How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse and What Do They Make?

Did you know that nursing is considered the most ethical and honest career path in the U.S.? That's saying a lot when considering that nurses beat out physicians and even the clergy. Yes, most people believe that nurses are more honest and trustworthy than people of the cloth.

Nurses perform many duties when working in hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, or other environments. For instance, they record medical history and symptoms, work independently and in teams to provide patient care, give medications and treatments, perform physical examinations, conduct diagnostic tests, offer advice and support to patients, monitor the health of patients, provide bedside care, assist doctors, and more. A lot more.

While the first nursing school on record was started in India in 250 B.C. and initially only accepted male students, many institutions offer nursing programs nowadays. And the majority of nurses graduating and entering the profession today happen to be women.

Are you interested in becoming a nurse or do you simply want to learn more about the profession and how to become a nurse, the salary projections, some of the challenges that come with the territory, and how technology can help train nurses to do their jobs more effectively? 

Keep reading to learn more.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Nurse?

If you're considering a career in nursing, you'll want to know how long it takes to become a nurse. The answer is: it depends. Before you know how long nursing school will take, you need to know what type of nurse you desire to become and if you'll study full-time or part-time. You’ll also need to consider options for nursing school in your area unless you’re willing to study elsewhere.

It can take one to two years to become a licensed practical nurse, four years to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, two to four years to become a nurse practitioner, and three to seven years to earn a Ph.D. in nursing. There are, of course, other types of nursing specializations. You’ll want to explore them and look into the amount of time it typically takes to earn the designation.

What does it take to become a nurse? It will include classroom instruction and clinical components so you get hands-on experience and deal with real-life situations. After you earn your degree, you'll need to go through the process required to become licensed.

During clinicals, nursing students go through simulation sessions where they are observed and tested on fixed scenarios or random situations they would encounter in real life. They are reviewed on their skill development, knowledge, and teamwork. Video is involved to help observe and view multiple sessions at once or record and provide feedback and students and self-review and see peers in similar situations. Technology can, as a result, play a critical role in preparing nurses to succeed in the workplace and continue to make a difference in the lives of their patients.

How Much Do Nurses Make?

According to one source, the average salary for registered nurses across the U.S. is $82,750. As of May 2021, registered nurses in California had average salaries of $124,000 -- the highest average in the country. Another source notes that on the low end, nurses can bring in about $33,000 a year, but they can also rake in up to $202,500. What type of nurse you are and the state you work in will factor into your salary. The more in-demand your skills are and the more experience you gain over the years, the more you stand to make.

What Challenges Do Nurses Face?

While the opening paragraph notes that nursing is the most trusted sector, it's also an industry where many practitioners suffer from burnout. According to one source, almost four of 10 nurses are affected by burnout annually. It adds that burnout is caused by factors like long work hours, poor work environments, greater workloads, and being around death and sickness. 

Another report focuses on a nurses' strike in Minnesota over inadequate pay, insufficient staff levels, and worker fatigue due to overwork. The September 14, 2022 report notes that around 15,000 nurses in the state walked off the job due to the abovementioned issues. The affected hospitals called in temporary nurses to fill in over the three-day strike.  

There is a shortage of nurses across the country. One way to combat this is to focus on improving the workplace environment. Hiring more nurses and providing practical nurse training is essential. Many of the issues in the industry can be solved by hiring more nurses.

Technology can help current and incoming nurses to do their jobs more efficiently and productively. While it won’t compensate for some of the things that are frustrating nurses in this environment, it will help them to administer a higher standard of care to their patients day in and day out.

How Can Technology Be Used to Train Nurses Better?

Nursing education needs to keep up with the times. Leveraging the right technology schools that train nurses can offer nursing simulation that can be effective in clinical training. Simulation environments can deepen the nurse training experience and allow for observation and feedback. And using mannequins can provide the ability to improve skills needed in the workplace. 

Retention programs can provide incentives to help create learning and training opportunities that help keep nurses. It’s not enough to train nurses. It’s crucial to ensure their skills stay sharp and that they continue to gain new skills that will help them to excel in their duties.

What We Do

We offer a way to turn simulation into better outcomes. With a simple, secure auto and video recording solution, you can use our solution to improve the observation, debriefing, and learning experience. Are you interested in learning more or do you want to check out our demo to test drive VALT? Click here to do just that. You'll get to stream and record video and audio content in HD resolution, tailor workflows to your processes and procedures, employ custom templates, and more.