Requirements to become an RN?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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OK, I know I posted a previous thread with questions about becoming an LVN. But I just talked to my dad for the first time in months and he reminded me that his long-time dream was for one of his daughters to become an RN. Not just for job security and pay, but to really, really help others. I'm 24 (just turned on Wednesday), my third sister is 28 and has zero interest in school, my second sister is 30 and enjoys her job working as a bartender, and my eldest sister is 34 and has already completed a bachelors in something totally unrelated to health care (and she has no desire to return to school either). It makes me really, really sad to know that neither of us could fulfill his wish, so I think I might be a last chance... he's already 60, going on 61 soon.

I live in California. What are the requirements to become an RN? What are the necessary steps I should take? I read somewhere that you absolutely must have a high school diploma (I don't have a HSD or a GED, but I'm in college studying engineering).

I apologize for the annoying questions, but I figured this would be an honest place to ask.

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You will need to start with a high school diploma or GED. A friend of mine did not have a hs diploma, had a GED, and ran into numerous problems when she tried to navigate the nursing school world. Do yourself a favor, even if you are in college, and get that first credential. Meanwhile, start to investigate the nursing programs in your area. You can do this by checking out the nursing program page on the school websites. If you run into any questions, you can have them answered by meeting with academic advisors at the schools. Good luck.

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.

I dunno what you're asking about in specific. To be an RN you have to graduate from a properly accredited program, pass the NCLEX-RN, and then get your state license to practice nursing.

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I'm not trying to be critical or mean, just sincerely curious, but how did you manage to get into college to study engineering without a HS diploma or a GED? I didn't think that was possible.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Why not fulfill your own dreams and let your father fulfill his own? I feel that is not a worthy reason to become an RN. Just my dumb old opinion...take it or leave it. Good luck to you though whatever you do.

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I'm not trying to be critical or mean, just sincerely curious, but how did you manage to get into college to study engineering without a HS diploma or a GED? I didn't think that was possible.

You can attend community college with/out a high school diploma in California. You can transfer to a university after you complete an amount of transferable units in a community college. You can actually get a BA/BS without a high school diploma belive it, or don't. I learned all that right after my high school graduation.

To pp.

Nursing school is very challenging. If you're not there because YOU want to be there, you might not make it.

Most nursing programs in CAl. require you to take the typical 3 science course, Anatomy, Physiology and Microbiology. You'll be competing with students with "As" in every class and high GPAs for a nursing school spot.

If you do get a spot somewhere. Nursing school is for most two years with a crazy schedule. If you do make it to gaduation: in California 40% of nursing school gaduates will not get hired with our economy.

If you're lucky enough to get a job. It will be miles away from your family. Your dad won't even know you're fulfilling his dream.

Just my 2 cents

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I'm not trying to be critical or mean, just sincerely curious, but how did you manage to get into college to study engineering without a HS diploma or a GED? I didn't think that was possible.

Hehe, you're not being mean; I used to wonder the same thing.

Most community colleges will accept students without a high school diploma or equivalent only because we have to start from the very beginning (basic math classes, basic English composition). So, in essence, we're finishing up what we didn't learn in HS through the first year of CC.

To everyone else: thank you for the advice. Asian parents can be hard on their kids. LOL.

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