Planning A Career As A Registered Nurse
Registered Nurses are in high demand. Insurance companies, hospitals, clinics, schools, camps, and other places have continual openings for nurses. The option for working as a medical researcher or consultant is also available for registered nurses. Unfortunately, even though there are over three million registered nurses in the country, the US has suffered from a shortage of nurses in the last decade. Experts anticipate that the number of nurses needed will increase even more in the years ahead. As attractive as the position of a registered nurse currently is, the position is not attracting enough new entrants to meet the ever-increasing demand for their services.
In the health industry, registered nurses provide support services in different ways. RNs employed in entry-level positions are usually assigned the task of caring for the patients in a hospital or clinic. Other more advanced nurses work in specialties such as maternity wards and pediatrics intensive care.
If the educational qualification of a registered nurse is high enough, RNs can go on to perform many of the duties that would have ordinarily been assigned to a doctor. Nurse practitioners are allowed to diagnose patients and prescribe treatments. Nurse practitioners can choose to work alongside doctors or alone in their own practices.
To become a registered nurse, you need to pursue a certain educational path. If you are currently still in high school, take many different science classes. A formal nursing degree is the next step. Most programs require that you pass the ACT or SAT for admission. It is important to ensure that your school is an accredited institution. If you want to become a registered nurse, you can choose two-, three- or four-year programs to receive an associate’s degree, three-year diploma, or bachelor’s degree respectively. While all nursing paths teach hands-on patient care, the bachelor’s degree also encompass supervisory roles and administration. To be certified as a nurse practitioner, you must pursue a master’s degree. The master’s degree is an in-depth course in patient care and administration, much like the earlier years of medical school.
Once you graduate from your program, you will have to take and pass the NCLEX-RN exam which is the registered nurse licensing test. Successfully passing this exam is a mandated requirement in all the states across the country.
Once you’ve finished the exam, depending on your state’s rules, you will have to renew your license in nursing regularly. Depending on the stance of the Nursing Board, you might also be required to retake the licensing test if you plan on moving to another state.
Entering the working market may be difficult at first, as well as intimidating. If a rookie reporter ruins a news story, he’s not physically harming anyone. If a nurse ruins a patient’s treatment, serious consequences can occur. Even after you complete your education, you might not get a job right away due to a lack of experience and the importance of the work. Don’t get discouraged. To improve your patient care skills and your job possibilities, start gaining the experience employers are looking for. Clinics, hospitals, and non-profit organizations require the services of volunteers; this is the ideal opportunity for you. International volunteer programs are also available where you can apply to go on a mission to developing countries with health care needs. Most of the smaller missions will accept you fresh out of school, but the larger ones will probably want at least some experience.
The world needs the services of qualified registered nurses. With a rapid growth in population, the demand for nursing services is only going to increase in the coming years. If you have a caring nature and are a hard worker, you may have a future as a registered nurse.
