One way to become licensed as a Registered Nurse is with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. In most cases, the Associate’s Degree is a two year program. In order to be accepted into these programs, a candidate must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. and generally must have completed some prerequisite classes, which usually include Anatomy & Physiology I and II, microbiology, psychology, and other courses. Each school has its own requirements for admission. After successfully completing the two-year program, you must take the NCLEX-RN nursing exam. This is the National Council Licensure Examination.
An Associate’s degree in nursing is a good way to get into the nursing field quickly. Some places of employment pay nurses with a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing more; some don’t. Some places of employment prefer to hire nurses with a Bachelor of Science degree; again, some don’t. The demand for nurses is so high these days that the majority of employers are not demanding a Bachelor of Science degree from their registered nurses.
Once you are hired as a registered nurse, you can, and should, look into continuing education, because it will increase your pay rate and make you a more desirable employee and future job candidate. The great news - many employers will pay for this continuing education. With an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, you can choose an online nursing program to get your bachelor’s degree of science in nursing, and to pursue other nursing degree specialties.
Many community colleges offer two-year Associate’s Degree in Nursing programs. Private, “career colleges” offer them as well.