What Degree's do you need to be a nurse?

The main nursing degrees are:

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) - allows you to practice as a nurse and is often the first step people take in a nursing career. With an LPN you can either continue on to your RN or work is a nurse. Your responsibilities and pay scale are slightly different than an RN however it is is still a very good position and has options for further training and advancement.

RN (Registered Nurse) - An RN is the traditional degree for a nurse. It can be a program of its own or a continuation of an LPN. With this degree you can work as a nurse in pretty much any setting and can advance to many different levels of responsibility.

BSN (Bachelors of Nursing) - A BSN generally follows an RN degree. It is a four year degree and can be used to move up in a current nursing position or for some individuals (especially those who are changing careers and already have a four year degree) it can be an initial nursing program. When it is an initial program it includes the equivalent of an RN program within its structure.

MSN (Master's of Nursing) - this is generally for those who want to teach or research in nursing. Some individuals get this degree after they have worked for a time and they need it for a work related purpose or, more often, they desire to teach and an MSN will help with this. At times individuals will get an MSN because they want to practice nursing within a specific specialty area.

There are doctorate level degrees in nursing which are generally for those who want to teach or research in nursing.

Some places to learn more about nursing - and to see what some different programs look like - include:

National Council of State BOards of Nursing - https://www.ncsbn.org/index.htm

American Association of Colleges of Nursing:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/

If you decide on an RN or LPN program often the first stop could be your local community or technical college. They often offer LPN programs or RN programs with a variety of options.

definately nursing accreditation at university level

RN in Illinois is an Associates Degree or above.

a Masters is very helpful