Preparing for the Process of Becoming a Registered Nurse

Becoming a Registered Nurse can be an arduous process. Taking the following steps will save you time, money and frustration as you join one of the world’s most rewarding professions.

The Get Set for Success Shopping List

Shoes

Nurses spend hours on their feet during a typical shift, so good shoes will keep you comfortable and less fatigued.

Stethoscope

The best stethoscope is one that enables you to hear heart, breath and bowel sounds with sufficient volume and clarity for accurate assessment. If you know any nurses, ask to try their stethoscope. Hearing through a stethoscope is the only way you’ll ever know if it works for you.

Watch with a Second Hand

A watch with a second hand is required to take patients’ pulses and count their respiration rate. You do not need to buy the most expensive watch. In fact, it is better to have several less expensive watches in case one is damaged or stops working. Just make sure they all have sweeping second hands.

Health for the (Aspiring) Healthcare Professional 101

If you are physically unwell you won’t be able to take care of others. During nursing school, you must have a physical exam before working with patients. Take charge of your own health; you’ll be a great role model for your patients and you’ll feel better in the process. Since you’ll be working with patients, you’ll also need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test and a follow-up chest x-ray if the TB test is positive, as well as proof of Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TDaP), Varicella (Chicken Pox), Hepatitis B and Influenza (Flu) vaccinations.

Experience is Always the Best Teacher

Engaging in paid or volunteer work in a hospital, nursing home, clinic or other healthcare setting in the greater Toledo OH area is always a good idea. You’ll gain valuable insight into different settings, develop patient service skills and form critically important professional contacts, all of which are crucial to launching a successful career in nursing. You’ll also be able to take advantage of speakers, CPR classes and other events to round out your knowledge base.

(Future) Nurse, Know Your Stuff

Nursing is the most trustworthy profession in the USA because nurses efficiently, accurately and conscientiously communicate complex health information so prescriptions can be revised, tests can be ordered and emergency surgeries can be performed. It is never too early to lay the groundwork for such professional competence. A solid foundation in biology, chemistry and physics, will give you the scientific knowledge base needed to fully understand health conditions, tests, and treatments.

While these steps will help you succeed in nursing school and beyond, they work much better when paired with expert guidance and mentorship. Consider your (prospective) nursing school faculty knowledgeable resources and future professional colleagues to becoming a Registered Nurse in Toledo OH.