My Journey to becoming a Registered Nurse in New York

What inspired me to become a registered nurse?

Hello there! I’d like to share my journey to becoming a nurse with you, as well as provide some advice and motivation for your own nursing journey. I have been an Registered nurse for the past 4 years. On my journey to becoming a registered nurse, I felt a variety of emotions, such as excitement, anxiety, and hope. Let me first give you some background on what motivated me to become a nurse. I was born in India and moved to the United States when I was nine years old. I grew up in California. As far as I remember growing up, I always liked helping other people.

My sister was an activity director at a nursing home when I was in high school. I went to volunteer at the nursing facility with my sister. I continued to work as a caregiver at the same nursing home after I graduated high school. As a result, my first exposure to the medical and health field was through a visit to a nursing home. I found fulfillment in being able to help people who were in need. It made me sad to see so many residents alone, without their families by their sides. I loved seeing their smiles, and I tried to persuade them to participate in activities rather than just sit in their rooms. Some of them merely required company and conversation. I wanted to spend the rest of my life serving others, so I decided to become a nurse.

Prerequisites and Volunteer work for becoming a registered nurse

First, let me give you a glimpse of what it took to become a nurse. I chose nursing as a career because I am passionate about helping others live better lives. However, as we all know, the path to success is not easy. To achieve your goal, you will need time, courage, and patience. I began by taking general prerequisites at a community college. Anatomy was my favorite nursing prerequisite class. It was fascinating to learn about the structure of the body and how cells, tissues, and organs work together to form the body. I followed my counselor’s plan for which classes are required for the nursing program. I also began volunteering in various departments at a hospital (Kaiser).

Applying to colleges for becoming a registered nurse

Once I completed all the nursing requirements in 2 years, I applied to a few colleges for nursing programs, but many of the colleges had a lottery system. When there is a lottery program, you get placed on a waiting list. I did not want to wait as it could be years before you get selected. There were also private colleges that were too competitive to get into. Therefore, I selected another major, but still in the health field. I chose Health Science administration and management. I applied to California State University East Bay and got accepted. So, I completed my bachelor’s degree, which took another 2 years.

I accepted a job offer at a home health agency after finishing my bachelor’s degree. I was an intake coordinator there for a year and a half. But I still wanted to be a nurse, deep down. Working with clinicians and patients further encouraged me to pursue a nursing career. I also considered the LVN program at one point but decided against it because ultimate goal was to become an RN.

What is an Accelerated program for becoming a registered nurse?

While looking for a nursing program, I came across accelerated programs. If you already have a bachelor’s degree in ANY field, you can get your second bachelor’s degree in less time through an accelerated program than the traditional program. However, this requires students to work harder and take on a heavier workload. I was accepted to the College of Mount Saint Vincent after submitting an application to an accelerated program in New York. This was an accomplishment in and of itself because getting into a nursing program was difficult. Because I already had a bachelor’s degree, this accelerated program would take me 16 months to complete.

The Accelerated Nursing Program for becoming a registered nurse

I was very excited to begin my nursing career. My husband and I relocated from California to New York. This was a significant change in my life because I had spent almost my entire life in California. My college’s main campus was in the Bronx, and its sister college was in midtown Manhattan. It would take me an hour to get to Manhattan City by train and three hours to get to the Bronx by train and bus. My nursing clinicals were held at various hospitals. Because the 2-year nursing program is crammed into a shorter-length program, the accelerated program moves quickly. Because it is so fast-paced, you must constantly study. In the year 2018, I received my second bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Advise for Aspiring Nurses for becoming a Registered Nurse

Use other resources

The first semester of nursing school was extremely difficult. Every week, there were assignments, quizzes, and exams on a heavy load of material. Though my teachers were excellent, there were times when I felt I needed to study the entire textbook on my own because there was so much material to cover. For example, we could have an exam covering 10 chapters or more in a week. The most difficult class I had to take in my first semester was health assessment. I recommend that you use resources other than those provided in class to study for nursing school. I studied from YouTube videos because I am a visual learner, which helped me understand better. One of the best YouTube channels I used to study for my exams was nurse Sara’s channel, RegisterdNurseRN. Additionally, taking really good notes in class will aid in your ability to concentrate on the key points that the teacher emphasizes. Another good study technique is to study in groups.

Nursing exams

The majority of nursing examinations were difficult, and the NCLEX will be no exception. There is a lot of anxiety during exams because you have to put in so much effort into studying so many chapters, so everyone is anxious and hoping to pass the exam. The final comprehensive exams for each class at the end of the semester are even more difficult because you are tested on ALL of the material you have covered throughout the semester. You must learn how to answer questions on nursing exams because these are not typical questions that can be answered by memorization. In our pre-requisite courses, you memorized everything, and you were ready to take the exam.

However, nursing exams are different in that the questions test not only your knowledge of the material you’ve learned, but also your ability to apply that knowledge to a patient scenario. When answering questions on nursing tests, a higher level of critical thinking is required. I wish I had known before starting nursing school that nursing school exams are not like previous exams. I recommend purchasing the NCLEX book before starting nursing school so you are familiar with the types of questions you will be asked during class exams. Then, as you prepare for your nursing exams and review the same material from the NCLEX book, you will begin to become acquainted with high-level critical thinking questions and how to answer them on exams. The Amazon link for the NCLEX book I recommend is provided below under NCLEX tips.

Invest in a laptop

One thing you should do before beginning the program is purchase a laptop. A laptop computer is a must-have for any college student. I purchased a new laptop before beginning the program because there will be many assignments to complete, and a good laptop is required. I purchased an Apple Mac Air, which has a powerful operating system, a fast processor, and is lightweight enough to carry to college or wherever you go. You will be required to complete PowerPoint presentations, participate in online discussions, and write papers using Microsoft Word, among other things. As a result, you should buy a good laptop that will last for several years (I still have mine and it looks brand new). Though laptops can be expensive, I found the Apple MackBook Air for a reasonable price that you can consider. It’s similar to what I bought, but this is an updated version.

Stay Positive

There were many times when I doubted my ability to complete nursing school, but I kept my faith in God and remained optimistic. Nothing will stop you from becoming a nurse if you are meant to be one. But, once again, you must devote your entire time to nursing school. Nurses are held accountable to their patients; thus, you must learn everything you can in nursing school because you will be responsible for the lives of patients.

Few NCLEX tips

When you are relieved that you have completed the nursing program that you thought was impossible, the next difficult step is the NCLEX. You should save all of your class notes because you will need them to study for the NCLEX. The NCLEX assesses your knowledge gained throughout your nursing education. You must pass this exam in order to obtain your nursing license and begin working. The NCLEX tests your ability to practice nursing safely. In a separate blog, I’ll tell you how I passed my NCLEX for the first time. You can also prepare by purchasing Saunders’ Comprehensive Review NCLEX-RN. You can either study the material or skim through it as you go through your classes. This will also prepare you to pass your NCLEX for the first time. Click on the link below to order the NCLEX book from Amazon.

Believe in yourself!!

Nursing school is very challenging; it is not an easy ride. If you fail two classes, you will be kicked out of the program. You must devote all of your time to nursing school. You must put your personal life on hold. I had to miss my family’s special occasions because I needed to study and focus on multiple exams, some of which fell on the same week or day. It is difficult to complete nursing school, especially the accelerated program, if you do not devote all of your time and effort to it. I don’t say this to discourage you, but if you want to graduate from nursing school, you must stay focused and give your all. Believe in yourself and tell yourself that anything is possible. If I can do it, you can too!!

P.S.- If you haven’t already, check out my blog about what I do as an outpatient nurse. Please click the link below:

A day in the life of an outpatient neurology nurse