A high school diploma is required for admission to nursing school. Most schools expect applicants to have a strong academic high school background, including courses in algebra, biology, chemistry, physics, four years of English and some foreign language. Nursing schools also like applicants to have some computer and technology skills. Many nursing programs require you to take a pre-admission test, the National League for Nursing (NLN) Pre-admission Exam.
All three types of nursing education programs include classroom instruction in anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, physiology, nutrition and the social sciences. Coursework also includes behavioral science courses such as psychology, nursing theory and practice and, for BSN and ADN students, the liberal arts. Students also get supervised clinical experience in hospitals and various other health care settings.
A bachelor's degree in nursing, offered at colleges and universities, is typically a four-year program and is the most advanced of the three types of nursing school programs. Community and junior colleges offer the associate's degree in nursing, which is a two-to-three-year program. Some colleges, universities and hospital nursing schools also offer ADN programs. Hospital-based nursing schools offer a diploma in nursing, which usually takes two to three years to complete.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, a BSN provides more employment options and opportunities for career advancement than a diploma in nursing or an ADN. It offers more training in areas such as leadership, communication and critical thinking, and prepares nurses to practice in numerous health care settings outside the hospital, including nursing homes, public health departments, ambulatory clinics and home health agencies.
All registered nurses should expect to take continuing education courses on a regular basis. They must do so to stay current with the latest treatments, procedures and technology. Continuing education for nurses is mandated is some states, but not all. Nurses can earn continuing education credits in a variety of ways, including classes at professional conferences, via the Internet and through journals.