What Does an RN Have to Do Before Graduation?

Graduation requirements for nurses include supervised clinical experience.

The path to becoming a registered nurse involves completing an associate's or bachelor's degree program. Students in RN programs must meet requirements in liberal arts, nursing theory and science, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.

Features

Liberal arts coursework in an RN program includes English, math, and psychology or sociology. Science courses include microbiology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology. In addition to meeting liberal arts and science requirements, students take courses in nursing practice and must complete supervised clinical experience at a healthcare facility in order to graduate.

Identification

Clinical experience may be offered in specialty areas such as pediatrics, surgery or psychiatry, notes the BLS. Prospective RNs who enter a bachelor's degree program will be required to take additional courses in leadership and communication.

Significance

A solid grounding in science and nursing theory is important for prospective RNs. This knowledge is tested on the national licensure examination that students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia must pass in order to obtain a nursing license.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses

Resources

• RN Requirements: Understanding RN Requirements