As a Missouri local, you may be wondering which career path is right for you. If you’re caring, empathetic, and eager to help people in need, you should consider a career in nursing. Locally-based American nurses are in high demand – due to the current nursing shortage, we need as many as 275,000 more nurses in the US alone.
So, now that you’ve set your sights on a career as a nursing practitioner, the question remains on how to become a nurse in Missouri. Stay with us as we take you through the steps to pursuing this challenging yet inspiring career.
Step 1: Earn Your Nursing Degree
The first step to becoming a registered nurse? Completing your diploma in nursing.
Your nursing qualification is essential to be able to practice as a registered nurse, as it both develops your skillset and also, provides you with the training and knowledge you need to competently perform the role.
At present, the preferred and most recognized nursing diploma in the US is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Attaining this qualification will get you well on the way to becoming a nurse, as well as developing your knowledge of the field.
Step 2: Complete Your Clinical Placements
You’ve attained your nursing diploma. The next step? Attending professional placements in clinical settings. This is a critical part of your training and education, as you will gain real-world and hands-on experience.
The truth? You may feel that you’re being thrown into the deep end during your clinical placements. Although you’ve completed your nursing studies, buried yourself in your textbooks, and aced your assessments, being placed in real-world settings is different. Hospital environments can be frenetic, and the demands of the nursing role can be high-stress.
The good news? Clinical placement rounds will help prepare you for the reality of the road ahead. In the end, being thrown into the deep end on placement will show you whether you’ll sink or swim when it comes to being professionally employed as a nurse.
Step 3: Attain the NCLEX License
Passing the NCLEX exam is a critical part of your formation as a nurse in the US. With this license, American hospitals will recognize your nursing skills and qualifications.
As part of the NCLEX, you’ll be tested on your professional capabilities, your understanding of nursing concepts, and perhaps most importantly, your competence and suitability for employment as a nurse. The best part? Once attained, you will be deemed ready to step into a professional nursing role.
Step 4: Secure Your Nursing Role
You’ve attained your nursing diploma, completed your clinical placements, and passed the NCLEX. First of all, congratulations on getting this far. What’s next? You need to secure a job. Yes, finding a job can be challenging – in any industry. But the good news? Because we desperately need more nurses in the US, your career prospects are positive.
How to go about getting a job? Consider engaging with a recruitment or staffing agency that specializes in nursing. They can help connect you with prospective employers, and even, assist you with tips for the interview process.
Step 5: Progress Your Nursing Career
You’re now professionally employed as an RN. But why stop there? If you want to advance your career, it’s a great idea to specialize. Of course, this will require you to complete further studies around your nursing specialty of choice.
But whether you choose obstetrics, geriatrics, pediatrics, or oncology nursing, one thing is certain: specializing will get you further. In many cases, becoming an advanced nursing specialist will also have you earning more than you would as a general RN. Undoubtedly, with the cost of living the way it is in America at present, earning a higher wage is hardly a bad thing.
So there you have it – our step-by-step guide to becoming a nurse in Missouri.
By earning your nursing degree, completing your clinical placements, and passing the NCLEX, you’ll be on your way to a successful and rewarding career as a Missouri nurse.
But once you’ve secured your role, you don’t have to stop there. As mentioned, if you’re keen to progress your nursing career, becoming an advanced nursing specialist can take you even further.
