Louisiana RN Programs

How to Become a Registered Nurse in Louisiana

If you are thinking of becoming a registered nurse (RN) in Louisiana, there are some things you should think about before beginning your journey towards becoming a nurse. Nursing is a noble cause and the job benefits a lot of people in their time of need, but besides helping people, RNs enjoy excellent employment options and very competitive salaries and benefits packages. The average RN salary in Louisiana is $64,450 a year, or $31 an hour. If you want to become a registered nurse, here are some important things to consider.

The most popular nursing degree is the BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing), but it is also takes the longest amount of time to complete. A BSN program will teach you everything you need to know so that you can become a very knowledgeable nurse who can handle the sometimes stressful situations that go along with being a nurse. A BSN degree requires 4 years of schooling in which you will have your time split between classroom training and hands-on clinical practice and training. When you graduate from a BSN program you will be well-equipped for any entry-level nursing job.

The other type of degree program to become a registered nurse is an ADN program. An Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) program usually takes about 2 years to complete, and this program also includes both classroom training and training in a clinical environment. This program moves at a faster pace than the BSN program, but you won’t necessarily receive the same extent of in-depth knowledge that you would from a four year BSN program. You also won’t learn as much about non-Nursing topics as you would in a Bachelors degree program. Many nurses who complete their ADN degree often go back to school to achieve their Bachelor’s degree, but the ADN program still satisfies the minimum education requirements for becoming a registered nurse.

Lastly, there is the hospital-based diploma program. These programs are administered within hospitals and medical clinics instead of colleges and universities. When a nurse in training receives their diploma from a qualified hospital program they are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. This type of program still involves rigorous training in which students learn a lot, and takes about 2-3 years to complete. If you wish to pursue a higher level of nursing education after completing a diploma program you can find many RN to BSN programs that allow you to earn your Bachelor’s Degree while awarding credits for work already completed through your diploma program.

After you have completed your actual nursing training, you are not quite out of the woods yet. You will need to take a nursing license test (NCLEX-RN) to obtain your RN certificate from the state of Louisiana before you can officially work as a nurse. If you think you have what it takes to enter a field that always has a great job demand and strong job security you should consider a career as a registered nurse.

Louisiana Associates Degree RN Programs

Accredited Louisiana RN Schools

See our complete list of qualified RN nursing education programs in the state of Louisiana. The schools listed here offer pre-licensure nursing programs that meet the registered nursing education requirements set forth by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. The two most common types of RN programs are: two-year Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) and four-year Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN). Some states still approve hospital-based diploma nursing programs, although these programs do not result in a degree upon completion. Although the schools listed on this page are accredited by the Louisiana Board of Nursing and approved by the state of Louisiana, they might not be accredited by national organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). Individuals should check to see if the state-approved nursing school they are considering also enjoys national accreditation status if they are seeking a school with both accreditations.