How to Become a Nurse in Delaware, DE
Becoming a nurse in Delaware is certainly an attractive career option. Nursing is one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, the wages are good, and, according to the US Department of Labor, the job prospects for the next ten years are exceptional, with a 22 percent increase in Registered Nursing jobs expected by 2018.
How to Become a Nurse in Delaware: a Three Step Process
To become a nurse in Delaware, one must first graduate high school, and then begin a three-step process: nursing prerequisite courses, nursing education, and the NCLEX nurse certification exam.
Although Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) students can sometimes enter training without taking prerequisite courses, students who wish to become a Delaware Registered Nurse usually have to complete at least 15 credit hours of prerequisite studies in undergraduate college courses like Math, Biology, English and Psychology. These courses are a big part of a nursing application and high grades are important to acceptance into your program of choice.
Once accepted, nursing education varies by degree. LPN students focus predominantly on hands on care. Two year Associate Degree, Nursing (ADN) students go beyond direct patient care to learn basic nurse management and nursing research skills. And those who take a four year Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BSN), there is time to choose elective courses in topics ranging from third world health to pharmacology, and learn advanced nursing theory, practice and management skills.
Upon graduation, nurses take the NCLEX licensure examination. With different versions for LPNS than ADN and BSN graduates—both of which lead to licensure as a Registered Nurse—the NCLEX is the final step to becoming a Delaware Nurse.
More Delaware Nurse Information
For further information on how to become a nurse in Delaware, wages, job prospects and more, visit our in-depth Delaware nursing pages.
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