How do I Become an Occupational Health Nurse?

In order to become an occupational health nurse, you will have to complete a thorough educational process as well as certain licensing requirements. The process involves graduating from high school, getting a degree as an RN, and attending continuing education classes. After a degree is obtained, the individual has to become licensed as an RN. Many times, you may also want to consider becoming certified by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses. The last part of the process is to find a job.

In order to become an occupational health nurse, you will have to complete the necessary educational requirements. The first step of the process is to graduate from high school. At that point, you should attempt to get into a nursing program to become a registered nurse. In order to get into a nursing program, you will have to pass an entrance exam that will test your abilities in math, English, and several other categories.

There are at least two types of nursing programs you could choose to get into. One way is to attend a community college and get a two-year degree. Another option is to go to a university and get a four-year degree. Either type of degree is accepted when trying to become an occupational health nurse.

After graduating with your degree, you will need to take the proper licensing exam. The exam to become an RN is called the NCLEX-RN and it is administered on a state level. You will have to pass this exam before you can start practicing as a nurse. In addition to becoming licensed, you may want to become certified by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses. This is an association of occupational health nurses that can give you some credibility when you are trying to get a job.

At this point, you should be ready to become an occupational health nurse. You will need to find a job opening and apply for it. Occupational health nurses are needed in a variety of industries and there are many jobs available in most areas.

After getting a job, you will need to attend continuing education classes. This will be necessary to stay up to date with new information that is available for registered nurses. These classes will need to be taken periodically and usually are brief.