How to Become a Nurse in West Virginia, WV

Nurses in West Virginia are in high demand, and that demand is only expected to grow in coming years. And becoming a nurse is a fairly easy process with some hard work and dedication.
The first step to becoming a nurse in West Virginia is to identify a suitable program and complete the prerequisites. If taking a Licensed Practical Nurse diploma, all that is required is high school graduation and a year of study before taking the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. To become a Registered Nurse (RN), on the other hand, one must first take 5-10 prerequisite courses, depending upon which nursing education program they choose to take, before applying. These courses are usually in both arts and sciences, and can include topics like biology, psychology, physiology and English.

Prospective West Virginia RNs must also choose between a four year Bachelor’s Degree (BSN) or a two year Associate Degree (ADN) in nursing. While an ADN fully qualifies a student to work as a nurse by teaching them patient assessment, care, and nurse management, a BSN takes their knowledge and skills to a higher level and includes higher-level theory, concepts and practices in nursing, as well as allowing for specialized instruction in topics like pharmaceutical research, radiology, community health programming, or any number of topics—electives will vary from program to program, so it is worth checking into what is offered before committing to a college of nursing.

Both BSN and ADN programs culminate with the NCLEX licensure examination. A test that is standardized for nurses nationwide, it is the final step to licensure and becoming a nurse in West Virginia.

Additional Information

Our West Virginia nursing page can answer your questions regarding nursing jobs and salaries, other levels of nurse licensure, the specifics of the NCLEX exam, and more.