A career in nursing can be quite fulfilling. Many with health sciences degrees consider this shift, wondering, “Can you become a nurse with a health sciences degree?
The short answer is yes, but becoming a licensed registered nurse (RN) isn’t a one-step decision.
A health sciences major can set you up for a successful nursing career by laying a solid foundation of science, since your health sciences bachelor’s degree likely took time to build a foundation in subjects like anatomy, physiology, biology, and other health-related topics and prepare you for a wide variety of careers in the healthcare field.
However, if you’re looking to become a registered nurse, there are some additional course requirements you’ll need to complete through an approved nursing program that prepares you to then take and pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam.
Do you need a nursing degree to become a nurse?
Yes. You can’t take the nursing licensing exam without completing a nursing degree of some sort.
But can you still become a nurse with a health sciences degree? Also, yes, you’d just need some additional training.
Luckily, that training can often be quick, less than two years, and specialized to your needs since you already have a lot of coursework under your belt.
Depending on your goals and your previous education, there are a variety of options, most commonly:
- An associate degree in Nursing (ADN)
- A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- An Accelerated BSN (ABSN)
In any of these pathways, you’ll gain valuable education in nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, health assessment, medical-surgical nursing, and patient care.
As a nursing student, you’ll also be required to complete clinical training that offers hands-on field experience before your licensing exam in hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities.
Once you complete an approved nursing program, you’ll take (and pass!) the NCLEX-RN to get your license to become a full-fledged registered nurse.
The difference between health sciences and nursing
A health sciences BS degree and a nursing degree overlap in some areas, but they’re designed to prepare you for very different careers in healthcare. Below, we’ll discuss the differences in more detail so you can plan the future you want.
Health sciences major
Colleges with health sciences majors in CT offer a broad education in healthcare that prepares graduates for many roles in the healthcare industry, from community health positions to roles in clinics or hospitals.
You’ll likely be immersed in coursework in subjects like anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, public health, healthcare systems, and other health-related subjects. This wide range of topics lets you pursue a variety of career options.
Nursing major
A nursing degree is more specific, designed to prepare graduates for a particular patient-facing career. Many science prerequisites overlap, but nurses also study subjects like the fundamentals of nursing and pharmacology, among others. Nursing programs are not all bachelor’s programs, as you can also get an ADN degree, which is an associate’s option that also preps you to take the NCLEX-RN and become a registered nurse.
Have a bachelor’s degree and want to become a nurse? Explore UB’s Accelerated BSN program.
One of the biggest differences between health sciences and nursing degrees is the clinical hours, when students have the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge and gain patient-care skills simultaneously, both of which are vital to becoming a licensed RN.
How a health science major can lead to nursing
If you’re wondering how to become a nurse with a health sciences degree, it might be simpler than you think. Your healthcare education is a great starting point, since you’ll likely have most, if not all, of the prerequisites under your belt from your first degree.
Your pathway from a health science BS degree to a nursing degree could look like this, for example:
Health sciences degree → nursing program (ADN program or ABSN program) → clinical training → NCLEX-RN → RN licensure
Remember, since you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can pursue an accelerated nursing program. A health sciences degree satisfies many prerequisites, but a nursing degree is required since it offers the specialized training needed to succeed on a busy hospital floor during a 12-hour shift. Also keep in mind that with this combination of degrees, you could easily pivot into nursing or healthcare leadership in a few years if that’s of interest.
Which degree path is right for you?
The best way to figure out the right career path for you is to figure out which career fits you best.
If you know you want to pursue nursing and work with patients face-to-face, your next steps are toward a nursing program to become a registered nurse (RN).
If you’re not interested in clinical work but want to shape healthcare systems from the bureaucratic side, consider starting with a health sciences degree to open a wide variety of careers in healthcare while leaving the door open to nursing; many pivot to nursing mid-career. You won’t be alone.
Start your healthcare career at University of Bridgeport
To put to bed our initial question, can you become a nurse with a health sciences degree? Absolutely, but you’ll still need to complete additional coursework and clinical training.
Whether you’re interested in a more general healthcare career and ready to pursue a Health Sciences major or already have a health sciences BS degree and are ready to shift to nursing, reach out to a guidance counselor today to see how University of Bridgeport could support your next steps.