How to Become a Nurse:
Your Nursing Career Guide

Being a nurse is satisfying. Providing excellent care to clients allows you to combine both critical thinking and compassion. But it can also be challenging; juggling priorities, meeting job expectations, and still finding a few minutes to sit with a client can lead to feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. You’re reading one of our “Nursing Career Guide” articles. Need to practice for your upcoming exam? Take our free NCLEX practic ...

Congratulations on earning your nursing license! You are now a member of an elite profession that involved jumping many hurdles to reach your goal:Getting accepted to nursing school is extremely competitive. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that in 2019, 80,407 qualified applicants were turned away from programs. You were accepted! The Nursing Standard and Health Foundation found that since 2006, 25% of nu ...

As you prepare to start your career as a professional licensed nurse, it’s important to take time to create a nursing portfolio. It’s easy to do -- just a few minutes will get you started. From there, you will keep it updated as your career continues. It will become a record of your growth, as well as a valuable tool for your future.What is a nursing portfolio?Your nursing portfolio is documentation of your professional life. ...

Professional Liability Insurance: Why It’s a Must HaveYou worked hard to earn your nursing degree. Then you studied to pass NCLEX. Now, you’re a licensed nurse, ready to start the most respected profession. Your professional license should be insured, the same as your health, house, or car. It represents your livelihood, as well as the investment you made to become a nurse. For about $2.00 a week, you can protect your career… and yo ...

No matter where you are in your nursing career, consider yourself on the front line of the COVID-19 battle. That’s because nursing is considered the most honest and ethical profession. For the 19th year in a row, Gallup poll results put nurses in the Number One spot; 89% of Americans feel that nurses rank highest of 15 occupations in their honesty and ethics. (As a comparison, physicians have a 77% rating and pharmacists have a 71% rating.) ...

Studying for your NCLEX can be stressful. Your future career as a nurse depends on passing the licensure examination. What are some ways to be confident on your Test Day? You’re reading one of our “Nursing Career Guide” articles. Need to practice for your upcoming exam? Have a look at our free NCLEX practice questions -- no registration required! ✨

What Nurses Should Know About Shift Work Sleep Disorder During their careers, most nurses will work outside the “standard” hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. With 12-hour shifts, flexible and rotating schedules, on-call duties, and job sharing, nurses and other health care professionals are at risk for developing Shift Work Sleep Disorders (SWSD). You’re reading one of our “Nursing Career Guide” articles. Need to practice ...

Every new nurse dreads making a mistake. Any experienced nurse will tell you: It’s not “if” but “when.” Mistakes happen in every part of life. We miscalculate how much money is in our bank account and we overspend. We don’t notice the car in front of us has stopped suddenly and we cause a fender-bender. We forget about the birthday cake in the oven until the smoke alarm reminds us. Our careers are no differ ...

You don’t need a holiday, birthday, or Nurses’ Week to gift your favorite nurse, nursing student…or even yourself! Always on the front line of healthcare, nurses serve tirelessly. Because they often put others before themselves, why not show them how much they’re valued? You’re reading one of our “Nursing Career Guide” articles. Need to practice for your upcoming exam? Take our free NCLEX practice test -- ...