What do you need to take to be a nurse in US?

I'm 15 and I want to be a neonatal nurse. What classes do i need to take now(high school) and in college?

• well i'm 15 and i want to be a neonatal nurse. What classes do I need to take in high school and college? And about how many years is it going to take? Also about how much is the starting pay? And would it be better for me in a bigger city or small?

• Answer:

  Assuming you are in the US... ***In high school; Take biology and/or anatomy, and chemistry. Volunteer at a local hospital when you are 16 or older (check with your local hospitals to see what age you can start volunteering-every hospital has a volunteer center). Decide if you want to get your ADN (Associate's degree-you get this at a community college) or BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing-You get from a four year college). You can start researching which Colleges offer the nursing program and which ones you would like to attend. ***Apply to the schools you are interesting in attending. ***In College: Before you register for classes know which classes you need to take before you enter the nursing program (Pre-requisite classes). Every Nursing school has Pre-Reqs (Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Statistics, Speech, Social Science-Every school has their own pre-reqs and they vary). It will take you two years at least to get your pre-reqs and general education requirements done (Get the gen ed classes done before you enter the program as you will live, eat, sleep nursing when you start the program!---these classes are history, art, etc). Once you are done with your -pre-reqs you may apply to the program (some programs will let you apply if you have one pre-req that is in progress), you generally apply the semester before (ie- you want to start the program fall '12, you will apply spring '12<---hence the reason you may have one pre-req in progress). If you go for your ADN it will tak another two years to complete the program, three years for the BSN program. Once you are in the program you will rotate around the different basic areas of nursing, including Peditrics and Labor and delivery. ***Now just remember once you get in and graduate you are not a nurse yet, you have to sit for what's called the boards-NCLEX, a national test that every nurse must take and pass to get their actual license. It may sound like a lot, but it is WELL WORTH IT!!! Pay is a huge difference depending on where you live, I live in California and work at a huge hospital (the bigger hospitals get more exciting and more intense cases). I started out at $36 night shift<---actually pretty low for nurses living in LA and working in a large hospital.