宅男频道

Anthony Gray, Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Nurses are the heart of the healthcare system. In fact, nursing is the largest healthcare occupation in the U.S. with nearly 4.7 million registered nurses (RNs) nationwide, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing ().

As highly valued members of the healthcare team, nurses administer care and act as advocates for their patients. If you want to spend your career helping others, nursing could be a good fit for you.

What Are the Steps of Becoming a Nurse?

If you know you want to join the field of nursing but still aren't sure exactly where to start, you're in the right place. Here's how to become a nurse in four steps.

Determine Your Nursing Goals

Nursing is a broad occupational term with many potential roles and responsibilities. It’s important to do some research and determine which career path is right for you. You'll want to consider how much time, money and effort are required to achieve your goal, including the educational requirements and licensure necessary for a particular nursing profession.

Here are just a few nursing roles you could consider:

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse Practitioner
• Registered Nurse

“The thing I have loved about nursing the most is the variety of careers that are out there,” said Dr. Lyndsay Goss, director of continuing professional development for nursing at 宅男频道 (SNHU). “There are so many opportunities out there as a nurse and so many directions you can go in, which is exciting.”

Goss's own career has touched various areas of nursing, including community and population health, rehabilitation, gastroenterology and now nursing education.

Get a Nursing Degree

SNHU does not currently offer an ADN program.

Whether you want to become a CNA, broaden your opportunities with an RN or even enter the teaching field and become a nurse educator, you will need some level of formal nursing education or training.

Here are the most common types of nursing degrees:

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Read more: What Degree Do You Need to Be a Nurse?

Get Clinical Experience

Getting real-world healthcare experience is one of the most important parts of exploring how to become a nurse.

Clinical hours are typically built into any nursing degree program, but the actual number of hours varies depending on state requirements, the type of degree and the institution’s curriculum. Most schools also take into account state laws regarding supervised work experience needed for licensure, according to .

If you’re already working as an RN and are enrolled in an online BSN program, your nursing job will give you a unique opportunity to apply your classroom learning to the real world — and vice versa, said Goss.

“This is one of the great opportunities of online nursing programs,” she said. “You’re able to bring what you’re learning directly out into the field, but you’re also able to bring your experience in the field into the classroom, which leads to more engaging discussions.”

Get Your Nursing License

Once you've completed your nursing degree or training, you'll want to seek certification or licensure. If you're looking to become an RN, this means sitting for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and applying to your state's board of nursing to become a registered nurse. Note that each state has its own eligibility requirements for licensure, and it is your responsibility to ensure you meet them.

After you earn your license, you'll need to focus on continued learning and nursing professional development, said Goss.

While state requirements vary, registered nurses typically need to renew their license and get 15 to 30 hours of professional development every two years to ensure they’re staying up to date on the latest technologies and nursing best practices.

Is Becoming a Nurse Worth It?

Based on factors like job security and salaries, nursing is generally considered a good career. But there are some potential drawbacks to becoming a nurse, and it's up to you to decide if one outweighs the other.

Benefits of a Nursing Career

As the healthcare industry continues to grow, skilled nurses are in high demand.* Across all industries, registered nurses have the projected increase in new jobs in the U.S. between 2024 and 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).* And in 2024, the median annual wage for registered nurses was , according to BLS.* 

One popular career path for RNs is becoming a nurse practitioner (NP), which was named number one for 2025 in . According to BLS, NPs had a median annual wage of in 2024.*

After finishing her BSN online at SNHU, Susana Ashooh '23 said she wanted to continue her education to become a nurse practitioner.

"I think I owe it to myself to pursue my education," she said. "I want my kids to do the same when they're older."

Potential Drawbacks of a Nursing Career

As a nurse, you could find yourself in physically and emotionally demanding , according to BLS. This includes the possibility of long shifts, unpredictable schedules, high-stress situations, physical exhaustion and exposure to infectious diseases.

When weighing the pros and cons of becoming a nurse, it's important to think about your specific goals. Your desired nursing role and where you want to work will influence all of these factors. As a nurse, you could find yourself working in any number of settings, including:

• Hospitals, nursing homes and hospices
• Home healthcare services and outpatient care clinics
• Insurance companies and research organizations
• Primary care clinics and private practices
• Schools, mental health agencies and public health agencies

No matter where you work, you'll play a critical role in patient care, often acting as the face of the system and providing key communication to patients and their families.

Read me: Is Nursing for Me? What to Consider

How Long Does It Typically Take to Become a Nurse?

How long it takes to become a nurse will vary based on the degree required for the role you seek. That said, it's possible to start working as a registered nurse fairly quickly with a 2-year nursing degree.

What is a 2-Year RN Called?

SNHU does not currently offer an ADN program.

The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a 2-year program typically offered through community colleges, universities or vocational schools. With an ADN, you can get the knowledge and hands-on clinical experience you need to sit for the NCLEX exam, a standardized licensing test you must pass in order to become a registered nurse.

Goss, who has years of experience as a registered nurse, said the ADN is a great option for aspiring RNs who want to begin their careers faster. Plus, you can then enroll in an online RN to BSN program while you gain valuable real-world experience on the job.

But even if an ADN is not the path you take, there are still a growing number of ways to get your nursing degree and start gaining real-world experience more quickly. Many colleges and universities offer degree programs that build on students’ existing nursing credentials with programs such as:

• RN to BSN
• RN to MSN

These programs allow students with prior nursing degree experience or licensed nursing credentials to move more quickly through a bachelor’s degree program.

In SNHU’s transfer-friendly RN to BSN program, for example, students can earn 45 credits for an unencumbered RN license and transfer up to 45 more into the BSN program. With all those transfer credits, the RN to BSN program could be completed in as little as one year.

Is a Bachelor’s in Nursing Necessary?

While you don’t need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to get started in the field, it can help you advance your career, stand out among job applicants and expand your nursing knowledge. 

Jamila Aithammousaid '24 said she graduated from the online BSN program at SNHU feeling ready to put her leadership skills to the test. "I've been a nurse for over 15 years," she said. "Getting my degree made me so proud."

In a BSN program, you can learn how to use evidence-based practices to plan and evaluate outcomes of care, form strategies to promote better health across patient populations, lead new healthcare initiatives and interpret trends in healthcare policy and regulations.

According to the AACN, have also shown that nurses who hold BSN degrees tend to deliver safer, more effective care that leads to better patient outcomes overall.

“It’s important to know that bachelor’s degrees will continue to be something that’s valued in the future,” said Goss.

Today, the the BSN degree as the entry-level degree for all professional nurses, suggesting that BSN graduates are better qualified to meet the demands of the evolving healthcare system.

Licensure and Certification Disclosures: SNHU has provided additional information for programs that educationally prepare students for professional licensure or certification. Learn more about what that means for your program on our licensure and certification disclosure page.

*Cited job growth projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Actual salaries and/or earning potential may be the result of a combination of factors including, but not limited to: years of experience, industry of employment, geographic location, and worker skill.

Danielle Gagnon is a freelance writer focused on higher education. She started her career working as an education reporter for a daily newspaper in New Hampshire, where she reported on local schools and education policy. Gagnon served as the communications manager for a private school in Boston, MA before later starting her freelance writing career. Today, she continues to share her passion for education as a writer for 宅男频道. Connect with her on .