FAQ
Nursing began as a “lowly” career. Nurses in the 18th century were often poor and low class, working long hours. During the civil war, there was an increased need for nurses. The career boomed, and 20,000 new nurses began working to help war veterans survive. Nursing became a regulated career in the United States in the early 20th century.
Every published definition of Registered Nursing today shows two main themes:
- A Registered Nurse provides essential services to the restoration of health and well-being in patients.
- A Registered Nurse must meet a common standard of education to obtain a license.
In practice, an RN develops their own personal definition of nursing every day. As a future RN, you may even begin developing your own personal definition after reading through this guide.
Online Nursing Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
- About the Author
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After graduating with a degree in English Literature from UCLA, Jeff published four editions of the World Wide Web Yellow Pages by Barnes and Noble, and several editions of the Best of the Web. He’s worked as an executive at both startup and mature companies including CareerPath.com and Microsoft. With nearly three decades of publishing and business development expertise, he now puts that experience to use operating RNCareers.org to help future nursing students get reliable information on registered nursing careers.

