This article is a guide to getting a nursing license in the US.

<h2>Important Steps For Those Wondering How to Become an RN</h2>
 If you are currently considering a career in nursing, you are probably wondering 
 how to become an RN, as well as how to get a nursing license in the USA. It is 
 important to remember that there are several different levels of nursing, each 
 requiring a different combination of education and training. The steps below can 
 be used as a general guideline to 
 help you plan your career path to achieve your goal of a career in nursing.


<ol style="margin-left:20px;">

 <li> The first step of how to become an RN is to complete an accredited nursing program. 
 If your goal is to become a registered nurse or RN, you may choose to pursue a nursing 
 diploma, an associate degree in nursing or a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).
 </li>

 <li>	The next step to becoming a registered nurse is to take and pass the National 
 Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, otherwise known as the NCLEX-RN.
 </li>
 
 <li>	After your pass the NCLEX, you’ll need to get a nursing license. In the USA you 
 must be licensed in the state or states in which you wish to work. Each state has 
 unique requirements for obtaining a license; however, many states are now a part 
 of the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows nurses licensed in one compact state 
 to practice in all compact states.
 </li>
</ol>

<h2>Levels of Nursing and Job Titles</h2>
While you may be wondering how to become an RN, there are other levels of 
 nursing below and above registered nurse that you may wish to consider. 
 The main categories are non-degree, degree and advanced degree, as described below.



 Non-Degree Nursing: Nurses who work at the non-degree level include certified 
 nursing assistants (CNA) and licensed practical nurses (LPN). While theses nurses 
 are usually required to complete an educational program, the program usually 
 culminates in a certificate as opposed to a degree. CNAs must pass a competency 
 exam to work in most states, but they are not always required to be licensed. A 
 licensed practical nurse requires more training and education and is required to 
 pass a licensing exam. Many future RNs work as a 
 CNA or LPN as they work their way through school to become an RN.


Degree Nursing: Nurse who work at the degree level are typically registered nurses 
 who have earned an associate degree or bachelor’s degree in nursing. Registered 
 nurses work in a variety of specialties, and may be employed in hospitals, nursing 
 homes, skilled nursing facilities or rehab enters, schools or government facilities.
 Many nurses also provide home 
 care to elderly patients or patients who are home-bound for other reasons.


Advanced Degree Nursing: Advanced degree nursing degrees include Advanced Practice 
 Registered Nurse (APRN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing 
 practice (DNP). Nurses with advanced degrees include nurse practitioners, clinical 
 nurse specialists, certified registered nurse 
 anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, and many executive level healthcare roles.


<h2>Nursing opportunities with Cross Country </h2>
Now that you know how to become an RN, the next step is deciding on a specialty. 
 While some people know exactly what specialty they plan to purse before they even 
 begin school, many nurses choose to work several specialties before deciding on one 
 that suits their particular interests and skill level best. Cross Country has 
 available jobs in 
 all registered nurse specialties included the following and many more:
 

 Registered Nurse - Medical/Surgical: Med/surg nurses provide care to patients 
 having or recovering from a surgical procedure. Your main focus 
 as a med/surg nurse will be patient safety and care during this vulnerable time.
 

 Registered Nurse - Intensive Care Unit: Intensive care unit nurses, 
 also called ICU nurses, typically care for hospitalized patients who need 24/7 care.
 Your main focus as a nurse in the ICU will be to help your patients -- who are 
 often ventilated or intubated -- fight for their lives.
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Operating Room: OR nurses, which are sometimes 
 referred to as surgical nurses or preoperative care nurse, share many of the job 
 functions of a med/surg nurse. However, while med/surg patients may tend to multiple 
 patients, you are typically only 
 responsible for one patient at a time, while they are undergoing surgery.
 
 
 Registered Nurse – Pediatric: Pediatric nurses, also called peds or pediatric RNs, 
 are responsible for caring for children, including infants, toddlers, children and 
 teenagers. Being a pediatric nurse requires specialized knowledge in illnesses and 
 disease 
 present and are treated differently in children as opposed to adults.
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Labor & Delivery: Labor and delivery nurses, 
 also called L&D RNs, 
 provide support to obstetricians, midwives, expectant parents and newborn babies. 
 Your main objective as a labor and delivery nurse is to ensure 
 both mothers and their newborns have a safe and healthy birth experience.
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Psychiatric Unit: A psychiatric nurse, also called a mental 
 health nurse or psych RN, provides care to patients who may be experience a form 
 of mental illness or emotional disturbance. Psych RNs help patients recover from 
 trauma, substance abuse, 
 post-traumatic stress disorder and many other conditions. 
 
 
 Registered Nurse – Telemetry: Telemetry nurse, sometimes called 
 tele RNs, are highly 
 skilled at using and reading an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Tele RNs are 
 responsible for 
 monitoring a patient’s vital signs and recognizing irregular heart rhythms.
 


 Registered Nurse - Home Health: Home health RNs provide 
 one-on-one care for a patient within the patient’s home. Often, home health nurses 
 care for elderly patients, but the patients may also be critically ill, disabled, 
 recovering from a major illness or injury, or otherwise homebound.
 
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Intensive Care Unit: ICU nurses care for critically 
 ill and unstable patients who are often fighting for their lives in the hospital’s 
 intensive care unit. These patients have conditions or injuries that require close 
 supervision and specialized care from a team of highly trained medical professionals, 
 including the ICU RN.
 
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Cardiac Catheterization: A cardiac cath lab nurse 
 assists a cardiologist during the patient catheterization process. Cardia cath lab 
 nurses work with patients that have diseases of the heart that require careful and 
 continuous monitoring. 
 
 
 
 Registered Nurse - Emergency Room: An ER nurse typically works in 
 the emergency room of a hospital or urgent care center and treats patients who may be 
 experiencing a severe, traumatic or life-threatening medical event. The main 
 responsibilities of an ER RN are to triage and stabilize patients who seek treatment 
 in the emergency room.

 

 Registered Nurse – Dialysis: Dialysis nurses – sometimes called a 
 renal nurse or nephrology nurse -- typically provide care to patients suffering from 
 kidney failure who require dialysis. As a dialysis RN, you may support 
 patients receiving treatments for kidney disease or undergoing a kidney transplant.
 

 Registered Nurse – Endoscopy: Endoscopy nurses, sometimes 
 called an endo RN, help provide care and comfort to patients undergoing endoscopy procedures. Endoscopy 
 nurses must typically be highly knowledgeable in gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.
 

 
 Registered Nurse - Nurse Manager: A nurse manager or nurse 
 supervisor is in charge of coordinating patient care on individual units. Nurse 
 managers are responsible for safety ad quality of care, budgeting, and both patient 
 and staff satisfaction.

How to Become an RN and Get a Nursing License in the USA

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