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Become a Nurse >> Browse Articles >> Step 2: Choose the Right Path

Questions You Must Ask Yourself Before Entering Nursing School

Do you intend to get an advanced nursing degree?

If you already know that you intend to get an advanced nursing degree, find out what is exactly required to reach that level before you start your nursing school education. It is far easier to map your education from the end backwards, so to speak, because you will be able to plan your courses and classes to fulfill as many requirements along the way as you can. You can also use that knowledge to try to arrange work in the field where you want to end up. If you know that you’ll need to do a turn on a med-surgery floor as part of your requirements for a degree next year, you can try to arrange that in advance through your work. If you know that a class you want to take in two years has a prerequisite, you can try to take it before you even enroll in nursing school.

The three major nursing degrees are:

LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse – An LPN program is a diploma program that takes about a year. As an LPN you’ll be able to do some patient care under the direction of doctors and registered nurses.

ADN – Associates Degree in Nursing – An ADN typically takes about two years to complete and is generally given at a community college. As an ADN, you will often be able to apply for licensing and registration in your state and will be able to do direct patient care in most settings.

BSN – Bachelor of Science in Nursing – A BSN is a four year program that prepares you to work in most care settings. If you intend to eventually get a Masters in Nursing, or would like to get into nursing management, a BSN is your best choice.