How to Become a Registered Nurse (RN): A Step-by-Step Guide

Registered nurses (RNs) provide care to patients and assist other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, to ensure they have the support they need to do their jobs well. The demand for healthcare workers is growing over the coming years. 

If you want to enter an impactful healthcare career with a bright job outlook, you might consider a career as an RN. Discover what you need to do to become an RN, learn more about the profession, and explore the pay and job scope. 

What is a registered nurse (RN)?

Registered nurses provide patient care and support doctors and other medical professionals in their daily duties. Some common tasks RNs perform include administering prescribed medications, inserting catheters, monitoring vital signs, creating patient care plans, and documenting patient information.

Where do nurses work?

RNs can work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, travel clinics, nursing homes, and schools. In effect, there are many different types of RNs, including psychiatric nurses who specialise in mental health and oncology nurses who specifically work with patients with cancer.

Salary and job outlook

According to Indeed, RNs in India make an average annual salary of ₹2,25,081 [1]. You can raise your earning potential as you gain more skills and experience. Where you work can also influence your salary. 

India is currently experiencing a massive shortage of nurses. Data from 2023 indicated that India had 1.96 nurses per 1,000 people when the World Health Organization (WHO) standard is three nurses per 1,000 [2]. Thus, an increased demand for nursing personnel in India exists. According to The Economic Times, the demand for skilled nurses is expected to grow by 17 to 18 percent by 2027 [3]. Many Indian nursing students also have the opportunity to work abroad, where the demand for Indian nurses is projected to increase by almost 100 percent in the coming six to seven years [3].  

Benefits

A higher-than-average salary and in-demand skills are just some of the perks of being an RN. Some other benefits you can expect by joining this career are as follows:

• Work in shifts: RNs in India typically work either 12-hour shifts three days per week or 8-hour shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., meaning that their time off might be spent doing other things that they love, such as being with family or enjoying a hobby.

• Job security: Hospitals and clinics are always hiring nurses. This need is projected to increase in the coming years.

• Flexibility: Nurses, like doctors, are needed nearly everywhere. While you may not be licensed or certified in other countries, you do have the option to do so, and working as a travel nurse can be a lucrative career.

• Active lifestyle: As a nurse, you’ll be on your feet often rather than sitting at a desk all day. This can be a positive for those who prefer not to sit for eight hours daily.

• Make a difference: Nursing is all about helping people. If you’re a people person, then you might like this field of work where you'll be able to have meaningful interactions with patients every day.

How to become an RN

RNs are highly trained healthcare professionals who help patients and ensure they receive the care they need. The path to becoming an RN is defined by training, certification, and specialisation.

The typical path towards joining this impactful healthcare career is given below:

1. Complete 10 + 2 higher secondary education and pass entrance exam.

The first step to becoming an RN is to complete your 10 + 2 in the biology-mathematics stream. This helps you prepare for nursing entrance exams at nursing colleges. High marks in biology and chemistry can help you get into the nursing school of choice. 

After choosing a nursing programme, you’ll need to pass an entrance exam. This may be a national-level or state-level exam, depending on the requirements of the institution you’re applying to. Some common nursing entrance exams are as follows:

• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nursing Entrance Exam

• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Nursing Entrance Exam

• National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET)

2. Obtain a nursing degree or diploma.

To qualify for your nursing license, you'll need to first enroll in and complete a nursing course. You can choose a nursing diploma or a professional degree in nursing from a recognised university. Nursing programmes prepare students for a career in the field by covering such important topics as chemistry, psychology, anatomy, physiology, and applied learning courses like how to care for wounds.

In India, to become an RN, you can either complete a three-and-a-half-year diploma in General Nursing Midwifery (GNM) or a three—or four-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nursing.  

• GNM: This is a three to three-and-a-half-year diploma course where you can become an RN after completion. This programme also includes a mandatory six-month internship requirement. A GNM provides more practical experience than a BSc. 

• BSc Nursing: This undergraduate bachelor's degree is regulated by the Indian Nursing Council (INC). This course takes three to four years to complete. It is designed to help you gain nutrition, psychology, anatomy, and physiology skills, making you a well-rounded, critical-thinking nurse. After completing this degree, you can also pursue further nursing education, such as an MSc or PhD in nursing. 

• Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife (ANM): If you’re looking to get started in nursing quickly, consider an Auxiliary Nurse & Midwife (ANM) programme. This two-year diploma course allows you to develop basic technical nursing skills like caring for patients, assisting in childbirth, and taking vital signs. If you start as an ANM, you can pursue a GNM or BSc to upskill during your career. 

3. Register with the State Nursing Registration Council (SNRC).

After receiving a GNM or BSc (N) qualification for an RN or Registered Midwife (RM), you need to register with your state’s nursing council. The INC provides an applicant tracking system through its website. Enrollment is free, providing a National Unique Identity Number (NUID) to track your application. The website allows you to select your state and follow its registration protocol. You must provide proof of identity and education information, which the SNRC reviews. In addition, you need to undergo photo capture and biometric verification. After your registration is approved, the SNRC will mail your NUID card to your registered address.   

4. Grow in your practice with a specialisation or an advanced degree.

After you become an RN, you may want to specialise in a specific area or pursue an advanced degree. The next step is to pursue a BSc (post-basic) programme, which is a two-year programme that provides you with additional qualifications. Additionally, you can pursue one-year post-basic diplomas in certain specialisations:

• Operating room nursing

• Thoracic nursing

• Neurology nursing

• Midwifery nursing

• Psychiatric nursing

• Critical care nursing

• Emergency and disaster nursing

• Oncology nursing

• Ortho and rehabilitation nursing

• Geriatric nursing

• Neonatal nursing

• Forensic nursing

In addition to BSc (post-basic) and specialised diplomas, you can return to university to earn an MSc, MPhil, and PhD. These degrees can help you gain the skills for jobs like nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse educators. You can access higher earning potential with additional qualifications; for example, the average annual salary for a nurse practitioner in India is ₹3,00,345 [4]

Explore nursing with Coursera

Get started on a fulfilling and in-demand career as a registered nurse with courses from top universities. In the University of Pennsylvania's Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us, you'll explore the anatomy and physiology underlying vital signs so that you can develop a systematic, integrated understanding of how the body functions.

In the University of Minnesota's Integrative Nursing Specialisation, you'll identify ways to implement integrative nursing at work in alignment with research-based evidence and safety and quality considerations.