If you’re looking for a career helping others, and you don’t have a nursing license, you might want to pursue pre-licensure nursing. You might wonder, what is pre-licensure nursing? It’s a course that someone who doesn’t have a license but wants to become an RN would pursue.
When you’re studying in a pre-licensure nursing program, you’re gaining the skills and knowledge needed to pass the RN exam and begin your career as a nurse. For most people, this course of study takes between two and four years. After following the curriculum for pre-licensure nursing, many students continue on to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
Sometimes, you find students who already have an RN and are studying to receive their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The difference between the two types of students is that one already has an RN license and the other does not.
What Can Pre-Licensure Nurses Do?
Before you get started looking for a school, you want to know more about the jobs and roles available to prelicensure nurses. There are many roles that a pre-licensure nurse can play as they prepare to get their RN licenses.
Potential Careers and Roles
A pre-licensure nurse fills many of the same roles that an RN would. This is because they share so much of the same training, and the expectation is that you’ll soon become an RN. Some of the most common roles include:
- Direct Patient Care
- Patient Assessment
- Care Planning
- Health Education
- Patient Advocacy
- Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
- Professional Development
- Leadership and Management
- Specialized Areas, such as the emergency room or OB
When you’re done with your coursework for a pre-licensure nursing program, you’ll find that there are many opportunities available to you. Most of the positions available to you offer steady work, decent pay, and benefits that you need most.
You might work in any number of settings. It might be at a major hospital or an urgent care facility. You can work for an individual doctor or a medical practice. Most of the time, you’ll wear scrubs and comfortable shoes as you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet.
Advantages of Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs
You want a career, and you don’t want to spend years in school to come out with a degree or certificate that doesn’t have any advantages. You’ll find that there are some lovely benefits to pursuing a pre-licensure nursing program.
Benefits of a Program
You deserve to know that when you’re done with the program that there are benefits to choosing the path you choose and waiting to get your RN license. Some of the benefits of this program include:
- Enhanced Career Opportunities
- Stronger Clinical Foundation
- Professional Development
- NCLEX Preparation
If you don’t already have a background in nursing or working jobs that meet similar needs, the pre-licensure nursing program can help prepare you to take your RN exam and provide you with the background and experience you need to get a job in the nursing field.
Apply for a Pre-Licensure Nursing Degree Program
Now that you know what pre-licensure nursing is, it’s time to find a program that meets all of your needs and can set you up for success in your new field. At Barton College, we take pride in offering the classes that students are most interested in studying. You don’t have to wait until you have an RN to begin studying for your future career as a nurse. Our staff members can help you navigate the coursework and achieve the knowledge you need to pass your licensing test. Contact us today to get started.
Image Source: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A // Shutterstock