Becoming A Professional Nurse: Your Guide To One Of The Most Sought-After Professions : A nurse acts as a bridge between the decisions made by the doctor on call and the actual healing of the patient. Nursing binds a patient’s medical journey. They work relentlessly to recognize and provide patients with selfless care throughout their treatment.
In addition to being known for compassion, care, and conviction, nursing is a highly specialized stream that is continuously evolving with time.
Read along if this career interests you.
Nurses are in high demand in the US. The Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS) predicts that by 2030, the rise of the nursing profession will outrun the job growth patterns across all other occupations. The BLS states that between 2020 and 2030, there will be a 45% increase in demand for nurses.
In this article, you’ll find out the various options available in the domain of nursing and how you can make your move in this industry.
Categories Of Nurses
Nurses perform a gamut of roles. You can find them everywhere, from an ER, where they are busy making risky treatment calls to schools, where you can see them smiling and vaccinating the kids.
Nursing roles can be broadly segregated into three categories, depending on the responsibilities and education levels.
Registered Nurses (RNs)
RNs are the pillars of US healthcare. They are tasked with providing critical healthcare to the US public in different clinical and community settings. Their key responsibilities include:
- Oversee physical examinations and medical histories of patients in critical condition.
- Offer education and counseling,
- Administer prescribed drugs and other specialized treatments
- Coordinate care in sync with different medical professionals.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses need to have a Master’s degree in addition to the basic qualification and licensing required for RNs.
There are various specialist roles for nurses in this category.
Certified Nurse-Midwives take charge of low-risk obstetric care. Clinical Nurse Specialists deal with varying issues relating to physical and mental health. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists have been delivering more than 65% of all anesthetics in the country.
Licensed Practical Nurses
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) are also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). They are supervised by an RN, APRN, or MD. In any facility, their primary duty is for helping the primary healthcare staff.
They are responsible for:
- Carrying out basic nursing operations like dressing wounds.
- Making sure patients are at ease, fed, and hydrated.
- They may give medication in certain circumstances.
What Do You Need To Do To Become A Registered Nurse?
A career as a nurse is probably one of the most promising ones in America at the moment. Fueled by the passion to help the helpless, this profession also offers lucrative salary and compensation schemes.
The branch of nursing that you want to pursue a career in depends on your specific educational qualifications and interests. There are many ways to become a nurse fast. Educational Institutions like Wilkes University offer a number of online nursing programs for aspirants. They also offer complimentary nursing placement services.
Students need to graduate from recognized institutions. There are multiple programs for an aspirant to choose from, including nursing diplomas and associate or bachelor’s degrees.
It generally takes two for a student to get an associate degree in nursing. Certain accelerated programs can reduce tenure too.
Typically, a nursing bachelor’s degree takes four years of full-time study. It might take two years for students to transition from an associate to a bachelor’s program.
Clearing the NCLEX-RN exam is the next step. The exam boasts around 119 questions. The stipulated time for the exam is 6 hours.
It is imperative for registered nurses to have proper licensure to be able to work in any US state or territory. The rules vary by state, so you should check with your local nursing board for their mandate.
After being employed as a registered nurse, you can still pursue additional training. You can get a Master’s degree and apply for roles like nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist, or nurse practitioner.
Future Trends In Nursing
Are you excited and ready to respond to the evolving future of healthcare? Nurses are now required to adapt beyond traditional nursing competencies. The introduction of Artificial Intelligence, for example, has revolutionized and streamlined patient care delivery.
Machine learning and AI facilitate healthcare professionals to collect and scrutinize the vast amount of critical patient data. Moreover, the introduction of Electronic Health Records (EHR) aids nurses in sharing data with patients and with other coordinating professionals.
Remote Nursing has also gathered pace. Nurses can deploy a variety of ways to help their patients in a remote setup. They can use phone calls or video chats to monitor the patient in real time.
This ecosystem is ever-evolving, and you need to stay abreast with the developments to be able to stay relevant and make a mark.
Conclusion
Becoming a nurse is a professional devotion. It is a relentless gameplay between the heart and mind. While selfless care emanates from the heart, the mind is constantly in action, trying to figure out the best treatment for the patient in need.
They have to guarantee that every patient, regardless of who they are, gets the best service possible.
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