The salary that goes with nursing jobs has made this particular career very popular in several countries, particularly in the United States. It has been reported that the salary range of nurses starts at $35,000 and reaches as much as $100,000 a year.
To enter a nursing school, a high school diploma is required. Apart from this, interested applicants may also be required to take a pre-admission test. In the United States, such a test is called the National League for Nursing Pre-admission exam.
Education degrees in nursing have several varieties but the three most common are the bachelor's degree, associate's degree, and hospital diploma. Bachelor degrees in nursing are the most common course offerings in American universities. It is a four-year program that hones the skills of students regarding general nursing practices. This type of degree offers greater career opportunities, such as public health nursing, forensic nursing, and military nursing.
Meanwhile, an associate's degree is a shorter program offered at community colleges. The training given to students enrolled under such program relates to direct patient nursing. Aside from nursing courses, associate degrees also require students to take General Science and English courses. A hospital diploma works the same way as associate programs do except that they do not require general education courses such as science and English.
Once a degree has been obtained, nurses are required to take the licensure exam. In the United States, there are three types of nursing licenses available. These are Advanced Practice Nurse license, Registered Nurse license and Practical/ Vocational Nurse license.
For those who want to take further nursing studies, advanced degrees can also be taken. There are available master's and doctoral degrees that help nursing graduates deepen their knowledge of the profession and perhaps, prepare them to become leaders in their own institutions.
While nursing may be a rewarding career, a great sense responsibility is also required of its practitioners. They are expected to remain true to the rules of nursing practices and the ideals that go with being a nurse.
