How to Become an Orthopedic Nurse
As an orthopedic nurse, it will be your job to care for patients who have minor to severe bone and muscular issues. These issues can include deformities, arthritis, broken bones and surgical patients. Before you can become an orthopedic nurse, you must first become a registered nurse by earning your license, associate's degree or a bachelors of science in nursing. As of 2010, an orthopedic nurse's salary was approximately $80,000 a year.
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Things You'll Need
- High school diploma or GED
- Nursing degree
- 2-years of RN work experience
- 1,000 hours of work experience in orthopedic setting
Instructions
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Enroll in a college that offers an accredited registered nursing degree program. A nursing degree program is often referred to as nursing school. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission's website has a list of accredited nursing schools throughout the United States (see Resources). Besides 4-year universities, community and technical colleges also offer registered nursing degree programs.
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Complete all nursing school prerequisites. While the prerequisites will vary by school, they commonly include math, English, anatomy and computer literacy. It is important to earn the highest GPA possible as entry into nursing school is a very competitive.
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Apply to nursing school once you have met the prerequisites. When applying, you will be interviewed by nursing school instructors, have to submit articles of recommendation and pass a criminal background check.
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Take the National Council Licensure Examination- Registered Nurse (NCLEX) after you graduate from nursing school and earn your diploma, certificate or degree. Your nursing school will help you set up your licensure examination. Once you pass the examination, you will be a registered nurse (RN).
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Work for a minimum of two years as an RN. Apply to work in an orthopedic setting. You must have at least 1,000 hours of work experience in an orthopedic setting to take the orthopedic nurses certification test.
According to the Orthopedic Nurses Certification Board (ONCB), an orthopedic setting includes, but is not limited to, critical care, emergency room, home health care, operating room, office practice and oncology.
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Take the orthopedic nurses certification exam, which is administered by the Orthopedic Nurses Certification Board. There is no specific schools that must be attended before you can take the exam. However, there are online programs and books available to help you prepare for the test.
Once you pass exam, you will be a certified orthopedic nurse.
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References
Resources
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