Nurse

What does a nurse do?

• Assess patients' needs and plan their nursing care.
• Give medicines, injections and other treatments safely and on time.
• Monitor vital signs and report changes in a patient's condition quickly.
• Dress wounds, manage intravenous drips and use medical equipment.
• Support patients and families with information, comfort and advice.
• Work with doctors, midwives and other health professionals as part of a care team.
• Keep accurate records and pass on key information at shift handovers.

Where do they work?

Most nurses work in hospitals, but many work in community health centres, general practice clinics, care homes, schools, prisons, the armed forces and patients' homes. Others work for charities, international aid organisations or in occupational health for large employers. Hospital nursing usually involves shift work, including nights, weekends and public holidays. The work is physically demanding and at times emotionally intense, but it is also varied and close to patients.

What skills do you need?

• Clinical nursing knowledge
• Safe handling of medicines
• Observation and quick decision-making
• Compassion and patience
• Clear communication with patients and colleagues
• Physical and emotional resilience
• Teamwork in busy clinical settings
• Accurate record keeping

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• respond to changing situations in health care
• develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship
• interact with healthcare users
• provide health education
• apply person-centred care
• coordinate care
• solve problems in healthcare
• empower individuals, families and groups
• apply sustainability principles in health care
• manage information in health care
• evaluate nursing care
• promote human rights

Essential knowledge: biological chemistry · leadership in nursing · disability care · innovation in nursing · geriatrics · patient autonomy · psychology · primary care

How do you become a nurse?

In most countries you train through an approved nursing programme that mixes university or college study with supervised placements in hospitals and the community. This is usually a three- or four-year bachelor's degree, but the United States also accepts a two-year associate degree, and some countries still offer nursing diplomas. After you finish, you register with the national or state nursing regulator, which in some countries means passing a licensing exam, such as the NCLEX in the United States. Graduates of other subjects can often take a shorter accelerated programme. In some countries, including the UK, healthcare assistants can train through nursing apprenticeships.

1. Nursing degree. A bachelor's degree in nursing typically takes three to four years. You study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and nursing practice, and spend a large part of the course on supervised clinical placements. It is the standard entry route in many countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada and the Philippines, and it prepares you for registration.
2. Diploma or associate degree. Some countries still train registered nurses through a college diploma or, in the United States, an associate degree of around two years. These routes are shorter, but employers and some countries increasingly prefer or require a bachelor's degree. Many nurses who start this way later complete a top-up degree while they work.
3. Accelerated programme or apprenticeship. If you already have a degree in another subject, accelerated or graduate-entry nursing programmes can lead to registration in around two years or less. In some countries, including the UK, nursing degree apprenticeships let healthcare assistants train while they work and earn. Both routes meet the same clinical and professional standards as a full degree.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Nursing

  A nursing degree prepares you to care for patients and families in hospitals, clinics, homes and communities, combining health science with supervised practice on clinical placements.

  4 linked careers

• Biology

  A biology degree teaches how living things work, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems.

  6 linked careers

• Psychology

  A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.

  6 linked careers

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Do you need a licence to work as a nurse?

Nursing is a licensed profession in almost every country. You must register with a national or state nursing regulator before you can work as a registered nurse, usually after an approved programme and, in some countries, a licensing exam. Registration normally needs renewing, with proof of recent practice or learning. Within the European Union, general nursing qualifications that meet shared standards are generally recognised between member states. Elsewhere, nurses trained abroad usually need an assessment, a language test and sometimes a local exam.

How much does a nurse earn?

Pay in the United States

• $97,550Median annual wage, May 2025
• $68,940–$137,470Range from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%
• 3.4MPeople employed in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, SOC 29-1141, May 2025. National estimates across all industries; excludes the self-employed.

Earnings of Professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes nurse and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Newly qualified or graduate nurse
2. Registered or staff nurse
3. Senior nurse or charge nurse
4. Specialist nurse, nurse practitioner or ward manager
5. Director of nursing or chief nurse

Job outlook

Every health system needs nurses, and ageing populations and the growth of long-term illness keep demand strong. Many countries report shortages and recruit nurses from abroad, which makes nursing one of the more portable health careers. Advanced roles, such as nurse practitioners and specialist nurses, are expanding in many places. The main risks are heavy workloads, staff shortages and burnout, which vary a lot by employer and country.

Questions about becoming a nurse

How long does it take to become a registered nurse?

In most countries it takes three to four years to complete a nursing degree and register. In the United States, an associate degree takes around two years and a bachelor's degree usually four. If you already have a degree, an accelerated programme can take around two years or less. You may also need time to pass a licensing exam and complete registration.

Do you need a degree to be a nurse?

In many countries, yes. A bachelor's degree is the standard or required route to registration in places such as the UK and Australia. Other countries, including the United States, also accept an associate degree or diploma, although many employers prefer a bachelor's. Nursing assistants and healthcare support workers do not usually need a degree, but they are not registered nurses.

Can I work as a nurse in another country?

Often, yes, but you must register with the nursing regulator in the new country first. This usually means having your qualification assessed, proving your language skills and sometimes passing a local exam or completing supervised practice. The process can take many months, so start early. Many countries actively recruit international nurses, but always check that a recruiter is genuine.

What is the difference between a registered nurse and a nursing assistant?

A registered nurse has completed an approved nursing programme and is registered or licensed by a regulator. They assess patients, give medicines, plan care and are accountable for their nursing decisions. Nursing assistants, also called healthcare assistants or care aides, help with daily care such as washing, feeding and moving patients. They usually have shorter training and work under the supervision of registered nurses.

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Sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — SOC 29-1141, national estimates, May 2025
2. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
3. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 2221.2

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a nurse: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/nurse/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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