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Registered nurses practice in a collaborative health care team with physicians, allied health professionals, social service providers, clients/patients, and others in the healthcare environment. Registered nurses are required to use decision-making skills, communication techniques, health teaching strategies, and delegation skills in assisting individuals who are experiencing health care problems to progress toward an optimal level of health and wellness.

Registered nurses repeatedly top the lists of high demand jobs, both locally and statewide, with wages averaging $42.24/hour in northwest Washington and $46.70 statewide (starting wages are generally lower). (Source: Washington Employment Security Department, October 2022)

Important note: A criminal history may legally bar you from working in certain environments or with specific populations. Some charges may not come with such explicit barriers, but they may keep you from getting an interview. How to navigate a criminal history is a challenging exercise. It takes open, persistent exploration. Contact WCC's BFET program coordinator Tess Winds Johnson (twindsjohnson@whatcom.edu or 360.383.3183) and ask for a planning appointment. This may be your first step in uncovering the impact a criminal background may have on your professional path.

Employers

Recent program graduates have been hired by local and regional employers, including:

• Avamere Bellingham Healthcare
• Bellingham Asthma & Allergy
• Bellingham Healthcare and Rehab
• Bellingham Retina Specialists
• Christian Healthcare Center
• Eden Home Health
• Josephine Sunset Home
• Life Care Center of Skagit Valley
• Northwest Gastroenterology Clinic
• Pacific Rim Outpatient Surgery Center
• PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center
• Providence Regional Medical Center
• Shuksan Healthcare Center
• Signature Home Health
• Silverado Senior Living / Memory Care
• Skagit Valley Hospital
• St. Francis of Bellingham

Licensure

Licensure is required in Washington State to practice as a registered nurse. Graduates of Whatcom’s nursing program earn an Associate in Nursing - Direct Transfer Agreement / Major Related Program (DTA/MRP) and are then eligible to take the National Council for Licensure Examination - Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

Requirements for licensure in Washington State include:

• Completion of a state-approved Nursing program
• Official transcript
• Proof of a passing NCLEX-RN score
• Licensing application packet to the Nursing Commission

Click here for information from the Washington State Department of Health on licensing requirements, process, costs, and continuing education.

Career advancement

Registered nurses who have graduated from a two-year program such as the program at Whatcom and would like to continue their education by earning a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) may consider an RN-to-BSN program.

Graduates of Whatcom's RN program are encouraged to pursue a bachelor of science degree in nursing through what is typically referred to as an RN-to-BSN "bridge" or "completion" program. The student is able to complete the RN-to-BSN in one year after licensure. Programs include (as of April 2023):

Bellevue College
Columbia Basin College
Olympic College
Saint Martin's University
University of Washington
Washington State University
Wenatchee Valley College
Western Governors University
Western Washington University

Check the Washington Student Achievement Council website for updates.

Click here for a list of other nursing program options in Washington state.

There are three ways to be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam: 1) complete a 3-year diploma program; 2) complete a 2-year degree program such as WCC's; 3) complete a 4-year degree program. Also, you can start as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) and then complete either option 2 or 3.

Once you have obtained licensure, you can earn additional degrees one at a time. However, there are now many dual degree programs, e.g., RN (two year) to MSN (master of science nursing), or BSN to DNP (doctor of nursing practice). The master’s level preparation for ARNP (advanced registered nurse practitioner) is being replaced with the DNP. If your goal is research or teaching, you may opt for a doctor of philosophy (PhD) in nursing.

There are career opportunities for advancement and pursuit of specialty interest in the following and other areas:

• Addiction
• Anesthetist
• Cardiovascular
• Clinical Specialist
• Critical Care
• Genetics
• Midwife
• Neonatal
• Nephrology
• Practitioner
• Rehabilitation

Further information on employment can be obtained from WCC's Career, Job & Transfer Center or by contacting the Washington State Nurses Association.