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This question is about nurse.
What degree do you need to be a nurse?
You need an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing to be a nurse. A bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN), however, is the nursing degree that most employers prefer, and it provides graduates with the best career opportunities straight out of school.
In order to work as a registered nurse, you will need to complete the licensure requirements as dictated by the state in which you wish to practice. While all states have certain educational requirements in order to qualify for an RN license, these requirements can vary significantly.
For example, to become a nurse in California, you can begin by earning an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a diploma in practical nursing. With either of these credentials, you can pass the NCLEX-PN exam, earn your license, and work as a licensed practical or licensed vocational nurse.
Some states will allow an individual to begin practicing as a nurse after having earned an associate's degree in nursing, with the stipulation that the individual earns a bachelor's degree within a certain window of time.
New York, for example, follows a law that is known colloquially as "BSN in 10." This law states that RNs who have only earned their associate's degree must complete a BSN within ten years of obtaining their initial RN license in order to continue as registered nurses.
In other cases, you must have a BSN for employment, especially if you plan to work in the northeast. In Massachusetts, and especially in the Boston area, for example, many hospitals will only consider RN applicants who have earned at least their BSN, even though the state only requires an associate's degree.
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