What It Takes to Become a Registered Nurse These Days

If you have been thinking about a nursing career, it is never too late to get started. Registered nursing is among the top health care careers in the country. In fact, two of the specialties, namely; nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists, ranked numbers 4 and 15 of the top 50 occupations in the United States. In a recent national survey, nurses were asked their opinions of the pros and cons of their profession. Among the top positive issues they listed were salary, growth potential, personal job satisfaction, and contribution to society in general. There were very few negatives listed by those surveyed. The most listed negative issue was stress.



Registered Nurse (RN)-A Registered Nurse is a licensed medical professional who has completed a four-year nursing degree from a reputable nursing school. These nurses provide all types of nursing care to their patients and act as health advocates for the patient. As well, they evaluate, plan, and implement nursing care treatment for the sick and injured in conjunction with physicians and other health care providers. Registered nurses carry out a number of medical tasks such as: explaining and educating patients about their medical conditions, dispensing treatments such as medications and fluids, performing selected medical procedures, monitoring a patient's vital signs, advising and supporting patients, maintaining patient health records, and keeping families advised on a patient's health status and progress. A registered nurse can work in most areas of the health care field. With advanced training and experience, registered nurses can specialize in a specific medical area such as surgical procedures.



General Duty Nurse -The main duty of a nurse, no matter setting he or she might be in, is to promote overall health and prevent disease and infirmities. This involves educating people about ways to keep healthy, disseminating information about the many diseases that may be inflicting the community. They also provide early treatment and continuing care to those who are ill, and assisting in rehabilitation. Also part of their job is to provide emotional support to patients and their families.



Job Satisfaction -When RN's were asked what gives them satisfaction in their jobs, most responded it is the sense of accomplishment in seeing people getting the medical help they need. A registered nurse has a sense of compassion and caring for others. Most RN's enjoy treating patients and interacting with the families, doctors and other health professionals. Nurses are eager to multi task and enjoy the variety involved in nursing.



Nurses are the first medical professionals people see when faced with a health problem. They can be found working in the community in such places as health clinics, schools, doctors' offices, home care, family planning clinics, rehabilitation centers, and hospices. In a hospital, nurses can be found working in emergency, intensive care, operating room, maternity, cardiovascular (heart), oncology (cancer), psychiatry, pediatrics, palliative, and geriatrics.



Clinical Nurse Specialists -Once a registered nurse has undergone a certain amount of training, education and certification, he or she can now opt to specialize. Specialization of RN jobs can be categorized into four. The first is specialization by treatment type or work setting. An example of this are the critical care nurses that work in the intensive care unit. The second type of specialization is according to the disease of the patients being treated. An HIV/AIDS nurse who takes care of clients with HIV infection and AIDS is an example. Third type is according to body organ or system. An example is a nephrology nurse who deals with patients with kidney problems or a respiratory nurse who handles patients with problems of the lungs and the respiratory tract. The last category of specialization is according to population like those who provide care specifically for children or for the elderly.