ATI TEAS: Is Nursing For You?

Before settling on choosing nursing as a career, ask yourself the following questions:

- Are you a compassionate, empathetic, caring person?
- How well do you deal with stress?
- How good are you at following directions?
- How comfortable are you with a job that presents new challenges every day rather than the security of knowing what you are going to do every day?
- How comfortable are you working with and serving people of all kinds of ethnicities and backgrounds?
- How comfortable are you in dealing with sickness, pain, and the end of life?
- How squeamish are you with regard to the most basic and “messy” human functions, both physical and psychological?
- Are you a good team player?
- How comfortable are you in dealing with difficult and even abusive people?
- How good are you at admitting mistakes, learning from mistakes, and forgiving mistakes in others?
- How good are you at critical thinking? Are you comfortable in expressing your point of view even in the face of strong resistance?
- How responsible, reliable, and punctual are you?
- How comfortable are you in following orders and directions even when they may be flawed?

What kind of nurse do you want to be?

Nursing degrees come in four categories:
- An Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) is issued by 2-year schools.
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) is issued by a 4-year college or university.
- A Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) is obtained after completing a BSN and requires completing a graduate master’s program.
- A Doctorate in nursing is the highest degree obtainable and focuses on the most advanced and analytical aspects of the nursing profession.

Nursing levels include the following:
- A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) has completed only 1 year of post-high school nursing education.
- A Registered Nurse (RN) must have at least an ADN and typically requires a BSN. RNs must also pass a licensing test to practice.
- Advanced categories for nursing include such things as Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS).

In becoming a nurse, you will need to choose:
- Medical specialty: e.g., surgery, OB/GYN, gastroenterology, emergency
- Where you work: e.g., hospital, clinic, doctor’s office, school, military base, private practice, hospice, government agency
- Nursing specialties include nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, nurse administrator, home health nurse, general duty nurse.