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Nurse Jessey Hodge
Nature of the • Registered nurses (RNs) work to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They are advocates and health educators for patients, families, and communities. When providing direct patient care, they observe, assess, record and report symptoms, reactions, and progress; perform treatments and examinations; start IVs; administer medications; and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation. RNs also develop and manage patient plans of care; instruct patients and their families in proper care; and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health. • Hospital nurses form the largest group of nurses. Most are staff nurses, who provide bedside nursing care and carry out medical regimens. They also may supervise licensed practical nurses and nursing aides. Hospital nurses usually are assigned to one area, such as surgery, maternity, pediatrics, orthopedics, emergency, mental health, intensive care, or treatment of cancer patients.
Training or Education • Nurses in all fields of healthcare must have college-level training. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are typically required to have an associate's degree in nursing, while registered nurses (RNs) must have at least a 2-year degree, but a 4-year bachelor's degree in nursing is more common. Advanced nursing professionals, such as nurse practitioners or nurse specialists, are usually required to have a master's degree in nursing. Nurses should have experience communicating with doctors and other medical professionals, caring for patients and performing various diagnostic medical tests. Experience is typically gained through clinical opportunities in undergraduate degree programs. Individuals interested in nursing careers typically enroll in a certificate, associate's degree or bachelor's degree program in nursing. Nursing certificate and diploma programs are available to students seeking careers as LPNs, while those interested in becoming RNs enroll in programs requiring 2-4 years of study. Students in a 1-year nursing certificate program learn basic patient care techniques. Certificate programs typically train students to pass the licensing test to become LPNs or licensed vocational nurses (LVNs).A 2-year associate's degree in nursing is generally considered the minimum educational requirement for RNs. These programs include basic courses in medical terminology, patient care and life sciences. Students receive classroom instruction and clinical training in hospitals and other medical settings.
Employment • Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members. Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare services, and nursing care facilities. Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must also be licensed. nurses was $65,470 in May 2012. Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventative care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby boomer population, as they live longer and more active lives. Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of registered nurses with similar occupations.
Job outlook • Take and record patients' medical histories and symptoms and set up plans for patients’ care or contribute to existing plans Perform physical exams Observe patients and diagnose various health problems Perform and order diagnostic tests and analyze results Give patients medicines and treatments Consult with doctors and other healthcare professionals as needed Operate and monitor medical equipment Provide counseling and teach patients and their families how to stay healthy or manage their illnesses or injuries. Conduct research Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in a wide diversity of practice areas with a different scope of practice and level of prescriber authority in each. Many nurses provide care within the ordering scope of physicians, and this traditional role has come to shape the historic public image of nurses as care providers. However, nurses are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice independently in a variety of settings depending on training level. In the postwar period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles are changing.
