A Step-by-Step Guide for How to Break Into the Nursing Field

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In addition to being one of the most rewarding ways to make a living, nursing offers some of the best benefits for professionals in the healthcare industry. The typical yearly income for a registered nurse (RN) is around $77,600, but clinical nurse specialists can earn nearly twice that amount. Meanwhile, nurse anesthetists have a median salary of almost $200,000.

According to insights from employee benefits platform Compt, nurses also have some of the best access to PTO, health insurance, and other benefits, which explains why 88.7% of them are happy with their jobs. This article breaks down the steps to landing a job as a professional nurse.

Step 1: Choose your nursing specialty

Before you can even begin looking for positions, it’s important to decide which type of nursing career is right for you. There are numerous specialties within the field, each with its own requirements and unique day-to-day responsibilities. Some popular options include:

• Registered Nurse (RN)

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

• Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

• Nurse Practitioner (NP)

• Nurse Anesthetist

Take some time to research each of these roles and determine which one aligns with your interests, strengths, and goals. You can also reach out to current nurses or shadow them to gain a better understanding of their work.

Step 2: Get your nursing degree

Once you know what path you want to go down, start by researching accredited nursing schools or programs that offer the specialty you’re interested in. Accreditation verifies your program meets the standards and degree recognition employers in your field require. Besides choosing your degree program, there’s a lot that goes into this process:

• Applications

• Financial planning

• Moving to a new place for school (or staying local)

• Work-life balance

• Schoolwork and exams

If you need flexibility, look into the best online nursing courses. They generally often provide the same quality education as traditional on-campus programs but allow you to study from anywhere.

Step 3: Complete your coursework and practical training

After you’ve enrolled in a nursing program, the next step involves diving into your coursework. Typically, this includes preliminary studies in anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, physiology, and nutrition, along with nursing-specific courses like pathophysiology, health assessment, and nursing research.

Alongside your coursework, you will eventually undergo practical training. This is hands-on experience (often called ‘clinical hours’) you’ll gain through internships or placements in hospitals or healthcare facilities in tandem with your education.

This step is crucial. It allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios and prepares you for the challenges you’ll inevitably face as a professional nurse. Choose programs that offer the right balance of theory and practice, as both are integral to your nursing education.

Step 4: Pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Upon completing your degree, you will need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). It tests your competencies in safe and effective nursing practice and is a requirement for US licensure.

The NCLEX uses a unique computerized adaptive testing (CAT) format. The number of questions varies (between 75 and 265 for the NCLEX-RN and 85 and 205 for the NCLEX-PN). The test adapts to your ability level — the better you perform, the fewer questions you’ll need to answer.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) provides a test plan for the NCLEX, outlining the content areas covered. It includes a breakdown of the percentage of questions from each category, such as safety and infection control, health promotion, and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity.

Step 5: Update your resume and start applying for jobs

On your new resume, clearly highlight your nursing degree. Include your license number and the date you received your licensure. Add detailed information about your clinical rotations, specifying the type of healthcare settings, the departments you worked in, and the specialized skills or knowledge you gained. Once you have the basics down, consider the following:

• Certifications and training you’ve completed, such as CPR, ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), or any other specialized training relevant to nursing.

• Professional affiliations with healthcare-related organizations that show your active engagement in the professional community.

• Volunteer work in healthcare settings that reflects your commitment to the field and nursing values.

From there, use job search resources like online job boards, nursing career websites, and LinkedIn to find open positions. You can also attend job fairs and network with nurses and healthcare professionals to learn about potential job opportunities. Rather than just applying, reach out to hiring professionals directly to secure an interview slot.

Endnote

Once you’ve landed a few interviews, all you have to do is highlight the expertise you’ve worked so hard to acquire. Use your resume and interview as an opportunity to showcase how much you’ve learned, grown, and are ready for the exciting challenges of being a professional nurse.