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There is a huge shortfall of the registered nurse in the US. The Board of Labor Statistics says that against a demand of 400,000 Registered Nurses, currently there are only 140,000 qualified nurses. This indicates that there are plenty of opportunities for those looking for a career as a Registered Nurse. There are many people who think that nursing jobs are pretty simple and easy. There are plenty of opportunities for Registered Nurse jobs. In fact they make up for the largest segment of all healthcare jobs in the US. Registered Nurse jobs are expected to amongst the top ten most coveted jobs for the next few years to come. This demand has arisen because there is a gradual decline in the number of people choosing nursing education. At the same time the existing workforce is aging which means there is a need to bridge the gap between the demand and supply.

In the United States, there are many states that suffer from a shortage of qualified Registered Nurses caused by an aging workforce and also by reduced enrollments into nursing schools. In fact, as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the gulf between demand and supply of RNs is very high. As against a requirement of 400,000 RNs, today there are only 140,000 RNs providing quality care. This means that there is an urgent need for qualified nurses. If you have good education and training then there are a number of nursing jobs that you can focus upon. In fact, in the US, Registered Nurse jobs make up for the largest chunk of all health care jobs.

The Registered Nurse Will Always Be In Demand

In the US, there is an ever growing demand for nursing professionals. If you are looking to work directly with patients, there are a number of options available to you, ranging from hospice care to neonatology. As a nurse you can look forward to fulfilling career in a hospital or you can opt to work for a doctor or work at patients’ homes. Apart from patient care, you can also look for a career in legal nursing consulting or nurse informatics.

The current shortage in nursing jobs has made the Registered Nurse profession one of the most rewarding career options. Despite the hiring trends being slow during the past few months in 2011, it is expected to pick up once the health care bill is implemented in order to meet the ever growing demand for registered nurses. The RN salary is also expected to increase which is actually good news for registered nurses. This is because some employers find it extremely difficult to attract and retain registered nurses because they are saddled with an aging workforce and also due to a decline in the number of people opting for the nursing profession.

Registered Nursing – A Dream Job?

There are many people out there who are puzzled when it comes to joining a nursing school and many of them will just go with the online schools, like those which will help them become a registered nurse. People will most of the times want to become a registered nurse because they will not have to consider many years of schooling and in just 2 to 4 years, they will be able to earn either an Associate’s Degree or a Bachelor’s degree. After that, they will be free to find a job and work as a registered nurse.

Requirements

There are certain requirements those who will want to become a registered nurse need to go though and one of them is to pass their licensed exam. Only after they will pass this exam with a certain score, they will be able to say they have completed their education.

Of course, in the majority of cases, a GED or a high school diploma is required in order to be accepted in the program. The good news is that out there, people will find that plenty of schools are collaborating with vocational centers and many times, students will express their interest in becoming a registered nurse, even though they haven’t graduated yet.

Options

Before someone will consider training in order to become a registered nurse, they will need to do some research and find out which schools are actually the best for the job they will have for the rest of their lives. The RN training will being, the students will all be placed in a classroom and they will be taught by a specialist who has a lot of practice in hospitals, nursing homes and also has plenty of clinical experience. Some of the courses they will study number physiology, anatomy, pediatrics, psychiatric nursing and so on.

Things To Keep In Mind

One of the most important things people need to keep in mind is that the only way they will be able to get their license is if they will finish their training program first. Then, they will be required to take the NCLEX exam and when they’ll manage to graduate it, they will be able to work as a registered nurse. It’s actually a test that varies very much and while some of them will have several questions that candidates need to answer, others will have a few hundred questions. The total amount of time candidates have in order to answer them all is five hours.

But even though someone will pass all the tests mentioned above, it doesn’t mean that they are actually an experienced registered nurse. When applying for such a position, they will not only need the adequate training, but also need to have people skills, emotional intelligence and of course, great decision making skills.

Duties Of A Registered Nurse: Assessment

RN’s have the primary duty of assessing the emotional, spiritual and physical well being of their patients. It’s actually a skill they will learn in their very first nursing class and a skill they will use on a daily basis when working with patients. Thus, the assessment will actually be done, if the RN is working in an in-patient center, once every few hours. Some of the other things that nurses will assess, asides form the patient’s body, will number the digestive, system, skin, cardiovascular, circulatory and respiratory system. Lastly, the registered nurse will also assess the patient’s emotional and spiritual well being.

Medications

Administering medications is yet another duty that registered nurses have. Unless the nurse has an advanced role, the medications will only get to be prescribed by a physician, like a clinical nurse specialist or a nurse practitioner. These nurses actually use their assessment skills in order to decide on the type of medications patients need and then they will write a prescription for them. Assessment is yet again used when physicians will prescribe certain medications to patients and the nurses must decide if the medication is proper at that time for the patient to take.

There are many cases when the condition of patients is unstable and it’s recommended they will take medications only after their vital signs have been stabilized. In such cases, nurses have full control over whether to give the patient the prescribed medication or to delay giving them the medications. That is why it’s recommended the nurses will call the physicians and tell them they won’t administer the medication to the patient or advise them on changing the medication.

Advocate

The patient advocacy is one of the most important duties nurses have and this means that the nurse, together with the multi disciplinary team that is caring for him, will need to act on the patient’s behalf. So thus, the nurse will alert the right medical professionals when for instance, the patient will have problems breathing. It can also mean that RNs will talk to physicians about the treatment they have prescribed to certain patients, if they feel that the treatment is not good in the patient’s current condition.

Listener

Even though technology advances and there are more and more new ways of caring for patients, an RN must never forget that she is dealing with humans, not machines. This is because in some cases, when machines will tell nurses the patients are fine, patients might state otherwise. By listening to the non-verbal and verbal things the patient has to say, the nurse will easily be able to take care of them more effectively.

Counselor

At every meeting RNs will counsel their patients, regardless if it’s an in-patient admission to the hospital or office visit. Patients actually consider RNs to be an expert in healthcare and some of the lessons the RNs will teach patients might be about smoking cessation or could be about on teaching newly diagnosed diabetics on checking their blood sugar.

Being a registered nurse is not easy and people who will want to become one, need to first of all love helping others out, it’s a job that’s meant for people who love to care for others and even though it has its difficulties, it’s a very rewarding career overall.

Essential Information About Nursing: Job Description and Programs

Nurses undertake various duties including preventing diseases, helping patients cope with their ailments and promoting wellness. They also educate patients and communities about different ways to obtain overall health. Nurses observe, assess, and record the different symptoms and progress of patients. In addition, they collaborate with doctors in the performance of examinations, administration of the prescribed medication, and treatment of patients in recovery and rehabilitation centers.

Nurses also learn about the most recent technologies that can be utilized to provide excellent care to their patients. They undergo continuous training and research for the benefit of patients and families, as well as for personal development. The Mayo School of Health Sciences provides nurses with top-notch clinical training through various nursing education programs.

Nursing Programs

Those who plan to take up a degree in nursing can obtain different levels of practice, and each comes with education requirements. In the United States, students can opt for the following nursing programs:

1. Licensed Practical Nursing

Those who wish to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) should obtain one year of study and clinical training at a vocational school, hospital or community college. The program they must choose should be approved by the state’s Board of Nursing, so they could qualify for a license. After they have earned a nursing degree, they must pass the NCLEX-PN or National Council Licensure Examination.

LPNs work in hospitals, nursing care facilities, home care centers, and public health clinics. They attend to the psychosocial and physical needs of their patients. These professionals also perform treatments and administer medications under the supervision of physicians. LPNs educate patients and their family members about the importance of proper health habits. Lastly, they supervise aides and nursing assistant.

2. Registered Nursing Degree

There is a significant demand for registered nurses because of the increasing number of older citizens and nursing shortages in the United States. A registered nursing degree takes two to four years to be completed. In an accelerated BSN degree, a Registered Nursing program requires one year of study. After completion of the program, graduates earn an associate’s degree in nursing. They are also eligible to apply and take the NCLEX or licensure exam for nurses.

Registered nurses may work in various settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, home care facilities, and private offices. They may administer proper medication and treatment to patients, or assist in operating rooms and emergency cases.

3. Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

Students obtain the necessary education and training through a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN). They learn about the theories and gain clinical training to become a professional or registered nurse. Those who take up BSN take four years to complete the program and earn their degree. The first two years are devoted for general education courses that will fulfill college requirements. During the succeeding years, students learn about the principles and science of nursing practices. Upon completion of the degree, they may take the licensure exam for nurses, so they can practice the profession.

A BSN degree can help individuals have an excellent nursing career path. The degree can have an impact to their earning potential and job opportunities. Moreover, BSN provides a remarkable platform for career advancement and chances for promotion. They also hold supervisory positions and duties in health care facilities and hospitals, which allow them to maintain a high level of independence in nursing practice.

4. Doctoral Degree and Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Program

A graduate study in nursing enables students to expand their theoretical knowledge in their field. The master’s or advanced practice program provides nurses with essential skills and knowledge to manage and handle elaborate health care in various settings. Nurses who have a master’s degree can assume numerous roles including clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, nurse educator, nurse administrator, nurse anesthetist, and nurse midwife.

On the other hand, doctoral programs prepare nurses with specialized and advanced nursing knowledge. They can also assume roles in research, practice, and education as administrators, researchers, policy makers, and advanced clinicians.

Job Outlook

Nursing is a career that requires outstanding knowledge, training, and work experience. Those who have plans for career advancement can choose from various nursing programs for continuing educations and professional growth.

In the United States, nursing is among the fastest growing health-care jobs. Shortages in nurses are reported in various states, which are caused by an increase in the aging population and decline in enrollments, in nursing schools. These factors contribute to a positive job outlook among nurses, particularly those who have training and advanced education.

With jobs and positions in the nursing profession expanding from the conventional hospital nursing job descriptions and roles, there has been a corresponding rise in terms of job options and flexibility in roles and functions. The present integrated health care system may allow nurses to easily make rotations among different job settings. Nurses are usually spread among the following facilities and organizations; hospitals, nursing homes, leadership positions in governmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations, universities, colleges and other tertiary institutions as course lecturers, private clinics and offices, walk in medical facilities, teaching and mentoring positions in teaching hospitals, industrial nurses, private organizations as a company nurse, private homes as live in nurses or as contract nurses, mental health institutions, and occupational nurses.

The highest percentage of the nursing population is found in hospitals. Usually they are employed as staff nurses and they usually undertake specified medical routines and regimens as well as provide bedside nursing care. Some can also be required to provide supervision and mentoring to nurses in training, nursing aides and practical nurses with a practical license.

Areas where hospital nurses are assigned to include medical surgical, outpatient and inpatient surgery department, obstetrics unit, pediatrics unit, intensive care unit and emergency department. Some may also be assigned to take care and provide treatment for patients with terminal illnesses like cancer. While some are assigned to just a particular unit or department, some are often rotated among different departments. With the baby boomer generation getting old and retiring, the number of those that need constant healthcare and special nursing care has exponentially increased, the number of nurses in hospitals are expected to grow slowly but at a steady rate while those providing special nursing care for elderly people whether privately or in nursing homes are expected to rise significantly at a higher rate than that of those working in hospitals. Though the amount of nursing care needed is expected to rise in the near future, there is nothing to suggest that the number of people who stay in hospitals for treatments over a 24 hour period (inpatients) will consequently increase. Rather, it may gradually decline as hospitals now discharge patients early and more procedures are now done in a way that the patient can go home within 24 hours (outpatient)

Clinics and offices – The nurses found in these organizations carry out the following functions; Provide nursing care for outpatients in the office of the physician they work for, emergency medical centers and surgery centers. They help to get the patient prepared for tests, treatments, medical examinations, etc.They assist the doctor or physician during treatments and medical procedures. They help in administering injections. They also help in getting and administering drugs to patients.They also help patients to dress their burns, wounds and provide assistance in minor surgical procedures. They are responsible for handling patients’ medical records. They can also carry out some laboratory duties and perform office duties.

Unlike before, the medical procedures that were only carried out in hospitals due to their delicate and intricate nature can now be successfully carried out in these clinics and offices and the number of these procedures is growing daily. Due to this recent development, more employment positions are expected to open up for registered nurses in these settings especially if the patients are able to undergo same day surgeries, rehabilitation as well as chemotherapy for cancer patients.

Nursing homes – Nurses found in these settings provide special nursing care for patients with a wide range of medical issues from fractures to treatment for arthritis or Alzheimer’s disease. Though, these nurses carry out more supervisory duties and administrative functions, they can also provide assessment for their residents’ medical conditions, create treatment plans, and provide supervision for licensed practical nurses. They also perform delicate and intricate functions e.g., start intravenous fluids. Some also work in departments requiring specialty care e.g., rehabilitation units for stroke patients, accident victims, etc

The number of nurses working in these organizations is expected to rise significantly due to increasing numbers of elderly people requiring special care. Hospitals are also providing early discharge for elderly patients to reduce financial burden; this also has contributed to sharp increase in the number of residents in nursing homes.

Home health nurses – These nurses are the ones that provide private special nursing care for people in their homes. Their duties include the following; They carry out periodic assessments of their patient’s home surroundings. They provide care, treatment and medication for their patients. They give instructions to their patients and the families of their patient on relevant medical issues. They also supervise home health aides.

Registered nurses that provide these kinds of services are usually able to provide a wide variety of services and can cater to a variety of patients with different health needs ranging from small health issues to provision of treatment of terminally ill patients. The number of nurses providing these services is expected to grow significantly due to increase in the number of aged people and greater advancement in technology which has made it easy to bring complex procedures home. There is also increasing demand for in house and home treatments by patients due to the level of confidentiality and privacy it allows.

Public Health Registered Nurses – The nurses that have employment here are found mostly in public or government hospitals, retirement communities, private clinics, private organizations, retirement communities, community health care centers and clinics, public and private schools and places designed as community settings. These nurses specialize in providing nursing care to large groups of people, and families. They work to bring about improvement in community and public health. They give instructions on medical issues, help in disease prevention, improve child care and nutrition and work hand in hand with community leaders for improvement in overall health of individuals in the community. They can give emergency care and write accident reports when and where necessary and help to point out health and safety hazards.

Leadership Positions – Registered nurses in this position usually carry supervisory functions and perform mentoring roles. They make provision for training for junior nurses and nurses in training and also ensure proper record keeping and proper care and maintenance of medical facilities.

Teaching Positions – These nurses provide training, orientation, teaching and support for the upcoming generation of nurses in schools, colleges, universities and teaching hospitals.

Registered Nurse Earning Potential – As of 2011, registered nurses took home annual average earnings of about $28.5/hour while full time registered nurses got an annual average salary of about $50, 000 (excluding compensation bonuses and benefits). A clinical nurse specialist made an average of $72, 000 annually.

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