| So you have decided that you want to be a nurse | | | | 3. Decide which specialty area of nursing that you |
| practitioner (NP). You might be wondering what are | | | | would like to engage in. Some of the area of |
| the next steps that you need to take. Do not fret! | | | | specialization includes Acute Care Nursing, Family |
| This article would line the requirements to become an | | | | Nursing, Occupational Health Nursing, Neonatal Nursing |
| NP. | | | | and Pediatric Nursing. |
| 1. Enroll in a degree program. A recommended degree | | | | 4. Consult the National Student Nurses Association to |
| is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). It is a | | | | find and apply a suitable graduate school of nursing |
| four-year degree in the science, and specialize in | | | | based on your career requirements, physical location |
| nursing. This degree would prepare yourself for a | | | | and program needs. Its website provides educational |
| professional role as they provide coursework in | | | | resources and career guidance among others. |
| nursing science, research, leadership, and nursing | | | | 5. After you have decided which school suits you |
| informatics. | | | | best, apply for the required NP coursework and |
| 2. Practice as a registered nurse (RN) to have | | | | complete them. You will then attain the position of an |
| hands-on experience for one to two years. This is | | | | NP and a Masters of Science in Nursing degree. But |
| important, as you need both knowledge and | | | | this can vary from school to school, so be sure to |
| experiences in order to become a successful NP. | | | | check with the school first. |
| Hands-on experience would definitely help you when | | | | 6. Find out the licensing rules at your state and sit for |
| you enter the working world as they provide you | | | | licensure testing as required. |
| with the knowledge that you would not get from the | | | | 7. You are now ready to apply as an NP. You can |
| books. | | | | start hunting for your dream job! |