Are you an aspiring student nurse? Then you have some options for your nursing education. You can choose to either pursue a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in nursing. These two courses make you eligible to sit for a licensing exam, which can make you a certified nurse. 

Most certified nurses go through an associate degree in nursing (ADN). This is the lowest standard expectation if you want to pursue nursing. Often this degree takes about two years to complete, which makes it a go-to for most student nurses. 

The associate degree curriculum constitutes fundamental RN courses. These courses are vital and foundational for every student nurse.

On the other hand, there is the Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN). This degree has become popular for nurses looking to advance in their roles in the future. 

Therefore this degree comprises foundational and advanced RN courses. This makes it the most viable option for most students aspiring to be nurses. 

All in all, your degree path will depend on your commitment to time and career aspirations. And to qualify to be an RN, you’ll have first to learn the basics. These basics ensure that you’re fully prepared to get into the real thing.

However, if you find nursing school fees out of your budget, you might find this important. 

Here are seven must-take courses to become a registered nurse.

1. Nursing fundamentals 

The chances are that this is the first class you are likely to have after enrolling in a nursing degree. This course is uniquely special. It gives nursing students an overview of potential careers and roles as nurses and how nursing works. 

Mainly this course focuses on the fundamentals of nursing skills and patient care. Furthermore, this course also prepares you for other advanced topics in certain areas. 

Also, note that different schools have different names for this course. These names include “Introduction to Nursing” or even “Nursing 101”. 

Generally, this is among the essential nursing courses as it sets a solid foundation for other courses. It solidifies and clears your understanding of nursing. It also helps confirm if nursing is truly your calling. 

2. Nursing skills development

Nursing is a technical career that requires you to treat and take care of patients properly. By taking this course, you develop the skillsets necessary to relate well with your patients. 

As a result, most schools emphasize physical and psychosocial assessments. Also, not to mention the development of communication skills. Additionally, they also dive deeper into other essential skills related to nursing.

They also provide student nurses with the required experience in clinical laboratories and inpatient settings. 

3. Physiology 

This is the study of how the human body functions. Nursing students learn more about parts of the human body and their function in this course. 

Most nursing schools introduce this among the first courses since it forms the basis of other courses. Physiology also proves important when maintaining the safety and health of patients and yourself.

Besides that, physiology also equips you with the necessary terminologies for parts of the body and their functions. This ensures effective communication between you and your colleagues. 

4. Introduction to Psychology 

This course is a must-take for any aspiring nurse student for effective communication between a nurse and a patient. It covers practices and principles of psychology. These aspects help nurses understand the application of psychology in communication and as a medical discipline. 

Topics involved include the psychology of illness, cognition, organizational psychology, behavior, and personality. 

By studying psychology, you can develop your communications skills as a nurse. Even better, it can help you make better decisions and understand your personality and that of others.

5. Microbiology 

Microbiology is the study of microorganisms that are beyond human vision. These microorganisms include types of fungi, bacteria, and viruses. 

This course is among the prerequisite courses in nursing school. It helps understand the role played by microorganisms in human health. 

Topics associated with this course include the microorganism part of the human body, microorganisms that cause and fight diseases, and the human biome. In other words, this course blends classroom work with lab work.

6. Adults and Wellness Continuum (1&2) 

In most cases, registered nurses will work closely with adults during their career time. So nursing students must learn more about mental and physical ailments commonly faced by adults. 

Nowadays, there is an array of health conditions mostly affecting adults. These conditions might include oxygenation, surgical procedures, nutrition, imbalances, and cardiac functions. 

An advanced version of this course might even touch on complex ailments. This might include immunodeficiency and blood disorders. And maybe a combination of other chronic and acute health conditions. 

7. Integration of nursing practice

This course varies from school to school. But it’s all about giving nursing students the chance to put their acquired skills into practice. 

This course teaches you to blend your acquired knowledge and skills to provide better patient care. 

For instance, most nursing schools teach students to provide optimum care to patients facing complex health conditions. These conditions include trauma, mental health, neurological health, multi-system failure, and cancer. 

This course helps Nursing students put their learned skills into real clinical experiences. Often this makes the final course of most nursing schools. It ensures the students are entirely ready to practice as registered nurses. 

Certified nurses have numerous responsibilities. Some of the responsibilities of a certified nurse, according to Connecticut General Assembly, are: 

• • • Providing restorative and supportive care to patients.
    • Collaborating with medical staff to administer treatment and healthcare regimens.
    • Diagnosing health problems, both actual and potential, in patients. 
    • Offering teaching and health counseling to patients and possibly their families.
    • Executing treatments and medical plans with an APRN or licensed physician instructions. 

In short, if you are an aspiring nurse student, you can ensure your success by enrolling in a hands-on and career-focused nursing program. A career-oriented and reputable nursing program emphasizes both classwork and clinical experiences. This ensures you walk away with the necessary skills to succeed in the nursing field.