I want to be a registered nurse in the United States. What are the requirements?
In all 50 states and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from a nursing school with an approved nursing program, and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Nurses may be licensed in more than one state, either by examination or by the endorsement of a license issued by another state. Currently 18 states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement, which allows nurses to practice in member states without recertifying. Basic study for the nursing profession in the United States takes place at the undergraduate level. The professional-level “registered nurse” (R.N.) has a bachelor’s degree in nursing and must fulfill state licensure requirements to practice. Each U.S. state has its own criteria and regulations for licensure; however, every state uses the same licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, which must be passed before a license is awarded.
