Nursing

  • Profession Overview

    Nursing Profession Overview:
    Nursing offers a wide range of career opportunities—from entry-level practitioner to doctoral-level researcher. Nurses are hands-on health professionals who provide focused and highly personalized care. Nurses promote health, prevent disease and help patients cope with illness. They have a unique scope of practice and can practice independently, although they also collaborate with all members of the health care team to provide the care needed by each patient as an individual. Nurses advocate for their patients and patients’ families. They develop and manage nursing care plans and instruct patients and their families in proper care. As educators, they help whole communities by teaching individuals and groups how to take steps to improve or maintain their health. Across the entire patient experience, and wherever there is someone in need of care, nurses work tirelessly to identify and protect the needs of the individual.

    Beyond the time-honored reputation for compassion and dedication lies a highly specialized profession, which is constantly evolving to address the needs of society. From ensuring the most accurate diagnoses to the ongoing education of the public about critical health issues; nurses are indispensable in safeguarding public health. Responsibilities can range from making acute treatment decisions to providing inoculations in schools. The key unifying characteristic in every role is the skill and drive that it takes to be a nurse. Through long-term monitoring of patients’ behavior and knowledge-based expertise, nurses are best placed to take an all-encompassing view of a patient’s wellbeing.

    Nursing Process:
    No matter what their field or specialty, all nurses utilize the same nursing process; a scientific method designed to deliver the very best in patient care, through five simple steps.

    Assessment – Nurses assess patients on an in-depth physiological, economic, social and lifestyle basis.
    Diagnosis – Through careful consideration of both physical symptoms and patient behavior, the nurse forms a diagnosis.
    Outcomes / Planning – The nurse uses their expertise to set realistic goals for the patient’s recovery. These objectives are then closely monitored.
    Implementation – By accurately implementing the care plan, nurses guarantee consistency of care for the patient whilst meticulously documenting their progress.
    Evaluation – By closely analyzing the effectiveness of the care plan and studying patient response, the nurse hones the plan to achieve the very best patient outcomes.

    Job Outlook:
    Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    According to the January 2012 “United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast” in the American Journal of Medical Quality, a shortage of registered nurses is projected to spread across the country between 2009 and 2030. In this state-by-state analysis, the authors forecast the RN shortage to be most intense in the South and the West.

    More on the Nursing Profession:
    https://www.zippia.com/nurse-jobs/
    https://explorehealthcareers.org/field/nursing/

  • UCCS Nursing Resources
  • Nursing Jobs and Specialties

    Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
    Education Required: State-approved education program/certification, on-the-job training
    Median Salary: $30,830
    Certified Nursing Assistants are a great entry level role into the Nursing profession. They monitor vital signs, bathe and dress patients and assist with their repositioning and walking among other responsibilities.

    Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
    Education Required: Certificate/Diploma in an approved educational program often found in technical schools and community colleges
    Median Salary: $48,820
    This is another entry level role into the field of Nursing and involved many of the day to day and sometimes technical responsibilities of nurses. Change bandages, monitor blood pressure, collect blood and urine samples and address patient concerns to RNs and doctors.

    Registered Nurse (RN)
    Education Requirement: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science Degree
    Relevant Certifications: State Nursing License
    Salary Range: $60,300 – $75,900
    Registered Nurses (RN) 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. Most registered nurses work in a team with physicians and other health care specialists in various settings. You will need either an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in nursing to become an RN, therefore you can begin working in the field much sooner than other medical professions.

    Cardiac Nurse
    Education Requirement: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science Degree, Registered Nursing License (RN)
    Relevant Certifications: State Nursing License
    Salary Range: $67,490 median annually
    The demand for cardiac nurses continues to grow with the rising number of patients affected with heart-related problems. As a cardiac nurse, you will also assist with surgical procedures such as bypass, angioplasty, or pacemaker surgery.

    Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
    Education Requirement: Masters Degree (MSN), Registered Nurse License (RN) and One Year in Acute Care Setting
    Relevant Certifications: CRNA Certification
    Salary Range: $153,780 median annually
    A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is a highly trained nurse that specializes in assisting with anesthesia during surgeries. CRNA’s make up some of the highest-paid nurse specialties in the medical field due to the high demand of these nurses in surgical settings and detailed training they receive. In order to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist, you must complete a degree from a graduate level program.

    Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)
    Education Requirement: Master’s Degree and sometimes a Doctoral degree
    Salary Range: $85,723 median annually
    Clinical nurse specialists are a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), who provide direct patient care by working with other nurses and staff to improve the quality of care a patient receives.

    Critical Care Nurse
    Education Requirement: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science Degree, Registered Nursing License (RN)
    Relevant Certifications: Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support
    Salary Range: $71,694 median annually
    Critical Care Nurses are very similar to Registered Nurses, especially in education level, but the main difference is a critical care nurse is specifically trained for emergency situations. A critical care nurse can be expected to tend to serious wounds and monitoring life support systems in stressful scenarios.

    ER Nurse
    Education Requirement: Associates Degree or Bachelor’s of Science Degree, Registered Nursing License (RN)
    Relevant Certifications: Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
    Salary Range: $62,010 median annually
    An ER nurse performs an array of tasks after careful evaluation and stabilization of a patient. An ER nurse can be expected to determine proper medication administration by reviewing a patient’s medical charts, as well tend to basic wounds or ailments.

    Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
    Education Requirement: Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) and Registered Nursing License (RN)
    Relevant Certifications: 500 faculty-supervised clinical hours
    Salary Range: $100,910 median annually
    A family nurse practitioner (FNP) are specifically trained in primary health care services for all ages. Normal duties of a family nurse practitioner include diagnosing and treating illnesses, physical exams, diagnostic testing and prescribing medications.

    Nurse Practitioner
    Education Requirement: Master’s Degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP)
    Relevant Certifications: Certifications dependent on specialty of care
    Salary Range: $103,880 median annually
    Nurse practitioners serve as primary and specialty care providers, delivering advanced nursing services to patients and their families. They may also perform physical examinations, order testing and prescribe medications. If you would like to learn more about What Nurse a Practitioner Do or How to Become a Nurse Practitioner, read these comprehensive articles.

    Other Nursing Specialties and Paths:

    Geriatric Nurse
    Perioperative Nurse (Surgical/OR)
    Mental Health Nurse
    Nurse Education
    Nurse Manager
    Nurse Administrator
    Nurse Midwife
    Oncology Nurse
    Orthopedic Nurse
    Pediatric Nurse
    School Nurse
    Public Health Nurse
    Travel Nurse

    Check our more specialties here: https://nursing.jnj.com/specialty?items=90&v=grid