Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and Registered nurses (RNs) provide emotional and physical support to patients who are injured, disabled, ill, or recovering from surgery. Each of these nursing occupations features significant differences in their preparation journey.
Formal training will provide you with the technical nursing skills needed to perform the job; however, you will need soft skill qualities, which are essential and play a huge role in the success of a nursing career.
Personal skills and characteristics required to be a nurse
Before pursuing a nursing career, you should first evaluate whether you have the personal characteristics required. Most importantly, you must be highly organized, socially perceptive, detail-oriented, have good communication skills, as well as critical thinking and good organizational skills. You must also be emotionally stable, patient, and cautious of others’ reactions.
Since you’ll be responsible for the well-being of many patients with different needs, being flexible and having the ability to prioritize effectively is mandatory so as to be in a better position of determining the best course of action. You will also need to be prepared to advise or re-assure patients or relatives – even during the most difficult situations.
Here are some skills that nurses need to use daily:
- Judgment
- Caring
- Listening and communicating
- Advising and teaching
- Managing
- Counseling
Educational requirements for the nursing career
Different levels in nursing require different educational requirements. For LPNs, the training program lasts one year and combines supervised clinical practice with classroom study. The credits earned here can be transferred into an RN program. And nurses who want to work in emergency care will need special medical certificates, like ACLS.
The RN program takes two years, DNP (Diploma in Nursing) takes three years, and four years for the BSN (Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing). In these courses, students receive supervised practical training in hospitals alongside classroom instruction.
If you want to delve further into higher levels in the nursing career to have opportunities, you can take a look and take advantage of Wilkes university graduate admissions. If you proceed to pursue a Master of Science in Nursing, you will become an NP (Nurse Practitioner) – advanced practice registered nurse who is licensed to take on more intensive roles such as diagnosing patients and prescribing medications among many other roles.
Admission requirements to a nursing program
Whether you are transitioning into a nursing career or it’s your first-time career, admission procedures and requirements differ by type of program and school. Generally, most institutions will require a GED or high school diploma, medical history, a criminal background check, a physical exam, and one professional reference.
When applying for admission to a BSN program, you will be required to provide your high school transcript and college entrance exam scores such as the ACT or SAT. You may also be required to take a pre-entrance exam for the National League for Nurses as well as an entrance exam for admission to a practical nursing program.
Procedures to follow after graduating from school
Depending on the state you want to work in, you will need to apply for a license after completing an LPN or RN program. State boards are consulted for specific requirements of nursing since they are responsible for issuing licenses. A core component of being licensed includes taking the NCLEX (National Council Licensing Examination). Once you become a professional nurse, you can choose to focus on a specific specialty from a variety of options, with each requiring different academic requirements plus a related professional organization or network.
