The medical and health care industry is constantly growing and improving as the professionals in it. There is always a need for new people to fill positions of those who retire, leave the profession or move up the ladder to fill higher positions.
With many economic insecurities today, having a career that can take you anywhere, through good and bad economic times, will give you a good income and that has room for advancement is important. Becoming a registered nurse will give you all of this.
Registered nurses are in demand in the United States. No matter the economic outlook, hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices and other places with medical staff need registered nurses to look after sick people.
If you are considering a career as a Registered Nurse, you may have many questions. You should find out who a registered nurse, their education requirements, how to become one, the best nurse stethoscope to use and their job description.
What is an RN?
An RN is a registered nurse. This is a licensed professional that takes care of patients in hospitals, at home, at camps, schools, etc. They are the front-line workers who give medications, change dressings, initiate and run IVs and so on. RNs monitor your health and liaise between you and the doctor.
An RN can fill many roles and positions. He/she can work in either front line care or indirect care of individuals or groups. For example, the RN can be involved in teaching or managing other nurses in hospitals.
An RN is a regulated professional and answers to a regulatory body. The authority outlines each state or province’s best nursing practices guidelines. The bodies set the standards for nurses and determine what is legal for them to perform and what is not.
How to Become a Registered Nurse
If you are wondering how to become an RN, you first need a high school diploma. Also, pay attention to sciences such as biology and chemistry. These will be beneficial later on in nursing school. Finally, decide how much time you are willing to commit to education and how far you wish to advance your career.
The ADN (Associate Degree Nursing) program is a 2 year degree program which is sufficient if you are not looking for immediate career advancement. You can work towards this degree through a community college or an online college.
However, if you are willing to commit more time towards education initially, the BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree program will enable you to further your career and to specialize if you want. This is a 4-year program taught at a university of college.
Many registered nurses start out as nursing assistants or licensed practical nurses. This enables them to acquire nursing knowledge and skills. It also allows them to work for a while after a relatively shorter period of education. The licensed practical nurse program is only 1 year. You can use the program as a stepping stone and also see first-hand if the career is something you may want to continue to do.
Nursing is not for everyone. You should be sure of the career before committing a lot of time and money into education. Many people study their RN diplomas or degrees while working as well. This allows them to have an income while studying. However, it also means they take longer to finish a program.
After finishing your program, you will have to write and pass the NCLEX_RN, National Council Licensure Exam-Registered Nurse. All graduates must take this exam to be licensed.
RN Job Description
As an RN, there are many job opportunities you will have. Where you work will determine how much you will make and what you will be doing. Generally, a registered nurse job description in any place involve tasks meant to promote wellness and prevent and treat illness.
Some of these tasks include administering medications, starting and running IVs, overseeing LPNs as they do their tasks, educating patients and their families about health issues, recommending the best lightweight wheelchairs for elderly to senior patients, developing care plans and documenting and reporting your patients’ health condition to the doctor. These are just a few and depending on your place of employment, they could vary.
Registered Nurse Salary Information
A Registered nurse salary can vary depending on different factors, including where they live and their years of employment. Generally, you can expect an hourly salary of around $19 to $36. A general annual salary is between $40,000 and $80,000.
In the health care industry in North America, Registered Nurses make up the largest portion of professionals at 2.6 million just within the United States. Nursing is a growing profession and as far as job security goes, can’t get much better. There will always be illness and the need for someone to take care of these people.
After graduation, majority of nurses begin working in hospitals. These institutions employ about 60% of the nurses in this field. From there they can decide and how far and where to advance their careers.
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