Are you considering a career in nursing and need school requirements? Pursuing a degree in nursing can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. However, before you start applying to nursing schools, it’s essential to understand the requirements necessary to gain admission.
Here are the primary requirements for nursing school:
- Educational Requirements: Most nursing programs require a high school diploma or equivalent (GED) to be admitted. It’s recommended to have a strong background in science, including biology and chemistry, as these courses will provide a foundation for your nursing coursework.
- GPA: Your GPA is a crucial factor in determining your eligibility for admission to nursing school. Most programs require a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher. However, some programs may have a more stringent requirement, such as a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Standardized Tests: Many nursing programs require students to take standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT. However, some schools may accept the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam specifically designed for nursing programs.
- Prerequisites: Before being admitted to a nursing program, you may be required to complete specific prerequisites. These courses may include anatomy and physiology, microbiology, nutrition, and psychology. Completing these courses before applying to nursing school can improve your chances of admission.
- Clinical Experience: Some nursing programs may require you to have clinical experience before applying. This may involve volunteering at a hospital or clinic or working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Having clinical experience can demonstrate your commitment to the nursing profession and improve your chances of being admitted to a program.
- Personal Statement: Many nursing programs require applicants to submit a personal statement. This statement should highlight your motivations for pursuing a career in nursing and what qualities you possess that make you an excellent candidate for the program.
Bachelor’s in Nursing application requirements
Even though the application requirements for a Bachelor’s in Nursing differ per university and per country, there are some general expectations you can have of what you’d need to get into one of these studies.
Required documents
When applying to a study, there’s a whole lot of documents you’ll need. Some examples are:
- Official transcript of records (grade list)
- GPA scores
- A resume with relevant experience in the field of Nursing
- Letters of recommendation from past teachers or employers
- A letter of motivation or personal essay
- Proof that you paid the application fee (if there is one)
You will be able to find the full list of required documents on the university website or in the application itself.
Can you get into a Nursing Master’s without a Nursing Bachelor’s?
In some cases, yes!
First of all, if you’ve already worked as a nurse before or have a Diploma of Nursing, you can do what is called an accelerated Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). You can save a lot of money by going right from an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Diploma of Nursing into and MSN because you skip the Bachelor’s degree. During an MSN degree, you will take courses such as Pharmacology, Ethics, and Healthcare Policy.
So, what if you’ve already got a Bachelor’s degree, but not in the field of Nursing? It’s possible to still do that Master’s, but it’ll take you some extra time. The universities that will allow you to study an MSN with another Bachelor’s degree will include about 18 months of material from a Bachelor’s in Nursing. You will first learn all of that, then take an NCLEX registered nurse certification examination, and then you’re ready to start the actual Master programme.
If you want to study nursing in Nigeria, you must know the requirements so that you can plan and meet the requirements. If you do not know the requirements you may not be able to proceed in your admission to study nursing. Below, is a detailed explanation of the requirements for nursing in Nigeria in 2020/2021.
Before I go further, please note that there are there is a difference between studying Nursing in a university and attending a school of nursing.
Simply put, a Degree in Nursing is offered at the university while Registered Nursing (RN) is offered in the school of nursing or college of nursing under hospital management.
Also, while a Degree in Nursing is run for 5 years, Registered Nursing is run for 3 years in a school of nursing or school of midwifery. What this means is that if you want to study nursing in the university for Degree in Nursing (BSN), you will need to sit for the JAMB examination and score the required cutoff mark of the university of your choice.
But you don’t need JAMB for General Nursing which will award you the Registered Nursing title. Requirements for School of Nursing in Nigeria 2020/2021.
General Nursing Program General Nursing Program is the basic nursing program in Nigeria. If you get admitted into a school of nursing for the general nursing program, you will become a registered nurse upon completion of your course in three years.
The currently approved entry requirement is five (5) O’level credit passes in Mathematics, English Language, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at not more than two (2) sittings from either the West African Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examination Council (NECO).
Any student with a foreign examination board result(s) is expected to submit an evaluation report or equivalent grading from the Federal Ministry of Education along with the result. NABTEB is currently not acceptable.
Note: Acceptable Age range for admission into Basic Nursing and Basic Midwifery Training program is 18 – 35years as at the time of indexing.
Post Basic Midwifery Program Once you have become a Registered Nurse (RN), you may apply for a Post-Basic Midwifery to become a registered midwife.
As a Registered Nurse or Registered Midwife, you can receive a practicing license to start a work-study program with a year of professional on-the-job training. Here, you will gain experience in a hospital and work towards a clinical specialization at the certificate level through professional programs. You could then specialize in any of these clinical programs: Medical-Surgical Nurse, Public Health and Policy Nurse, Critical Care Nurse, Medical-Surgical Nurse, Anesthetist, Orthopedic, Pediatric, etc.
Below is a list of some of the best-accredited Masters’ universities in Nigeria where you could study Nursing:
University of Lagos
University of the Port Harcourt
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
University of Jos
University of Ilorin
University of Ibadan
University of Benin
University of Abuja
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife
Federal University, Birnin Kebbi
Bayero University, Kano
National Open University
In conclusion, gaining admission to nursing school requires careful planning and preparation. It’s essential to research the requirements of each program you’re interested in and ensure that you meet or exceed their expectations. By meeting these requirements, you’ll be on your way to a fulfilling career in nursing.
