Registered Nurse Career Profile
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Registered Nurse Description
Registered nurses are frequently
referred to by the common acronym RN. The vast majority (60%)
of RN's work in a hospital setting attending to moderately
to critically ill individuals who are admitted to the hospital
as inpatients. Registered Nurses are primarily responsible
for administering to the needs of assigned patients. Many
RN's also are employed in clinics and physicians offices.
In addition to treating patients, nurses also help educate
patients, evaluate past medical histories, and manage the
care, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients. Nurses may
also be called upon to provide oversight to CNA's, LPN's and
other nurses aides involved in patient care. Nurses participate
with physicians in patient diagnostic testing, conducting
patient assessment, operating medical equipment, and administering
prescribed patient medications. RN's also work closely with
patients and family members to instruct them on the proper
care, treatment, and management of injuries and illnesses.
Nursing can be both a demanding and rewarding profession.
Nurse Specialization Options
In keeping with the trends toward healthcare specialization,
nurses increasingly make the decision to specialize in a specific
area of healthcare, such as anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology,
dermatology, geriatrics, pediatrics, oncology, physical therapy,
urgent care, and even midwifery. Nurse specialization typically
requires additional education and training and in some cases
additional certification.
Skills Required
Due to their almost continuous interaction with patients and
other health care professionals, registered nurses must possess
a high level of interest in people and their care. Nurses must
also become conversant in virtually all aspects of healthcare
and must become educated extensively in a wide variety of related
topics including, pharmacology, medical terminology, anatomy
and physiology, disease processes, nutrition, exercise, phlebotomy,
health documentation, preventative medicine, and physical therapy.
Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there
are over 2.6 million Registered Nurses licensed in the United
States, more than any other health profession. What is more,
the job opportunities for RN's continue to grow dramatically
and it is expected that this growth will continue and possibly
accelerate in the coming decades as the baby boom population
continues to age. It is projected that 587,000 new registered
nurse jobs will be created in the next ten years. This represents
an incredible 23% growth rate which is an amazing rate of
growth for any professional career. The job growth in nursing
can be attributed to the increasing demand for health services
by a burgeoning elderly population. Because nurses serve as
a low cost provider option for primary patient care, the demand
for nursing services will continue to outpace other professions
into the foreseeable future.
Registered Nurse Education and Training Requirement
Registered nurses typically follow one of several paths that
lead to licensure as a Registered Nurse. One of the most common
paths is for an entry level nurse to complete a formal nurse
training program at a vocational training center, university,
or community college. Admission is competitive for most of
these programs. As a general rule these programs require at
least two years of training including clinical experience.
At the conclusion of the program an individual who has successfully
completed a nurse training program is eligible to sit for
the licensing exam. Once licensed the individual will be officially
designated as an RN - Registered Nurse.
For those interested in working their way into more advanced
nursing or supervisory positions in nursing, a bachelors degree
is often a good option. A BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
is granted by certain degree granting institutions to individuals
who complete all of the RN requirements AND complete the additional
coursework necessary to receive a bachelor's degree from the
institution. Generally this option requires 4 years of full
time study. Those interested in the most entry level nursing
positions may choose to complete the requirements for a CNA
or LPN. Individuals completing the CNA or LPN training will
be much more limited in the scope of their responsibilities
and in their income than an RN.
Registered Nurse Licensure and Certification Requirement
Individuals graduating from an approved nursing program must
successfully pass the National Council Licensure Examination
also known as the NCLEX-RN in order to become licensed to
practice as a Registered Nurse. While this is a State requirement,
it has become something of a quasi-national standard since
all 50 states plus the District of Columbia adhere to this
requirement. For specific guidelines and requirements for
your particular State, make contact with your State's board
of nursing or professional licensing.
Registered Nurse Average Annual Salary
The most recent data published by the Department of Labor
suggests that the median salary for Registered Nurses was
$62,450, with the nursing annual compensation ranging from
$51,410 to $76,570 for the bulk of practicing nurses. However,
it should be noted that the highest 10% of nurses earned in
excess of $92,240 per year.
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