---
title: How to Become a Registered Nurse
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/how-to-become-a-registered-nurse/"
type: post
date_published: 2019-12-10
date_modified: 2025-12-26
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 756
reading_time: 4 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/how-to-become-a-registered-nurse/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-Program-Faculty-With-Students-In-Nursing-School-Lab.jpg"
categories:
  - Nursing Careers
topic:
  - Nursing
---

# How to Become a Registered Nurse

![Nursing Program Faculty With Students In Nursing School Lab](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-Program-Faculty-With-Students-In-Nursing-School-Lab.jpg)

---

Becoming a registered nurse (RN) requires completing a nursing program, passing
a national exam, and applying for licensure within your state. Discover how to
successfully complete each stage required to become an RN with our steps below!

### Step 1. Applying for Nursing School

The first step in becoming a registered nurse is attending nursing school.
Choosing the program that is right for you is a big decision that will have a
profound impact on your future career.

Getting into a nursing program that is approved by the State Board of Nursing
can be a competitive process. The process for applying to, and enrolling in, a
nursing school includes:

- **Fulfilling prerequisites** – Most nursing programs will have minimum
  educational requirements that must be met in order to enroll.
- **Applying to college and/or the nursing program** – For some schools, you
  must first apply to and be accepted by the college before applying to the
  nursing program. **This step is not required at Arizona College of Nursing.**
  Prospective students apply directly to our accredited nursing school.

After you have been accepted to a nursing program, you’ll need to create a plan
for financing your education. At Arizona College of Nursing, we offer a variety
of [financial aid](https://arizonacollege.edu/admissions/financial-aid/) options
that can help you with the cost of tuition and living expenses.

### Step 2. Attending & Graduating from Nursing School

![Nursing School Student Preparing For NCLEX Exam](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-School-Student-PReparing-For-NCLEX-Exam.jpg)

Expect to spend between 2-4 years in a nursing degree program. These are
typically full-time programs, which means that students are enrolled in 12
credit hours or more each semester. Arizona College of Nursing offers a 3-year
[ nursing program](https://arizonacollege.edu/accredited-bsn-program/), where
you can earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) in as little as 3 years!

Courses in these programs are focused on teaching you the essential elements of
nursing science. Skills that will be taught include:

- Using health systems, equipment, and technology
- Administering medications
- Maintaining patient health records
- Best practices when interacting with patients
- Understanding the human system, anatomy, and physiology
- Ethics and ethical practices within the nursing field
- Leadership

A nursing degree program will also include general education studies that can
help you improve your writing, mathematics, and critical thinking skills. Review
the full
[BSN Program of Study](https://arizonacollege.edu/accredited-bsn-program/curriculum/)
 for more information about the nursing education curriculum at Arizona College.

In addition to class and laboratory time, Arizona College’s nursing students
complete 630 hours of clinical rotation time while working towards their
degrees. This hands-on experience gives our students clear insight into what
it’s like being a nurse in a variety of healthcare settings.

### Step 3. Obtaining Nursing Licensure

Once you have successfully earned an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in
nursing, you will then be eligible to take the National Council Licensure
Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). Passing the NCLEX-RN is a requirement
that must be met before you can apply for a nursing license in a specific state
(such as Arizona or Nevada).

Applying for a nursing license is done through the State Board of Nursing (e.g.
AZBN, NVBN). Applicants must:

- Fill out and sign an original copy of the application, which has to be mailed
  or brought into the board office in person
- Pay the application fee
- Supply a fingerprint card
- Have a certificate of completion from your nursing school sent directly to
  AZBN or LVBN (if you graduated out-of-state, your official transcripts may be
  required)

Once everything is received and your application is reviewed, you will be issued
a nursing license. Your nursing license will need to be renewed on a periodic
basis (this can vary based on the state of issuance).

### Step 4. Beginning Your Career as a Registered Nurse

![Nursing Degree Students Group Picture](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nursing-Degree-Students-Group-Picture.jpg)

At Arizona College of Nursing, our Bachelor of Science in Nursing program
prepares students to work in a variety of nursing positions from hospitals to
surgery centers, physicians’ offices, and schools. Your chosen nursing specialty
will have a significant impact on where you ultimately work. No matter which
specialty you choose, your work as an RN will always be focused on providing
patients with the best medical care possible. A career in nursing affords you
the opportunity to work with a variety of healthcare professionals, have a
schedule that suits your lifestyle, and help people.

**Categories:** Nursing Careers