Types of Nursing Careers There is ashortage of nurses in the United States. Whilethis has allowed foreign workers to apply for jobs,this is not sufficient to fill the gap as somestates are still understaffed.For people who want job security, to earn a decentwage and the satisfaction knowing that they havehelped somebody, perhaps a nursing career is theright thing to do. To give you an idea, here aresome of types of nursing jobs you can get into.
One of the most common jobs to get into is thatof a registered nurse or RN. Their job is to assessthe needs of the patient, develop and implementthe plan and maintain medical records. In somecases, they also inform the patient and othersabout disease prevention.For those that want this job, they have tograduate from nursing school and pass the statelicensure exam. This is different for each stateso if you plan to work in another state, you haveto check if your current license allows you towork there.Another job is that of the licensed practicalnurse. This person works under the direction ofa registered nurse or a doctor. If you have everbeen confined in the hospital, they are the onesthat come in your room and check on your bloodpressure, temperature. At times, they may evenget a blood sample from you.
The licensed practical nurse is also the one thatgreets you when you arrive at the doctor 抯 office.They make sure everything is running smoothly aswell as take care of paperwork and the filing ofthe patient 抯 medical records.The nurse practitioner is another and theirprimary function is to act as a care giver. Theseprofessionals are the first ones that diagnose apatient and treat their illness or injury. Theycan prescribe certain medications but this variesper state.They also have secondary responsibilities thatinclude anesthesiology, midwifery and otherclinical responsibilities.You don 抰 become a head nurse overnight. Thishappens after years of experience which willenable you to set up work schedules, assigndifferent duties to the staff and make sure that
each member of your team is trained to do theirjob. They are the ones in charge of a hospital wingthat make sure all the files are updated and thereis sufficient stock of equipment and othersupplies on hand.The nursing aide otherwise known as nursingassistants are the ones who clean the room whenthe patient has left, serve meals, delivermessages, bathe, feed and dress the patient. Theyalso do some of the work done by a nursepractitioner and escort the patient to theoperating room, recovery room until they are sentback to their own room. This person may also becalled upon to assist in some procedures.Apart from helping around in the hospital, theyshould keep an eye on the patient so any emotionalor physical conditions can be reported to thenurse of the doctor.The kind of nursing career you choose depends on
what type of nursing education you get. You cango for a two to a four year program then obtainyour license. For those that want to go farther,they should take further studies like a master抯 or a doctorate degree so they can work aseducators, consultants or instructors.
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