How To Become a Nurse In San Diego
Becoming a nurse has many ways, although all of them require the same basic level of qualifications. The commonest ways of doing this is through diploma or directly getting a degree in nursing from a recognized institution. Then, after training you will be required to learn the best way to make your transition from student life to nursing more smoothly.
Steps on How To Become a Nurse In San Diego
There are various steps that one has to successfully complete before being certified and allowed to practice as a Registered Nurse. These steps are:
- Get a GED Qualification. This is basically the high school diploma, without which you can never get admitted to a San Diego nursing school. When still in high school, have special attention to the science subjects especially chemistry and biology; they will give you added advantage during admission to nursing school and make your training relatively easier.
- The second step on how to become a nurse is to choose your preferred mode of study. There are two options to choose from: two-year associates or a four-year baccalaureate. Both paths will lead to your certification and registration as a nurse, after you pass the NCLEX-RN Exam. The former option is more flexible and cheaper in terms of costs. Additionally, it will put you into practice faster than the latter. For the 2 year degree at one of San Diego’s community colleges, you’ll need to take a CNA certification class as a prerequisite.
However, if you follow this route, you will have to go back to school and acquire the baccalaureate degree. On its part, the baccalaureate degree offers a good launching pad for those who wish to advance further in the nursing field. It has the advantage of being deeper and broader, which will also translate into a better pay package when you finally start working. Both of these paths also require that you have a valid American Heart Association CPR card.
- Select a nursing school in San Diego and enroll. You can rate from experiences of those nurses that you know to get the list of best nursing schools around you. The better the school, the easier it will be for you to pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Besides, you will be required to choose a program that will place you on the course to become a nurse. Work hard, and excel in your chosen field. To help pay for your San Diego nursing program, there are many nursing scholarships available.
The NCLEX-RN Exam After Graduating From Your San Diego Nursing School
This exam is computer-based, and designed to evaluate the skills and knowledge of impending nurses. The nurse’s knowledge determines how many questions he/she will be required to answer; and the questions are anywhere between 75 and 265 questions. The more knowledgeable you are, the lesser questions you will be required to answer and pass the test. The entire test normally takes six hours.
After passing the NCLEX, get your Nursing License
After successfully undertaking the Nursing Test, you need to get licensed for you to start practicing. Whether you are a RN, APN or LPN, getting a license is mandatory. After fulfilling all these requirements, the last step to become a nurse is applying for a San Diego nursing job. This is pretty easy owing to the fact that nurses in San Diego are in high demand, and not so many people have trained as nurses, or have the practicing licence.