How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN)
The Definitive Career Guide

RN Job Description

When working as an RN, you may still perform many of the same functions as you would an LPN.

However, you could have more authority over how to treat a patient and what forms of medication and procedures to offer to inpatient and outpatient recipients.

You might earn at least $10,000-$20,000 more per year as an entry-level RN.

You might even earn up to $30,000 or more after a few years and some more certifications.

Duties

Salary

Entry-level RNs can make $77,600 per year or more as of 2022, especially if they’ve already worked as an LPN for at least a few years.

The lowest salary totals approximately $59,450, which isn’t much more than for an entry-level LPN.

You’ll want to find out how expensive it is to live in the place where you want to work before you take on too low of an RN wage.

Otherwise, it might not be worth it to take all that time to train for an RN position.

Make sure you negotiate as fair of a yearly wage as possible.

Don’t ever try to work for too much less than what you’d like to earn if you can at all help it.

Keep in mind, however, that some smaller communities without as many patients may not be able to afford you, so that’s one consideration if you’ve worked as an RN for a while.

Experienced RNs may make $120,250 per year or more after about 10 years, and some reports indicate salaries as high as 269.9K as of May 2022.

• Annually
• Monthly
• Hourly

How to Become an RN: Step-by-Step

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Education Required

Unlike your LPN training, becoming an RN usually calls for a bachelor’s degree.

This will take you at least three to four years, and you may end up wanting to pursue a graduate degree, which could take you at least two more years.

Your total time spent training to become an RN at the graduate instead of undergraduate level could take you six to eight years.

If you plan to spend more than four years training to become an RN, however, you might as well think about preparing to become a doctor if that interests you.

That may take you at least eight years and also requires that you fulfill a residency training program.

If you would rather stay working as a nurse, however, you also have chances to update your education and become in charge of a hospital wing or whole clinic.

RN Courses To Take

Don’t fall asleep during some of your initial classes, such as Microbiology, Physiology, Biology, and Anatomy.

If you do, you may want to reconsider a career in the medical field.

Either way, you’ll probably have to take classes that prepare you for legal issues you would encounter when working as an RN.

Moreover, you may have to learn all the complicated HIPAA patient privacy rules and teach them to your trainees while working as a registered nurse.

Your hands-on, clinical experience and becoming paid to assist in a medical setting until you receive your RN license may keep your interest more than your first two years of general classes.

Sign up for that practicum training as soon as you are allowed.

Video About The Career

Licensing & Certification

Your educational program must line up with the requirements set by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), the issuer of your NCLEX-PN exam.

You also need to know what your state’s licensing requirements are, which usually correlate with whatever the medical institutions say is appropriate for providing quality patient care.

After achieving your first nursing certification and RN license, you can seek additional certificates that could enhance your RN career: health management classes, advanced life support, patient counseling, phlebotomy, IV administration, and EKG reading or hospice care.

Most likely, you’ll need to have proficiency in all of these anyway as you learn how to become a registered nurse.

Licensing Exam Eligibility Requirements

You’re going to have to register through your nursing regulatory body (NRB) to gain the chance to take your NCLEX-PN exam.

Make sure you have the minimum number of classroom hours and in-person clinical training requirements fulfilled, which they will tell you about when in school.

You also can find this information on the NCSBN website.

Average Training Program Duration: 2-4 Years

Job Outlook

Nursing job growth outlook measures at about 9%, which is about as fast as average according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This may not seem like much.

However, this translates into about 194,500 job openings occurring over the 10 years from 2020-2030.

Total job changes of 276,800 for RNs may occur during this time.

Employment Growth Projection: 9%

That's a higher than average projected growth of 276,700

Should You Become an RN?

Overall Satisfaction: High

The Advisory Board ran a report about the research they conducted in 2018 that reveals that 94% of 5,011 RNs interviewed are glad they became a nurse.

About 76% of these same health care professionals also said they would have made the same choice all over again.

Liking their jobs and making a difference in people’s lives were the top reasons indicated for their job satisfaction.

Second to that, they felt good about doing a job they’re good at and having a career they can be proud of.

For some of them, it probably depends on their work environment as far as whether they enjoy the working relationships they have with others.

However, connecting with co-workers is the reason some of them like their jobs.

Many of them love interacting with patients too.

Average Salary: High

An RN in the U.S. can make about $77,600 in an entry-level position.

Earnings across the country may range from $58,720-$74,840.

On the higher end, a person could make a starting annual income of about $85,970-$120,250 as of 2022.

Job Growth Outlook: High

In general, these five states need the most nurses: Pennsylvania (139,480), Florida (174,710), New York (180,730), Texas (207,810) and California (274,650).

By 2025, 16 states might have a shortage of RNs.

Most registered nurses may find work in hospitals or surgical centers, and the second-most need may end up being in physician’s offices.

About 9% of RNs may end up working in home health care positions.

Education Duration: 2-4 Years

Expect to stay in school for about four years unless you can find a way to test out of some of your classes.

Find out if you can acquire work experience credit if you already paid for continuing education classes as an LPN.

Either way, you can use your combined work experience and education to achieve your RN licensing and certification, depending on the state where you live.

Personal Skills Needed

• Able to give orders to several medical staff at once
• Can handle fast-paced work during busy intake times
• Patient and employee empathy is second nature
• Not afraid of the sight or smell of bodily fluids
• Maintain and encourage staff professionalism
• Communicate well with assistants, nurses and doctors
• Can teach others and not fear technology
• Strong organizational skills
• Knows how to delegate tasks
• Aware of medical care best practices

Registered Nurse (RN) Info by State

Registered Nurse (RN) Resources

• 16 Pros And Cons Of Being A Registered Nurse (RN)
• How Much Does it Cost to Become a Registered Nurse (RN)?
• Online Registered Nurse Training Programs

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