Nursing

5 Fastest Paths to Becoming a Nurse

If you want to become a nurse quickly, there are multiple paths, depending on the time you're willing to invest in the programs and the career path you're considering. This helps you launch your nursing career within no time. However, you can go back to further your education in the future if you want to progress and grow in your career. Below are the five fastest paths to becoming a nurse.

Accelerated BSN programs

If you’d like to help meet the growing need for registered nurses within or beyond your community, you can enroll in accelerated BSN online programs. Joining the online accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program helps you quickly build a new and rewarding career as a registered nurse.

Using an existing non-nursing bachelor’s degree in any discipline as your foundation, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree via online programs in about sixteen months. This will prepare you fully for the National Council Leisure Exam (NCLEX) while positioning you well for your new role offering direct patient care.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

A Licensed Practical Nurse is an excellent first step if you want to begin work immediately. You should attain a practical nursing diploma via an authorized educational program to become an LPN. This program can take you a year to finish while helping you understand basic nursing skills using clinical experiences and coursework combinations. Clinical experience is vital in your nursing career as it enables you to explore various areas in a real clinical setting.

While you may not become an actual registered nurse, a practical nursing program can help you launch your nursing career in about twelve months. This will help you gain experience with an alternative to working towards your registered nurse status in the future.

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

An associate degree in nursing program is a complete two-year program that can place you on the way to becoming a registered nurse (RN). This lets you attain RN credentials. However, it's the first step towards a full professional career. Your pay begins on a registered nurse's scale. ADN restrictions are career growth-related. Roles, such as leadership, management, or clinical nurse experts, are for bachelor's qualified nurses. There are numerous ADN to BSN nursing programs to help you progress your career when it's the right time.

Nursing diploma and certificate programs

Community colleges or hospitals offer nursing certificates and diploma programs focusing on nursing-related curriculums than comprehensive nursing degree curriculums. Based on the institution, the programs take about a year to three years to finish. They aren't full academic degrees, so they're becoming less common because employers want nurses with academic degrees. Accredited certificate and diploma programs can qualify you to take the NCLEX-RN examination to gain an RN license.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

A certified nursing assistant full program is state-accredited and can earn you a certificate. These programs need between 75 and 180 hours based on your state. CNA program length can also vary based on state requirements and the potential program's structure. However, you can complete it in one to four months. CNA programs are provided by hospitals, health departments, community colleges, and hospitals.

Endnote

Becoming a nurse fast allows you to help in meeting the never-ending care needs while earning a decent income. Use these fast paths to become a nurse.