What Do Nurses Actually Do?
Nurses are responsible for a variety of tasks, including patient care, communication with doctors, medication administration, and vital sign monitoring. Nurses, who make up the largest healthcare occupation in the United States, play an important role in medical institutions and have a wide range of career prospects. Nursing is expected to rise by 16 percent over the next decade, and it is both a professionally and personally fulfilling experience.
What Exactly Is Nursing?
Nurses save lives. In the United States, there are more than 3 million registered nurses. In the healthcare industry, nurses outnumber doctors by a factor of three. Nurses are able to coordinate care for all parts of a patient’s general health, whereas doctors often concentrate in one area. For example, a patient with chest symptoms may see a cardiologist, a nephrologist, and an internal medicine specialist. Each of these doctors would diagnose, treat, and prescribe pharmaceuticals only in their respective fields of competence. The nurse, on the other hand, would be the care provider in charge of the patient’s overall care, ensuring that prescriptions don’t interact poorly and that the patient understands and is ready for treatment.
When diagnostic results arrive, the nurse is the one who reads them first and, if necessary, tells the proper doctor right away.
Nurses are no longer considered the doctors’ handmaidens; they are now equally responsible for the patient’s total care.
Types of Nurses
Answering the question “What do nurses do?” can be difficult because nurses are trained in a variety of professions and may choose to specialize in certain forms of care. Geriatrics, critical care, pediatrics, treatment planning, and case management are some of the various nursing disciplines. Nurses play an important role in our lives, from working directly with patients to organizing their paperwork, and the profession continues to be a lucrative career path for those interested in pursuing it. The following are examples of different types of nurses and their educational requirements:
Pediatric Nurse
A pediatric nurse assists children in receiving routine medical treatment. A bachelor’s degree is required to work as a pediatric nurse.
Ambulatory Nurse
An ambulatory nurse is a nurse who works only aboard an ambulance for a variety of crises. An associate’s degree is required for ambulatory nurses.
Clinical Nurse Specialist.
In an advanced setting, a clinical nurse specialist works with patients in a number of specializations. A master’s degree is required to work as a clinical nursing specialist.
School Nurse.
School Nurse. Within an adolescent school setting, a school nurse provides medical care, education, and treatment. A bachelor’s degree is required for school nurses.
Nurse Educator
A nurse educator guides and advice aspiring nurses and health professionals on their path to a career. To work as a nurse educator, you must hold a master’s degree.
Nurse Anesthetist.
Nurse Anesthetist. A nurse anesthetist mostly assists with medical procedures, particularly anesthetics. A bachelor’s degree is required to work as a nurse anesthetist.
Family Nurse Practitioner.
As part of a healthcare team, a family nurse practitioner provides family-centered care. A master’s degree is required for family nurse practitioners.
Neonatal Nurse.
A neonatal nurse cares for ill infants. A bachelor’s degree is required for neonatal nurses.
NICU Nurse.
A neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse cares for unwell newborn newborns. A bachelor’s degree is required to work as a NICU nurse.
Labor and Delivery Nurse.
Labor and Delivery Nurse. An associate’s degree is required for labor and delivery nurses.
Travel Nurse.
A travel nurse is a nurse that works on short-term contracts in a variety of locations in order to travel while working. You must have an associate’s degree to work as a travel nurse.
Steps to Become a Nurse
Whether you want to be a licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN), a registered nurse (RN), or an administrator, the first step to becoming a nurse is to receive a good education.
Step 1: Decide on a nursing path
Starting as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) or staff nurse and working your way up to nurse administrator are all options in nursing.
Consider the type of work environment you want before deciding on a professional route. RNs, for example, work in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and other medical settings, but CNAs frequently work in nursing homes. What kind of environment will most inspire you?
You should also think about what kind of character you’d like to play. A CNA or LPN/LVN may be a good fit for you if you wish to work as part of a team to assist medical personnel. A career as an RN or advanced practice nurse is a fantastic choice if you wish to manage other nurses and assistants or oversee systems.
Nurses frequently specialize in specific areas, such as geriatrics or critical care, because there are so many aspects to healthcare. Consider the type of schooling you’ll need to enter into a specific form of nursing if you have a passion for it.
Step 2: Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree
The type of nursing degree you’ll need is usually determined by the job route you want to pursue. Nursing programs combine classroom learning with hands-on experience in the clinic. Clinical training will provide you the opportunity to obtain hands-on experience, ask questions in realistic circumstances, and engage with nurses. You will also have the opportunity to examine how a medical center operates.
Determine how the nursing school will fit into your hectic schedule before selecting a program. Will you have enough time to travel to your program if it is on campus? Many bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing can be done entirely online, with clinical requirements fulfilled in a local medical facility.
An associate’s degree program in nursing takes less time to complete, allowing you to enter the workforce sooner. What’s the drawback? Employers may prefer to hire a nurse with a bachelor’s degree since they have had a more comprehensive education. Many nurses with ADNs, on the other hand, pursue higher education, typically with the support of tuition reimbursement from their employers.
Step 3: Obtain a Business License
You’ll need to take an exam to demonstrate your knowledge and nursing skills once you’ve completed your schooling. Nurses must also be licensed to practice, and licensing requires passing exams.
Step 4: Commit to a Lifetime of Learning
The healthcare business is continually changing as new technologies and therapies become available. Nurses who work on the front lines of healthcare must keep knowledgeable and educated in order to maintain their effectiveness as their responsibilities evolve. Nurses who approach their profession as lifelong learners will be able to take advantage of new opportunities and roles as they arise.
Take continuing education classes:
Every two years, nurses are obliged to complete continuing education courses. For further information, contact your state’s nursing board.
Get certified:
if you wish to specialize in a certain field of nursing. This displays to companies your commitment to the field and your skill set.
Earn an advanced degree:
Earning a master’s degree may qualify you for positions such as nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, certified nurse midwife, or certified nurse anesthetist.
Courses to Become a Nurse
From graduate assistantships to doctoral programs, nursing schools offer a wide range of degree possibilities. Because each level is tailored to specific career objectives, the courses, curriculum, and skills gained differ. Future nursing students can choose programs that are aligned with their goals and interests by understanding how nursing degrees differ—and how these distinctions apply to the workplace.
Bachelor’s Degrees
BSN degrees provide more advanced training than ADN programs, making them an excellent choice for LPNs looking to become registered nurses, RNs looking to further their careers and educations, and ambitious advanced practice nurses. Although most nursing programs require four years of full-time study, certain nursing schools offer ADN to BSN, LPN to BSN, and RN to BSN bridge programs that streamline coursework and shorten the time it takes to complete. Although some community colleges provide BSNs through agreements with higher education institutions, the majority of BSNs are awarded by vocational, career, and four-year nursing schools.
Students who pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing must often finish a combination of general education, core nursing, and optional courses. Many nursing schools also offer specialty tracks, which allow students to combine general and core courses with more focused training in certain fields of nursing.
Associate degrees
The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), also known as the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN), is a popular training option for registered nurses (RNs) who want to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN. Some licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) pursue associate degrees in order to get a competitive advantage in the job market or proceed to managerial or registered nursing positions. ADNs are offered by community colleges, vocational schools, and a few four-year nursing schools.
Associate’s degrees in nursing usually take two to three years of full-time study, however, some schools offer accelerated programs, including LPN-to-ADN programs. Foundational science and nursing classes, general education courses, hands-on labs, and a supervised clinical practicum are all common.
Master’s degree in nursing
MSN degrees equip students for a wide range of advanced nursing positions, including administrative, teaching, research, and direct patient care. Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse specialists, and nurse midwives are all advanced practice nurses who must have a master’s degree to practice, but clinical nurse leaders, health policy consultants, research nurses, and nurse educators all pursue MSN degrees. Depending on the school and the individual student, MSN degrees might take anywhere from 18 months to three years to complete. RN to MSN or BSN to MSN bridge programs is meant to shorten training and avoid overlap for recent nursing school graduates and practicing RNs.
MSN programs are primarily offered by research and graduate colleges, as well as career and vocational schools, and some of them can be completed partially online. Although courses and curricula differ, most schools provide advanced training in the theories, research methodologies, and leadership skills used by APNs and nursing administrators in a range of clinical settings.
Eligibility Criteria
Take a look at the general admission requirements for Nursing courses now that you’re familiar with the educational qualifications you’ll need to become a nurse:
Candidates for bachelor’s degrees must have completed a formal education of 10 + 2 with BiPC disciplines. A bachelor’s degree in nursing or a comparable subject in medical science is required for master’s courses. If you want to study overseas, you’ll have to submit scores from English language proficiency examinations like the IELTS, TOEFL, and others, as well as LORs and SOPs.
Future Scope
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the United States will have 3,080,100 registered nurses by 2020. Still, there’s room for more.
An ADN or BSN can be used to start a career as a registered nurse. While both degrees qualify you for an RN license and a variety of professions in hospitals and other healthcare settings, a BSN gives a broader education and can prepare you for managerial positions in nursing.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the RN workforce will expand by 194,500 positions by 2030. The predicted prospects are broad because the BLS includes nurses with ADNs, BSNs, and MSNs in their statistics on RNs.
According to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, opportunities will rise as more than one million nurses reach retirement age during the next 10 to 15 years.
Nursing colleges/ Universities
US
- Michigan State University
- University of Washington
- Yale University
- University Of Pennsylvania
UK
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Nottingham
- University of Glasgow
- King’s College London
- University of Manchester
CANADA
- University Of Toronto
- The University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- McMaster University
INDIA
- Acharya Institute of Health Science
- Christian Medical College
- Chandigarh University
- Armed Forces Medical College
- Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate
- Madras Medical College
Salary Trends
UNITED STATES ABOVE 3 LAKHS (4700 Dollars)
CANADA ABOVE 2.5 LAKHS (3900 Dollars)
UNITED KINGDOM ABOVE 2 LAKHS (3100 Dollars)
INDIA ABOVE 20000
FAQs
Why Should You Become a Nurse?
An old proverb goes that a doctor is needed to diagnose you, but a nurse is needed to save your life. We can all recall a time when we needed a nurse the most, whether it was for a routine check-up at the doctor’s office or an emergency that necessitated a trip to the hospital.
Most people can recall a nurse who has had a significant impact on their lives at some point, whether it was a family member, close friend, acquaintance, or the person you’ve seen for decades at your doctor’s office. If WebMD doesn’t fully address your medical questions, you may have a nurse in your phonebook who you may call.
To train as a nurse, you will be improving and saving other people’s lives. If you’re looking for a career that allows you to put your desire to serve others to good use, being a nurse is a great choice.
Is nursing a worthwhile profession to pursue?
Yes, nursing is a good career choice since it provides you with social status, and nurses are in high demand all around the world. Nursing is a professional path that has no end, and nurses can pick from a wide range of job opportunities.
What are the qualification requirements for becoming a nurse?
An associate degree (ASN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), as well as passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses, are the minimum requirements for becoming a practicing registered nurse (RN). Additional schooling and passing specialist certification examinations are required for higher-level degrees, such as a Master of Science in Nursing.
What is the average time it takes to become a nurse?
The 2 – 3 years of education associated with an associate degree in nursing would be the minimum length of time required to become a practicing nurse. A bachelor’s degree requires 3 to 4 years of study. A master’s degree normally takes 2 to 5 years to complete, depending on whether you study part-time or full-time.
