Nursing is one of the most important careers within the healthcare industry. Those who want to make a difference in the lives of others enter the field of nursing. As one of the fastest growing careers at the moment, nursing is also one of the most rewarding professions.
The great thing about nursing careers is that there are so many specialty areas in which to enter and so many educational routes to do so. Before pursing an education in nursing, it is important to understand the nature of the profession and requirements to practice as a licensed nurse. With so many nursing opportunities available, it is a good idea to make wise educational decisions at the beginning of a nursing education.
Nursing Information & Overview
Nurses are the special individuals that help ill patients restore their good health. The main responsibilities of nurses are to prevent diseases, assist patients with coping with diseases and illnesses, and promote health. They are the voices of their patients who sometimes cannot advocate for themselves. Nurses must have the ability to make decisions for their patients concerning their treatment options. Nurses are also advocates for the families of patients, as well as those in the community. They have the duty to education these individuals so that they all can learn to take care of themselves properly.
The main responsibilities of those in the nursing profession are to provide direct care to their patients, observe and assess their needs, and record patient information such as progress and reactions. Nurses must collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals during medication administration, performance of treatments, provisions of patient care, and examinations of patients.
Nurses apply theories from the humanities, natural sciences, and behavioral sciences in their daily practices, and it is these methods that help them to make improvements to the healthcare field. Most nurses enter the field in an entry-level position. As they gain nursing experience, they advance to positions with greater responsibility and compensation.
Nurses can work in a variety of healthcare setting that include hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, emergency rooms, and schools. They must constantly learn new things as medical advancements change each day. It is necessary to continue a nursing education to gain a competitive edge in the field and to maintain current positions, as continuing education plays a big part in the nursing profession. The best opportunities after graduating come from educations at accredited schools of nursing so it is important to know this information before enrolling in a nursing program.
For more articles about nursing, check out our nursing career information section. If you’d like to see some basic nursing skills that you’ll perform on the job, or tips for passing nursing school, you may want to watch our nursing videos.
Types of Educational Degrees
Nursing programs around the country have nursing education programs to fit the needs of everyone interested in becoming a nurse. It is important to remember that each level has its own educational requirements to practice as a nurse. Here are the types of degrees that are available to those who wish to become nurses.
- Diploma – This level of education is the most basic level of nursing. These nursing professionals work as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). They have the responsibilities to administer medications and provide basic levels of treatment. Many opportunities are available with the nursing diploma. Some nurses use this degree as a stepping stone to earn a more advance degree in nursing. Graduates earn a certificate or diploma upon graduating.
- Associate’s – This level of education takes approximately 2 years to earn. Recipients of this degree can provide safe patient care in settings such as nursing homes, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. Graduates earn an Associate of Science in Nursing.
- Bachelor’s – This is the level of nursing education that most employees prefer in their nursing professionals. It takes approximately 4 years to earn the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Graduates have a sound foundation in the theoretical concepts of nursing. This level of nursing comes with more responsibilities than the associates and diploma so there is more opportunity for advancement with this degree.
- Master’s – This level of nursing education is designed to expand the existing knowledge base of nursing professionals. These nurses are able to provide a complex medical care in a variety of settings. Nurses that hold a master’s degree in nursing can become Advanced Practice Nurses, holding positions such as Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Administrator, Nurse Anesthetist, and Nurse Midwife.
- Doctoral – This is the highest level of nursing education that an individual can acquire. Doctoral nursing programs prepare nurses to assume roles in research and practice to educate others. A few of the job titles can include researchers, administrators, policymakers, and advanced clinicians.
Licensure Requirements
The licensure requirements to become nurses vary from state to state so it is important that nurses check with their State Board of Nursing to determine the specific requirements.
Those working as LPNs can obtain the basic level of nursing licensing. They must first complete their coursework and clinical hours in a state approved nursing program. It may be necessary to contact the State Board of Nursing in the respective state to determine the coursework requirements. Upon completing the coursework, nurses must successfully pass the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX-PN) to receive their nursing license. It is also important to have a clean criminal record or the Board of Nursing may not allow nurses to receive the license. Nurses must complete a state specified number of continuing education courses to maintain their license.
Those who want to receive the Registered Nurse credentials must first complete the coursework from a state approved nursing program. After graduating, most states require that nurses complete one to two years of experience in a specific or general area of nursing before they can sit for the nursing examination. Once they successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), they are required to complete a specified number of continuing education hours to keep their nursing license.
Anyone seeking credentials as an Advanced Practice Nurse must first hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and they must currently be a Registered Nurse. Upon completing these requirements, it is necessary to complete a state approved nursing master’s program. Nurses can certify through a number of nursing certifying bodies. The requirements are generally that nurses have a certain number of clinic hours, a certain number of years of experience, and hold a current, active license as a registered nurse. Most programs require that nurses recertify every 3 -5 years by completing a specific number of continuing education credits.
Main Types of Nurses
The main types of nurses can be found below. Click on each link to read articles an informtion about each type.
- CNAs
- LPN Nursing
- RN Nursing
- CRNA Nursing
- Nurse Practitioners
- Nurse Midwives
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
In addition to the nursing types mentioned above, there are many fascinating specialties, as listed below.
List of Nursing Specialties
As stated previously, nurses have a variety of specialization areas to choose from as they study to become registered nurses. The following are the nursing specialties in which individuals can become:
- Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Advanced Practice Nurse
- Burn Nurse
- Camp Nurse
- Cardiac Nurse
- Cardiac Catheter Laboratory Nurse
- Case Management Nurse
- Community Health Nurse
- Correctional Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Emergency Nurse
- Environmental Health Nurse
- Faith Community Nurse
- Flight Nurse
- Forensic Nurse
- Gastroenterology Nurse
- Genetics Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Health Visiting Nurse
- HIV/AIDS Nurse
- Holistic Nurse
- Home Health Nurse
- Hospice Nurse
- Hyperbaric Nurse
- Immunology and Allergy Nurse
- Intravenous Therapy Nurse
- Infection Control Nurse
- Infectious Disease Nurse
- Legal Nurse
- Maternal-child Nurse
- Medical-surgical Nurse
- Military and Uniformed Services Nurse
- Neonatal Nurse
- Neuro-surgical Nurse
- Nursing Informatics
- Nursing Management
- Obstetrical Nurse
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Orthopedic Nurse
- Ostomy Nurse
- Palliative Care Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Perianesthesia Nurse
- Perioperative Nurse
- Private Duty Nurse
- Psychiatric Nurse
- Public Health Nurse
- Pulmonary Nurse
- Quality Improvement Nurse
- Radiology Nurse
- Rehabilitation Nurse
- Renal Nurse
- Research Nurse
- School Nurse
- Space Nurse
- Sub-acute Nurse
- Substance Abuse Nurse
- Surgical Nurse
- Telenurse
- Telephone Triage Nurse
- Transplantation Nurse
- Trauma Nurse
- Urology Nurse
- Utilization Management Nurse
- Wound Care Nurse
Click here to learn more about the different types of nursing specialties mentioned above. The great news is that nursing is an incredibly diverse field, and just about any person can find a specialty he or she would enjoy.
Nursing Salaries
The salaries for nurses vary greatly by the level of education, location, and experience. In areas where there is a greater need for qualified nurses, nursing professionals may receive even higher wages for their services. No matter what level of education nursing professionals have, they can earn substantial salaries by helping their patients remain healthy.
Those who hold diplomas, certificates, and associate’s degrees in nursing receive the lowest salaries of all nursing professionals, but these salaries are still extremely lucrative. These salaries can increase dramatically with a higher education and experience.
Licensed Practical Nurses typically attend nursing school for one year or less. Some choose to earn the associate’s degree, which can be obtained in two years or less. The mean annual salaries for these individuals working in nursing settings are as follows: physician’s office – $37,480, hospitals – $40,250, community care elderly facilities – $42,270, home health care services – $42,550, and nursing care facilities – $42,590, respectively.
Those working as Registered Nurses can expect even higher salaries. The minimum educational requirements to become Registered Nurses are at least an associate’s degree in nursing, but most employees prefer to hire those who hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Nurses must take the licensing examination to become a registered nurse in order to receive these higher salaries. The mean annual salaries for these individuals working in nursing settings are as follows: nursing home facilities – $59,990, outpatient care centers – $67,550, home health services – $63,850, hospitals – $68,610, and physician’s offices – $70,530, respectively.
The highest nursing salaries are reserved for those with master’s and doctoral level degrees. These individuals attend school for an additional 2 to 4 years to become Advance Practice Nurses (AP), and they provide focused nursing care for their patients. The mean annual salaries for these individuals working in nursing settings are as follows: Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Nurse Practitioner (NP) – $89,787, Certified Nurse Midwife(CNM) – $91,242, and Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) – $156,032, respectively.
Employees who offer bonuses and incentives to their nursing professionals can further enhance these salaries. Some employers offer recruiting bonuses that can range from $2,000 to $20,000. Travel Nurses can make substantially higher salaries than other professionals working in the same line of work can. They also offer housing assistance and relocation assistance to nurses working in critical needs areas.
Want more information on salaries? Visit our nursing salaries section to get information on how much money each type of nurse makes.
Nursing Career Outlook
The field of nursing holds a great deal of promise to those who enter the field. Nursing is one of the fastest growing careers of all industries, and the growth will continue to increase through the year 2018. There is a tremendous shortage of qualified nurses that qualify to work in this industry. The 22% growth may continue to grow unless the number of individuals who become nurses does not increase substantially.
The majority of the growth that is expected in the field of nursing is due to the increasing number of technological advancements in patient care. These advancements will make patient treatment options better and preventative care will become more abundant. The older generation in this society will need more medical care to help them remain healthy so qualified nursing professionals will need to fill these positions to help these patients.
Although the nursing industry is expected to see a high increase in positions over the next decade, all areas will not see the same amount of growth. The projected growth for positions in the nursing industry is as follows: hospitals (public and private) – 17%, employment services – 24%, nursing care facilities – 25%, home health care services – 33%, and physician’s offices – 48%, respectively.
Although the growth in hospitals is the lowest of all nursing setting, they usually have the highest turnover rate so nursing professionals can still find employment in this setting. The need for qualified Advanced Practice Nurses will be in high demand over the next decade due to the need for their specialized services in underserved areas such as rural areas and inner cities.
The field of nursing is filled with many opportunities for those interested in exploring their options. A great nursing job begins with a quality education from an accredited nursing program. The shortage of nurses will continue to make this career one of the fastest growing careers with the most lucrative pay of all industries.
Nurses Outside of Work
Aside from the basic information on nursing, nurses also have many diverse hobbies outside of work. Learn about some nursing health topics, including recipes and more. In addition, learn about some hobbies of nurses in the nursing lifestyle section.