Become a Registered Nurse (RN) – Education, Licensure & Salary

Thom Hazel is an experienced nurse educator and leader with over two decades of experience in healthcare and nursing education. Currently, Hazel serves as an associate professor II for the NCLEX Success Team at Nightingale College, where he has been instrumental in helping students pass their nursing licensure exams. Hazel holds a master’s degree in nursing education and a bachelor’s and an associate degree in science nursing. His clinical experience includes working as a hospital RN in various departments.

NursingColleges.com: What do you wish the general public knew about registered nurses? 

Hazel: I wish the general public understood how dedicated and hardworking nurses really are. In the hospital setting, RNs typically work 12-hour shifts and often arrive early to prepare for their shifts. They check patient assignments, review medications, and receive reports from nurses on the previous shift to ensure seamless care.  

The demanding schedule means nurses rarely take their 15-minute breaks, eat lunch whenever and wherever possible, and often cover shifts whenever someone calls out. The hardest part of being a hospital floor RN was not knowing when I could go home at the end of my shift, as we rarely left on time. As I advise my students at Nightingale College, I ensure they understand the job’s realities. Nursing is an incredibly rewarding career, but it is important to understand the challenges as well. 

Many people also don’t realize how much nurses contribute to patient outcomes. Their vigilance, quick thinking, and ability to respond to changes in a patient’s condition can make all the difference in recovery. Nurses also play a crucial role in educating patients and their families and helping them understand how to manage their health.

Nursing Colleges.com: What advice would you give to aspiring nursing students? 

Hazel: When I ask my students why they want to become nurses, many say, “Because I want to help people.” While that’s a great sentiment, a hard reality of being an RN is that not every patient wants help in the way you might expect. Most patients just want to leave the hospital and go home. 

As a floor nurse, I quickly learned the importance of setting boundaries. At a certain point, your role ends, and the patient’s responsibility begins. You can support and guide them, but ultimately, they have to take charge of their own recovery. One of the most valuable lessons I learned in nursing school and continue to share with my students at Nightingale College is, “Don’t do for your patients what they can do for themselves.”  

I also advise aspiring nurses to embrace continuous learning. Healthcare constantly evolves, and staying updated with the latest practices, technologies, and research is important. Being adaptable and open to change will help you grow in your career and provide the best care for your patients. Nursing is as much about developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills as it is about compassion. The ability to assess situations, make informed decisions, and act confidently is what truly sets great nurses apart.