How Many Clinical Hours Do You Need for Nursing School?
Written by:
Wilson College
• Jul 16, 2026
Clinical hours are an essential requirement for earning a nursing degree. A 2024 study published in the journal SAGE Open Nursing found that:
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About 86% of nursing students surveyed looked forward to their clinical placements
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About 85% of nursing students surveyed felt their preceptors did their best to help them during clinicals
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About 65% of nursing students surveyed felt their clinical training did a good or very good job at teaching diagnostic and clinical reasoning skills
Whether you’re just starting your nursing journey and wish to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or you’re a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and wish to enroll in an online LPN to BSN program , it can be helpful to learn more about completing clinical hours in nursing school.
What do students gain from completing clinical hours? How many clinical hours do you need for nursing school? Exploring the answers to these questions can help enhance your understanding of what nursing school entails.
Why Are Nursing Clinical Hours Important?
Nursing students acquire their expertise in three basic ways: traditional classroom instruction, laboratory work, and clinical hours. The clinical component of a nursing education is important because it provides an opportunity for nurses to apply what they’re learning by offering care to patients in real-world healthcare settings.
Nursing students perform clinical rotations several days each week throughout a semester. The number of hours they work in a single day can range from four hours to as much as 12 hours. In completing clinical hours, student nurses work in various healthcare settings and become familiar with a range of nursing specialties.
While completing their clinical hours, a preceptor or an instructor supervises nursing students. This can be a great opportunity for students to ask questions and observe how nursing professionals conduct their work. When their shifts end, students also participate in debriefings, which help them assess their performance, discuss their successes, and identify areas for improvement.
In working required clinical hours during nursing school, students also get the opportunity to observe what other healthcare professionals do. This can be beneficial, for example, if a student has a long-term goal of becoming a nurse practitioner or pursuing other advanced roles in nursing practice.
Examples of Nursing Students’ Duties When Completing Clinical Hours
Nursing students gain experience providing various healthcare services while completing their clinical hours. These duties can include:
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Recording patients’ medical histories
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Assessing patients’ health
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Taking and recording patients’ vital signs
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Assisting other healthcare professionals with medical procedures
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Administering medications
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Collecting samples for laboratory work
These opportunities help students build confidence in their expertise and how to effectively communicate with patients. The clinical portion of nursing school is a key component of strengthening students’ clinical judgment and patient safety skills.
Nursing Clinical Hour Requirements to Earn a BSN
Nursing students have busy schedules. Whether they’re balancing nursing school and work or meeting other obligations in their personal lives, students should strive to get the most out of their time in clinical rotations.
Nursing clinical hour requirements vary across states and nursing programs, but reviewing a few statistics can give you a general idea of how many clinical hours are required to earn a BSN:
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A 2024 report from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) found that BSN programs across the U.S. required students to complete an average of 610 clinical hours providing direct care.
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Healthcare employment website Vivian has reported that clinical hour requirements for BSN programs range from 400 to 1,200 hours.
Students in specialized BSN programs also need to complete clinical hours. For example, students in Wilson College Online’s LPN to BSN program need to complete 240 in-person clinical hours.
The clinical hours that nursing students complete are tied to the courses they take. For example, a nursing student could take:
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A health assessment course with a classroom component of three hours per week and a clinical component of three hours per week
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A medical-surgical nursing course with a classroom component of three hours per week and a clinical component of eight hours per week
Other Requirements to Earn a BSN
The classroom and laboratory components of nursing education help nursing students learn about the healthcare services they’ll provide when completing nursing clinical hours.
Classroom Instruction
Students in BSN programs receive classroom instruction in a wide variety of key nursing subjects. For example, students in Wilson College Online’s LPN to BSN program take courses in subjects such as:
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Childbearing/child-rearing families, including a family-centered approach to caring for mothers, newborns, and children
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Complex care across the lifespan, including caring for patients with complex, multisystem health conditions
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Microbiology, including the interaction of microorganisms with humans and related health implications
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Healthcare informatics, including healthcare technologies and their application in patient care and the use of electronic health records (EHRs)
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Research in healthcare, including research methods and the analysis and use of research data
Laboratory Work
Laboratory work provides nursing students with valuable experience practicing their skills in simulated healthcare environments. During labs, they will practice skills such as:
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Monitoring patients’ pulse rates, respiration, and cardiac rhythms using manikins
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Performing CPR, inserting IVs, and defibrillating using manikins
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Removing sutures and staples, administering injections, and performing wound care using products designed to simulate the human body
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Operating various medical equipment, including electrocardiogram machines, stethoscopes, pulse oximeters, IV poles, gurneys, and bedside tables
Learn More About the Requirements to Earn a BSN
Complying with the nursing school requirements to complete clinical hours is an important part of every nursing student’s education. The opportunity to provide care to patients in real-world healthcare settings is invaluable in building aspiring nurses’ expertise and self-confidence.
If you’re an LPN and you’re interested in completing a BSN degree program, explore Wilson College Online’s LPN to BSN program to learn how it can help you achieve your career goals. Tailored to build on the expertise LPNs already possess, the program features a flexible online format that allows LPNs to continue working in their current jobs while earning a BSN. Take the first step on your journey to career advancement in nursing today.
Recommended Readings
5 Benefits of a BSN: What Nurses Should Know
9 Essential Soft Skills for Nursing
Clinical Instructor: Career Overview
Sources:
American Nurses Association, What to Expect During Nursing Clinicals
Pristine Medical, “12 Small Simulation Tools That Transform Nursing Skills Labs”
UWorld, Surviving Nursing Clinicals
