Career Opportunities - Home
Career Profiles

Registered Nurse (RN)

Career Highlights

  • Among the top 10 occupations in the United States
  • Earn a high salary in a satisfying profession
  • Serve as advocates for hospital patients

This is Print View - Back to Normal View

Career Summary

Registered nurses (RNs) make up the largest portion of health care professionals, totaling more than 2.5 million jobs in the US. They can pursue a variety of career specialties, and more than half work in hospitals, where they establish and carry out specialized care plans for their patients. This includes providing needed treatments, running tests, informing the patient and the patient's family about various illnesses, and offering health advice.

In hospitals, registered nurses can work in areas such as:

  • Intensive care units (general, pediatric and neonatal ICUs)
  • Cardiac care units
  • Operating rooms
  • Emergency rooms
  • Recovery rooms
  • Outpatient care

In addition to meeting the patient's needs, nurses serve as important aides to hospital and medical office staff. They keep records up to date, investigate reports, maintain inventories of drugs, maintain linens and other supplies for patients, and supervise nursing assistants and non-nursing personnel.

Besides hospitals, RNs may be found in physicians' offices, nursing homes, home health care facilities, and a variety of other health care facilities. In any of these facilities, RNs may supervise or provide direction for nursing assistants or licensed practical nurses.

Nursing demand

The rapidly expanding health care industry is increasingly in need of registered nurses and other nursing personnel, and many facilities are experiencing a shortage of qualified nurses. This means many nurses work with several patients at once. However, this shortage translates to growing employment opportunities, particularly in physicians' offices and home health care facilities.

Despite the demands of the occupation, nursing involves helping and interacting with people every day, making it one of the most rewarding and sought-after professions.

More information available...

See Additional Information links for more useful info

Salary

$69,800*

Education

Most RNs have a bachelor or associate degree, or a diploma from an approved nursing program, and pass a national licensing exam.

Career Skills

  • Admission and recovery of patients undergoing vascular procedures.
  • Obtaining procedure consents
  • Recovering the patient post procedure which includes:
    • Assisting physician and scrub nurse with procedures
    • Provide skilled nursing care to patients in their home.
    • Provide safe, quality, appropriate care according to physicians orders.
  • Communication and problem resolution skills

Additional Information

Find Nursing Schools <<

Find Health Care Training Near You <<

Different Types of Medical Nurses

Different Types of Medical Job

Becoming a Registered Nurse

Nursing Interview Questions

How to Juggle Nursing School and Kids

Nursing School Info

References

Comments

  1. Setting My Dreams

    Hi, For all readers my name is Taujah jackson,and i just wanted to set my goals early when i grow up i want to go to Collage to become a RN. I am still young and Im attending Gleenville Elementary Right now.The reason i want to be a RN is Because i love to be around computers and love to type!! I really hope you will recieve and look over my messasge soon...

  2. Colleges that offer courses in nursing

    Career in nursing has both the advantages of being noble and being able to lead a comfortable life financially. But it needs proper training and proper certification to be able to work as a nurse in US.
    One college that offers various courses in Nursing is Computer Career Center. Though its name suggests that it has programs only in the computers area but that's not true. Computer Career Center offers degrees and diploma in Business Management, Medical assistant, Automated Accounting, legal Information Specialist, Medical Assistant, Medical Information Specialist, Network Administrator, Website/Graphic Design Specialist, Nurse Assistant, Nurse Assistant Home Health Aide and Vocational Nurse. They have campuses in four locations which are El Paso, Amarillo, Lubbock in Texas and a newly opened extension campus in Las Cruses, New Mexico.
    All their programs have curriculum reviewed by Governing and Advisory Boards whose members are business, industry, and education leader. Their small strength per class facilitates the faculty in understanding the student better and making sure that every student learns the subject thoroughly. Their website address is www.computercareercenter.com . So, for a career in technical and vocational education, you can try going to their website and gather more information.

Add a Comment

Allowed tags are: a, b, em, i, p, strong, u; Line breaks are converted automatically.

Suggestions

543210

*Salary ranges based on location, experience, and demand. This number represents a rough nation-wide average.