*Job
Description:
Registered Nurses make up
the mass majority of health
care workers. Of all
employment registered nurses is the second largest number of jobs among
occupations.
Reasons to
become a nurse:
Basic duties of a
Registered Nurse (RN) is treating and caring for patients. Keeping
families informed and advising them about the patients condition. RNs
are also trained in grief counseling for the families of critically ill
patients.
Steps to become a nurse:
There are approximately 4 different categories nursing
specialties falls into.
*Critical
care registered nurse: These are nurses that work with life threatening
situations in critical care hospital units or ERs (emergency rooms).
These nurses deal with trauma from accidents to heart attack victims.
Some are flight nurses stationed on helicopters to treat patients along
with EMT-
Paramedics at an accident scene back to
the hospital.
*Ambulatory nursing: These
nurses care for patients with different types of illnesses and injuries
on an outpatient basis either in a medical center clinic or in a
doctor's office.
*Home care nurse: These nurses
provide personal in home care for patients recovering from surgery.
*Occupational health care:
These health care nurses work with businesses and organizations and
provide treatment for employees with injuries and illnesses on the job
and advise employers about workplace safety issues.
*LPNs
(Licensed Practical Nurse) care for patients and work under the
guidance of a physician or RN. They are qualified to provide basic care
such as taking patients vital signs-temperature, pulse, blood pressure.
They can administer shots and collect blood samples for testing. They
also assist in bathing, feeding and dressing patients.
*Education/Training:
How do you
become a nurse? A practical nursing degree
for LPNs, a high school diploma is usually required and they also must
pass a licensing exam known as NCLEX-PN after completing a State
approved licensed practical nursing program. To become an RN there are
three major nursing education courses that can be taken. 1: Nursing
bachelor degree. 2: Nursing associate degree. 3: Diploma in nursing and
also pass a national licensing exam known as NCLEX-RN.
*Job
Outlook:
With long term care for an
ever growing elderly population, registered nurse job openings are
expected to be excellent. Employment for LPNs is projected to grow
between 9% to 17% through 2014. Employment for RNs is projected to grow
27% or more through 2014. Another growing sector of the nursing field
is traveling
nurse employment.
*Working
Conditions:
Most nurses who work in
hospitals and nursing homes generally work a 40 hour week. With
patients needing round the clock care some nurses work nights and
weekends. Nurses are usually on their feet for long periods of time and
often experience back problems from lifting patients in and out of bed.
*Estimated
Average Annual Earnings:
Licensed
practical nurses salary-$33,970 depending on location, area size,
population,etc.
Registered nurses
income-$52,330 depending on location, area size, population,etc.
