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As of May 2020, there were 183,130 employed Registered Nurses in Florida. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, nurses played a critical role in helping people live healthier lives. So if you've been thinking of joining this exciting field, you're in the right place at the right time. Moreover, nursing may offer good job security for some time to come; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job growth for this in-demand field will increase by 9% by 2030.
A Nursing Career Has Multiple Benefits
Joining the nursing profession is also an excellent move toward personal wealth building. However, while working as a nursing assistant is a beautiful opportunity to learn all about patient care, it can be challenging to raise a family in Florida on their average salary.
Registered Nurses enjoy an expanded role that includes administering medications, providing health education, and coordinating patient care. This elevated role comes with a much higher average salary of $69,510. In addition, living as an RN in Florida may give you the financial freedom to buy your own home, invest in the stock market, and pursue other important life goals.
There's One Major Hurdle
Becoming a Registered Nurse is an excellent opportunity to become the best version of yourself. There, unfortunately, is one significant barrier: according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the "typical entry-level education" required to become a Registered Nurse is a bachelor's degree. Most bachelor's degrees take at least four years to complete. These are four years devoted to intense study and long hours. It's also four years of earning a much lower salary than you can earn working a Registered Nursing job.
Florida's Nursing Degree Requirements
Fortunately, there is a faster route to an RN than earning a four-year Nursing Degree. Florida state's nursing board and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing develop the requirements prospective Registered Nurses must meet to become licensed nurses. As of January 2022, future Registered Nurses must complete a nursing education program that:
- It consists of 50% supervised clinical training
- Encompasses medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, geriatric, and psychiatric nursing
- Provides instruction on topics including nutrition, pharmacology, and interpersonal relationships
Candidates for the Registered Nursing profession must also pass the NCLEX RN examination. The National Council Licensure Examination developed this computer-based adaptive test to test your ability to think like a nurse. You have demonstrated the knowledge needed to safely work as an entry-level Registered Nurse if you answer between 75 and 145 multiple choice questions to the council's passing standard.
A Few More Words About the NCLEX
To complete NCLEX text multiple choice questions, you must attend a nursing degree program that includes the theoretical, laboratory, and clinical training needed to attain the information on the test. You also must use that information to reason through everyday situations that nurses face every day.
What Florida Doesn't Include in Their Nursing Educational Standards
As you can see, Florida's nursing board has meticulously detailed the content and type of education its prospective Registered Nurses need. However, they haven't specified that you must achieve these aims during a four-year bachelor of science in nursing degree program.
A deeper dive into Florida's law reveals another educational option for future Registered Nurses. According to Florida Statute 464.019, a Registered Nursing program can be at the associate's degree level.
An Exciting Option
An associate's degree is a college degree. If you're an aspiring Registered Nurse, attending a three-year associate's degree program instead of a four-year bachelor's degree program has its advantages. First, since it is a year shorter, you can begin working as a Registered Nurse a full year earlier. This will allow you to gain valuable experience and earn a higher salary for one more year. Secondly, three years of education are less expensive than four years of nursing school.
In six semesters, you can have the state-required preparation to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and earn your place in a rewarding new profession. Contact our nursing admissions team online or by phone to learn about the Associate of Science in Nursing degree program at Saber College.
Ready to make a change?
Take the first step!
Requesting information requires no obligation
or commitments.