Can I become a nurse online?

Yes, you can become a nurse online. Online majors for nursing can allow aspiring nurses to obtain associate's, bachelor's, or even master's degrees in nursing.

Many different colleges offer online nursing degree programs. Some schools are strictly online, while others are associated with major public universities and other institutions.

While you can become a nurse online, you will still need training and education in person, mainly clinical training. Here is a quick look at the path to becoming a nurse:

• Nursing school. You should study nursing to become a nurse. You can accomplish this by attending nursing school and obtaining a bachelor's degree in the science of nursing (BSN). In nursing school, you need to study and complete classes on:

  • Nursing fundamentals

  • Physiology

  • Psychology

  • Microbiology

  • Pharmacology

  • Women and infant health

  • Leadership management

  Online nursing classes will feature the same curriculum as in-person nursing programs.

• NCLEX exam

  After getting your bachelor's degree, you must pass the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become a registered nurse in the state where you wish to practice.

  If you want to go into a more specialized nursing field, you must attend more schooling and gain the necessary certifications that allow you to practice.

  This exam is designed to test your knowledge in all the critical areas of the nursing field. You must pass this exam to obtain state licensure and become a registered nurse.

  If you do not pass the exam, you then have to wait 45 days before you are eligible to take it again. Just about every role in nursing requires you to pass this exam.

• Get State Licensure. This is another mandatory step. You need to get a nursing license in the state where you want to be a school nurse.

  To become a traveling school nurse, you must obtain state licensure in every state you plan to practice. Certain regions have licenses that can be utilized in multiple states but do your research, as this is the exception, not the rule.

  Each state also has its unique requirements for obtaining a nursing license.

• Clinical nursing experience. This is the last qualification of a nurse. Clinical nursing experience can be gained by working in hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes, physicians' offices, and other medical facilities.