subject: The Different Nursing Licenses [print this page] There are a lot of nursing licenses that you must be able to acquire first before you can pursue a nursing career that you can enjoy and earn from. You may want to become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN), a registered nurse (RN) or nurse practitioner (NP).
These professions may have a different types and levels of educational attainment as well as different types of examinations for them to acquire a license. RNs are the most common and the most popular nursing profession among the three mentioned. RNs usually have higher pays and are more trained than those who are licensed vocational nurses, but they also do not have to undergo the lengthy education that are required to become a nurse practitioner. You may also want to get to talk with these experienced LVNs, RNs and nursing practitioners first before you decide on what profession to pursue, so that you will be properly guided as to what type of nursing profession matches your wants and interests.
The first educational path to become licensed for work as a nurse is to get an associate's degree from an accredited two-year nursing program, although this will limit your career options somewhat. Some hospitals also offer diploma programs for those who would like to obtain a nursing profession for a shorter time; this could usually take about three years.
The most common educational path for RNs is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited four-year university. This path will ensure a wide range of career options upon completion. There are many successful nurses who were not even able to acquire the BSN degree; so if you have already decided on what career path you want to follow,do not get discouraged because that will still give you a wider range of opportunities in the future.
Whichever educational path you take, you will need to pass a licensure exam. One example of this licensure exams mentioned is the National Council Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse, which you need to pass to become an RN. This NCLEX - RN exam will test the medical knowledge of nurses, as well as their abilities in providing the best care the patient needs. You have to be prepared of the questioning styles of these exams, because they range from the multiple choice type to the mathematics - based ones that pertains to the diagrams of the human body.
