As with any major, nursing program instructors test students on the coursework; the student's goal is to pass and advance to the next level of classes, eventually graduating with adequate preparation to pass the licensing examination. However, nursing students learn an immense amount of material that goes beyond studying textbook facts. The classroom is where students ask questions and explore the information. Nursing students must apply the material and learn to problem-solve, a key part of critical thinking and a skill that they all must master.
Nursing students will have many scheduled hours of clinical, during which they go into various health care facilities. These include hospitals, nursing homes, psychiatric facilities, doctor's offices and more. The specific facility and hours depend on the school. While one purpose of clinical is to give nursing students a look at the various options for nurses, the main goal of clinical is to allow nursing students to practice the clinical skills learned in class and interact with patients. During clinical, a student will have opportunities to administer medication, start IVs, insert catheters and do many other tasks under the supervision of their instructor. This is the time for students to practice therapeutic communication, assessment skills, work on care plans and build confidence.
After graduation from nursing school, the student is ready to take the NCLEX, or
National Council Licensure Examination. There are separate exams for registered and licensed practical nurses. The exam consists of a variety of scenario questions for which the student must use the critical thinking skills obtained in the classroom. Upon passing the exam, the student is now a licensed nurse and able to work as such.
In today's competitive world, a prudent nursing student will not wait until after graduation and licensing to begin and prepare for the job search. Many hospitals offer nurse extern positions. The purpose of these is to give a nursing student more clinical exposure and help her gain confidence in providing patient care. Externs work under supervision of an RN and are allowed to do specific tasks. Externships are a requirement at some schools, but even if not, there are benefits to doing one by choice. Choosing to extern in a specialty you want to pursue may give you an advantage when it is time to apply for job. Use that as an opportunity to network with already employed nurses, and you just might land that dream job.