Some programs require that potential students take and pass the National League for Nursing pre-entrance exam. The exam assures schools that you have the basic knowledge to enter a nursing degree program.
Programs might not insist on work experience, but they may require you to be registered as a nursing assistant. Having job experience in the field is helpful in classroom work as well as getting you into the program.
Nursing degree programs require that potential students have a minimum grade point average (GPA) on any college course work they've taken. Requirements vary with each school, but many want students to have at least a 3.00 GPA.
Nursing programs want to see that you have taken college-level classes in math, anatomy, biochemistry and English composition. Confirm this with the school to which you are applying.
Some schools require that you meet minimum performance standards. The standards are an indication to the school of how well you'll do in the program. They include several components, such as having use of your sense of vision, touch and hearing, so you likely can perform the functions of a nurse. They also want to ensure you are physically able to perform some of the strenuous tasks involved with nursing, such as transferring and transporting patients, so mobility and motor skills of prospective students are taken into consideration.
Interpersonal communication skills as well as the ability to read, write and understand English are also part of the performance standards, since nursing relies heavily on patient interaction. Intellectual skills such as critical thinking and cognitive reasoning ability are also assessed because the job requires that you recognize and respond to changes in patient health status. Empathy, integrity, trust and confidentiality also are important characteristics for nursing students. Degree programs also want to know that you can handle the environmental hazards of the job. These include exposure to chemical agents and odors, blood-borne pathogens and being put in situations that could potentially result in physical violence.