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Current nursing shortage trends demand a continuing increase in the proportion of nurses prepared at the associate degree level. At this level, the individual can make a decision to pursue a higher degree or to advance from an LPN to RN. To become an RN, students need to obtain an associate's degree in Nursing (ADN), a four-year Bachelor of Sciences in nursing (BSN), or attend a nursing diploma program offered by hospitals. The associate degree provides an advantage, as it allows the student to prepare for the national licensing exam (the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN) and to seek work while deciding to pursue a higher degree.
The online associate's degree sometimes requires working with local medical facilities so that the student can learn how to collaborate with working health care professionals. The student also studies independently in all cases, with support from online peers and instructors. Many students who acquire an associate's degree in nursing will become either a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse after successful completion of the licensing exam. Most nursing students take the exam within 3 months after finishing nursing school. This correlates to a May-July test "season."