Nursing in the United States

Nurses in the United States practice nursing in a wide variety of specialties.

Nursing in the United States is provided by several levels of professional and paraprofessional staff.

Registered nurses generally receive their basic preparation through one of four basic avenues:

There are also special programs for "LPN to RN", for LPNs seeking an RN degree. There are also accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs that take 1.5 to 2 years for people who hold undergraduate degrees in other disciplines, such as respiratory therapists and paramedics/military medics. Graduates of all programs, once licensed, are eligible for employment as entry-level staff nurses.

Prerequisites for nursing school depend on the school, with baccalaureate programs requiring more courses, in general, than associate degree programs. Usual courses include three years of math, three years of science, including biology and chemistry, four years of English and two years of language. Additionally, human development, human anatomy with lab, human physiology with lab, microbiology with lab, nutritional science and English composition may be required. Applicants are usually expected to have a high grade point average, especially in the core prerequisites of anatomy, microbiology, chemistry and physiology.

A typical course of study at any level typically includes such topics as, anatomy and physiology, epidemiology, pharmacology and medication administration, psychology, ethics, nursing theory and legal issues in nursing.

All pathways into practice require that the candidate receive clinical training in nursing. Care is delivered by the student nurses under academic supervision in hospital and in other practice settings. Clinical courses typically include:

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