How to Become a Nurse in Maryland, MD

To become a nurse in Maryland one must first decide upon a nursing education program, of which there are three common options: Associate Degree, Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BSN) are traditional, college-based programs that lead to licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN). There are also Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Diploma programs, which take only a year, and lead to a slightly lower-level licensure as an LPN. Given that it only takes a year longer to achieve and provides better wages and job opportunities, most students choose to pursue RN licensure.

The first step to becoming a nurse in Maryland is completing a handful of prerequisite courses—usually around 5 classes—in subjects like physiology, chemistry and psychology. Entrance into a college of nursing can be competitive, so it is important to do well in prerequisites.

Once accepted into a nursing education program, students spend the first year learning hands-on patient care, before moving towards broader concepts of nurse management and so forth. Then, where ADN students graduate, BSN students take things a little further and begin to learn advanced nursing theory, research and concepts, and take specialized elective courses that focus upon health care topics of their choosing, like community health programming or maternal care.

Once course work is complete, the only thing left to become a nurse in Maryland is to pass the NCLEX examination. Success rates vary from college to college, but over 85 percent of students pass the NCLEX on their first try and enter the workforce as a Maryland nurse.

To learn more about becoming a nurse in Maryland, visit our in-depth Maryland nursing pages.