Let’s be honest! The road to becoming a nurse is not an easy one. It requires long shifts, tough exams, sleepless nights, and making life-or-death decisions. Nursing is one of the most demanding careers in healthcare, and if you are thinking of becoming a nurse, then you might ask yourself one question: Is it hard to become a nurse? The answer is yes, but with the right strategy, you can become successful in your career. In this blog, we will discuss what makes nursing challenging and what steps to take to be successful in this career.
Why do people choose nursing?
Nursing is a rewarding and demanding career in healthcare. Most people are now choosing nursing as their career for many reasons, which are as follows:
- The demand for nurses is increasing day by day. This indicates job stability.
- The pay of nurses is really high, and especially travel nurses, they get other benefits such as house stipends, travel reimbursements, etc.
- It is a rewarding career job, and nurses make a real difference in people’s lives.
- Nursing has flexible job options, such as you can be a travel nurse, nurse educator, telehealth nurse, etc.
How hard is it to become a nurse?
Nursing is no doubt a challenging career, but with the right support, time, and dedication, it is completely possible. The reasons why it is hard to become a nurse are as follows:
- The first step towards becoming a nurse is to get into nursing school. You need to have a solid GPA and sometimes a nursing entrance exam, such as TEAS, which is hard and challenging.
- The other reason why nursing is hard is that nurses need to do lots of studies to pass nursing school. Nursing courses include medical terminology, pharmacology, health assessments, etc.
- Nursing is challenging because nursing school requires hands-on clinicals, too. This means no matter how good you are at your studies, great clinical skills is important to become a successful nurse.
- For most of the students, nursing is a hard career because it is both physically and emotionally demanding. Dealing with real patients can be very tough and emotionally exhausting.
- Another important step to becoming a nurse is to pass your NCLEX-RN exams. Once you pass your nursing school and get your nursing degree, you need to have a nursing license to legally work in healthcare facilities. Passing your NCLEX-RN exams can be tough and requires serious preparation, which is also one of the reasons why it is hard to become a nurse.
- Nursing requires continuous education, so this means even if you get your nursing license, you still have to study and continue with your education to get more certifications.
Other reasons why it is hard to become a registered nurse (RN)?
It is important to understand that becoming a nurse is not only academically hard, but it also requires time, money, and sacrifices. Other reasons why it is hard to become a nurse are as follows:
- Nursing school is time-consuming, which means it requires 2 to 4 years or more, depending on the program.
- Becoming a nurse is not cheap; it requires money for books, fees, tuition, clinicals, etc.
- You can be dealing with death, illness, and high-pressure environments, which can be emotionally stressful.
- Keeping a work-life balance can be hard as you have to deal with studies, clinicals, work, and family all at the same time.
How to be a successful nurse despite all the challenges?
- We know that it is hard to become a nurse, but despite all these challenges, with the right dedication, hard work, and strategy, you can still become a successful nurse.
- Create your study schedule and follow it.
- Group studies will help you to reach your goals.
- It is important to practice self-care, for example, eating proper meals, taking rest, exercising, etc.
- Never hesitate to ask for help. You need guidance from professionals and clinical instructors, or other fellow nurses.
How long does it take to pass your NCLEX -RN exam after graduation?
The steps involved in passing your NCLEX-RN exams are as follows:
- Immediately after graduation, apply for licensure.
- Once you are approved, you will receive ATT (Authorization To Test) from Pearson VUE, which can take about 1 to 4 weeks.
- Now it is time to schedule your exams, and most students prefer it in 1 to 2 weeks.
- The next step is to prepare for your exams, and most students take 4 to 8 weeks, but the time varies for preparation.
Is becoming a nurse really hard? What are the hardest parts of nursing school?
Yes, becoming a nurse can be hard, as it is not just about studying and passing exams. Some of the reasons why nursing is hard and challenging are as follows:
- Heavy academic load, such as covering 10-plus chapters in a week.
- Another challenging part about nursing school is clinical rotations, which might be scary at first.
- Nursing school requires multitasking and time management skills.
- Nursing exams can be hard, as sometimes exams use select all that apply in questions, which can be confusing and hard.
- Nursing is hard because it is also emotionally and mentally stressful, such as you have to witness death, the suffering of patients, etc.
How much do nurses make?
The salaries and pay of nurses vary according to location, healthcare facilities, experience, and specialty.
How long does it take to become a nurse?
To get your nursing degree, you can choose ADN, which is a 2-year program, or BSN, which is 4 4-year program. After that, you have to pass your NCLEX-RN exam to get your nursing license and start working legally in healthcare facilities.
Conclusion
Is it hard to become a nurse? Yes, nursing is a challenging career in healthcare, but with the right preparation, dedication, time, and hard work, it can also be one of the most rewarding careers. Nursing is hard because it requires studying, emotional and physical strength, time, and money. From the pressure of exams to dealing with real-life emergencies, we can say that it is not for the faint-hearted. But once you decide that you want to become a nurse and are passionate about helping others, then no one can stop you from becoming a successful nurse. With the right mindset, preparation, hard work, and strategy, you can overcome all the challenges and become a successful future nurse.
If you are a seasoned travel nurse or a nurse with at least 1 to 2 years of experience and want to try travel nursing, then join SkillGigs now and become part of our travel nursing world. We will help you get the travel nursing assignment that matches your skills, needs, and interests.
