Making the decision to join the ranks of healthcare’s foot soldiers as a registered nurse can feel like a big undertaking. Browse our Guides for everything you ever wanted to know, and probably more, about how to become an RN. Nurses are required to complete continuing education courses, usually every two years. Depending on where you practice, these may be listed as contact hours or as continuing education units . Every state has different laws that determine how many hours of continuing education you need and how often.
Understanding the different types of practice is key to understanding our profession completely. Pitt’s DNP in nurse anesthesia program has been considered among the best for decades. With a nursing shortage that is projected to continue, you should have plenty of options for the types of jobs that are available to you. Your clinical experience may have given you a taste for the different environments and settings in which you can work, so you’ll have an idea of what kind of environment is right for you.
Read more about highest paying nurse jobs here.
Depending on the work setting and state where they are employed, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median average nurse anesthetist salary is $203,090 as of their most recent survey in 2022. The CCRN or critical care certification is generally not listed as a requirement but is preferred and will help give you an edge over other applicants.
Registered Nurse (RN)/Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Students complete clinical experiences on Mayo Clinic’s campus, though rotations might be completed off-campus. Those who completed the Mayo Clinic master of nurse anesthesia or those currently employed as nurse anesthetists by Mayo Clinic may enroll in a post-graduate doctoral program. The NCLEX-RN is the exam required after completing a nursing school program before the graduate can start working as a nurse.
Registered Nurse- RN
Select your education background and program of interest and see all the accredited nursing programs available for you. Once you complete your education, you’ll need to take an exam to demonstrate your knowledge and nursing skills. Nurses also need to be licensed to practice and exams are prerequisites to licensing. To become a registered nurse, obtaining a degree from an accredited institution is necessary. The specific degree and duration of the program will vary depending on your intended place of employment. But if you need a break from bedside care, want to focus on patient advocacy, and help coordinate the highest level of quality care for a wide range of patients, a career in nurse navigation might be a perfect fit.
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