I am currently a graduate nurse and I wanted to find more information regarding my current career path. I also wanted to find answers to common queries about becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). Many people are interested to know how much a RN gets paid, what he or she may do on a daily basis, how much education is required and other facts regarding nursing. I have researched many of these topics and am prepared to share as much of that information with you as is possible.
Duties
First things first. What does a Registered Nurse (RN) do?
RNs treat, teach, and advise their patients regarding different medical problems. They also provide support for their patients physically and emotionally. RNs assess patients to determine what their symptoms are, what treatments they need, and the type of follow- up care needed. (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
Some RNs work to prevent illness or find symptoms early by administering immunizations, conducting screenings, and teaching the community about proper lifestyle practices (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011 ).
Daily activities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (2011), nurses carry out activities such as dispensing medications ordered by a physician; establishing and maintaining intravenous (IV) access to patients; and involving other members of the healthcare team in the overall care of the patient.
Nursing Specialties
- Ways of Specializing. The U.S. Department of Labor (2011) found that RNs can specialize in four different ways. They can specialize according to a:
- "Particular setting or type of treatment"
- Ex. Perioperative nurses work in the surgical ward.
- "Specific health condition"
- Ex. Wound care nurses
- "Particular body organ or system"
- Ex. Cardiac nurses work with patients that have cardiovascular problems.
- "Well- defined population"
- Ex. Pediatric nurses work with children and teens rather than with the adult population.
- Specialties.
- Specialty nursing healthcare settings include: preventative healthcare , critical care areas, trauma care areas, holistic healthcare, in- home care areas, end- of- life healthcare, psychiatric healthcare, and many others (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
- An in- depth explanation of common nursing specialties can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics- Registered Nurses website.
Nursing Education
In nursing school students are required to complete clinical hours at various healthcare facilities. Areas that are covered in the clinical experience include, "pediatrics, psychiatry, maternity, and surgery" (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
Time in school. The ADN usually takes about 2 to 3 years to complete whereas BSN programs usually take 4 years to complete. Lastly, diploma programs can take 3 yrs to complete (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
Licensure. The U.S. Department of Labor points out that in order for a student nurse be become a registered nurse, he or she must "graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX- RN" (2011).
Continuing Education. Nurses are required to continue their education by completing various amounts of credits throughout their entire career. A joy for learning will help a RN with this continuing education (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
Promotional Opportunities
Usually RNs start out as floor nurses employed at the hospital. After doing admirable work, these nurses can be given additional responsibilities in management and an opportunity to work their way up in the system.
As the U.S. Department of Labor stated, "In management, nurses can advance from assistant unit manager or head nurse to more senior level administrative roles of assistant director, director, vice president, or chief of nursing" (2011). With additional education RNs can excel and climb their way up to the top of the nursing ladder.
Salary
Time for the money. The U.S. Department of Labor (2011) found that "Median annual wages of registered nurses were $62, 450 in May 2008. The middle 50% earned between $51,640 and $76, 570. The lowest 10% earned less than $43,410, and the highest 10% earned more than $92,240".
So the majority of nurses (50%) earned between $51, 640 and $76, 570. Wages differ because of many factors such as geographical location and the type of employment agency (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
Job Outlook
The job outlook is great for RNs. "The employment rate is to grow by 22% from 2008 to 2018". (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011).
All-In-All. I am glad that I chose this career path and I look forward to specializing in a specific area of nursing. I am sure that with some hard work and dedication I can pass my upcoming NCLEX- RN examination and begin working as a RN. Being a RN will also provide me with a satisfactory income, numerous job opportunities, and the potential to climb up the RN ladder of success.
References
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2011). Occupational
outlook handbook, 2010-11. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg
Tag: Registered Nurse, RN, Salary, Job, Description, Education, Training, Degree, Career, Employment
