flexible working environments, many people choose to become nurses because of their ability to care for others. When taking on the role, there are certain educational requirements you need to achieve based on the level of nursing you wish to practice. Keep reading as the experts in medical Executive Recruitment from Advantage Recruiting Group outline some of the official qualifications you need to possess if you would like to acquire the most sought-after nursing licenses.
Registered Nurse
To begin practicing this type of nursing, you must take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). The state you decide to work in will determine where your registered nursing license must come from. Before the exam, you must finish a two-year associate degree in nursing or a four-year bachelor of nursing degree program. In addition to these qualifications, registered nurses are also required to pass state-specific criminal background checks.
Nurse Practitioner
Unlike a registered nurse, someone with a nurse practitioner license can perform some of the different duties physicians typically take on, such as prescribing medications, ordering tests, and diagnosing patients. Due to these different health tasks, a nurse practitioner will need more qualifications.
In addition to earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing, the practitioner will need to earn a master of science degree in nursing or a doctor of nursing practice degree. Other qualifications include taking and passing the NCLEX-RN exam and the American of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification exam.
Licensed Practical Nurse
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), also referred to as a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), must graduate from a board-approved nursing program or receive verification from an independent credential review agency. The training an LPN receives is different compared to an RN or a nurse practitioner, because the latter roles have more responsibilities.
In addition to earning a high school diploma or GED (General Education Diploma), an individual must complete a vocational training course and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Some of the responsibilities an LPN will take on include administering medication, dressing wounds, placing catheters, taking vital signs, and completing other health care instructions given by an RN, nurse practitioner, physician, or other approved medical provider.
Certified Nursing Assistant
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) will take on an entry-level role, providing vital support to both patients and nurses. Those duties can include transportation, checking and monitoring a patient’s vital signs, helping with bathing, dressing, and grooming, communicating questions and concerns from patients to their nurses, cleaning medical supplies and equipment, ensuring safety protocols are carried out, and more.
The qualifications for becoming a CNA start with having a high school diploma or GED and fulfilling other requirements necessary to enroll in an approved professional CNA training program. Although no collegiate degree is required, students must enroll in the program and complete a specific number of hours of training, which will vary from state to state. All students must pass competency exams along with physical and mental exams, criminal background checks, and additional AIDS/HIV training.
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