How to Become a Nurse: Resources to Help You Get Started

Nurses provide patient care, support physicians, and help treat and prevent medical ailments. Due to an aging population, nurses are in constant demand and are well compensated for their work and hard-earned skill set. 

The Hindustan Times reports that India currently has a ratio of only 1.9 nurses per 1,000 people [1]. But India is not alone. The global midwifery and nursing workforce comprises 29 million men and women [2]. Even so, the worldwide community is experiencing a shortage of health workers—midwives and nurses in particular [2].

These figures demonstrate a potentially positive job outlook for the future of nursing as worldwide healthcare organisations and governments seek to hire more nurses. But your path to joining this high-demand healthcare profession will depend largely on your goals. 

In this article, you will find a wide range of resources to help you explore both healthcare and nursing professions, learn about what you need to do to become a practicing nurse, and discover how to prepare for the job search. 

Familiarise yourself with the healthcare field

Healthcare is a field that grows and changes daily. If you’re considering a career as a nurse, take some time to acquaint yourself with healthcare:

• Is Health Care a Good Career Path? Outlook, Jobs, and More

• What Do Health Care Jobs Pay? Salaries, Job List, and More

• 9 Health Science Jobs For Health Science Degree Holders

• 12 Work-from-Home Health Care Jobs

• 12 Best Paying Jobs in Health Care

• 8 Jobs You Can Get with a Health Science Degree

What do nurses do? Explore nursing careers

Nursing is not simply one profession. You’ll find many different nursing careers—from those that need only a couple of years of training to those that require many more. Before jumping into a nursing programme, consider the type of nurse you want to become:

• What Does a Flight Nurse Do? Duties, Pay, and More

• What Is a Charge Nurse? Duties, Pay, and How to Become One

• Psychiatric Nurse: Duties, Pay, and How to Become One

• What Does a Certified Nursing Assistant Do? A Guide

• What Does a Registered Nurse Do? 

• What Is a Nurse Practitioner? Your Career Guide

• What Does a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Do?

• What is a Legal Nurse Consultant (LNC)? And How to Become One

• What Is an Oncology Nurse and How to Become One

• Nurse Case Manager: What They Do and How to Become One

• What Is a Nurse Anesthetist? And How to Become One

Join a nursing programme to get qualified

Nurses are highly trained medical professionals who use their expertise to support physicians and provide quality patient care. Depending on the area of nursing you are going into, the exact educational requirements you’ll need to fulfil will vary. 

You can explore several paths to becoming a nurse in India, including training and education beyond secondary school. For example, you may attend four years of university and earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing) or a Master of Science in Nursing (MSc Nursing). You can also earn diplomas in midwifery, neurology, oncology, and psychiatry to specialise in a specific area of nursing:

• Your Guide to Nursing Degrees and Certifications

• How to Get Into Nursing School: Your Guide to a Degree

• How Hard Is Nursing School? Tips for Success

• Examples of Professional Nursing Goals: Skills, Education, Earnings

• How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN): A Step-by-Step Guide

• How Long Does it Take to Become a Registered Nurse (RN)?

• How Long Does It Take to Become a Nurse Practitioner (NP)? 

• What Is the Difference Between a BA and a BS Degree?

How long does it take to become a nurse?

The most common path to becoming a nurse is earning your BSc in Nursing, which typically takes four years. This degree programme includes training in nursing, patient management, and healthcare. You may opt for an MSc in Nursing to advance or specialise, and this will likely take an additional two years.

Get ready for the job search

When applying for jobs, you want to put your best foot forward. Before doing so, make sure your CV is as polished as possible:

• 10 Nursing Skills for Your Resume (+ How to Show Them)

• 13 Ways to Strengthen + Enhance Your Resume to Stand Out as an Applicant 

• Resume Keywords: How to Find the Right Words to Beat the ATS

• Transferable Skills: How to Use Them to Land Your Next Job

• How to List Resume References: A Job Seeker’s Guide + Sample

• How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation (Template + Tips)

Ace the interview 

Job interviews allow you to expand your skills, discuss previous work experience, and highlight your professional accomplishments. Before you start interviewing, make sure to set aside time to prepare. A good impression during a job interview can help your chances of landing the job:

• 10 Common Nursing Interview Questions to Help You Practice and Prepare

• How to Prepare for an Interview

• Zoom Interview Tips: A Guide For Your Online Interview

• What to Wear to an Interview

• 11 Types of Interviews You May Find in a Job Search

Learn more about nursing responsibilities on Coursera

The world of healthcare is ever-changing. Whether you have a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or even a doctorate, your education as a medical professional doesn’t end when you leave your degree programme or school of nursing. Throughout your career, you will likely have to learn new skills and techniques as the field changes. 

To keep your skills current, consider taking an online course or degree programme. Coursera offers over 10,000 online courses, Professional Certificates, and degrees from world-class universities and companies.

The University of Minnesota’s Integrative Nursing Specialisation, for example, teaches a patient-centred, relationship-based approach to nursing that utilises a variety of integrative healing modalities.