Question

NURSING CAREER PAPER. It should be at least three (3) single-spaced pages for the body of the report.

Headings should include: Description of the career Skills required for this career Training and education required for this career Tasks, duties and responsibilities for this career Work environment Future job outlook Earnings range (annual entry level salary and maximum salary) Advantages and disadvantages of this career Interesting facts about this career Related occupations to this career. THE FIELD WOULD BE NURSING

Answer 1

Nursing: The Career That Saves Lives

It takes a person with a special character to make a wonderful nurse. A great nurse must possess empathy, have excellent adaptability skills, be able to maintain therapeutic relationships, be very humble, a team player and be efficient.

Description of the career Skills required for this career Training and education required for this career Tasks

Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses must also be licensed.

In all nursing programs, you will need to take tough courses in physiology, anatomy, microbiology, nutrition, psychology and chemistry. A bachelor’s degree program also will have education in physical and social sciences, leadership, communication and critical thinking.

Licensed Practical Nurses: Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses are entry-level nurses; which title they use is dictated more by geography than job function. LPNs and LVNs provide basic patient care, though specific duties are dictated by each state’s board of nursing. They might feed or bathe patients, monitor patient vitals and check and apply bandages. Some states also permit practical nurses to administer certain medications. Practical nurses must usually complete certificates or associate degrees and the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses, or NCLEX-PN.

Registered Nurses: Registered nurses are the most prevalent nurses in the profession and often serve as a fulcrum of patient care. They work with physicians and communicate with patients and their families. They engage in more sophisticated care than LPNs. Board certification allows RNs to become highly specialized in areas like critical care, oncology, geriatrics, neurology and other key health disciplines. All states require RNs to earn at least an associate degree, but some employers prefer candidates with bachelor’s degrees. RNs must also be licensed to practice, a process that requires that they complete an accredited nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN.

Duties and responsibilities for this career

Nurses provide and monitor patient care, educate patients and family members about health conditions, provide medications and treatments, give emotional support and advice to patients and their family members, and more. They also work with healthy people by providing preventative health care and wellness information. Nurses’ responsibilities vary by specialization or unit, but most share more similarities than differences.

Work environment

The tasks nurses perform — and the settings in which they perform them — are at least partly driven by specialty, work experience and education. Although most nurses work in hospitals, some work for schools, private clinics, nursing homes, placement agencies, businesses, prisons, military bases or other employers. Nurses with associate and bachelor’s degrees often provide hands-on care, though the scope of this care varies by state and employer. Those with more experience and graduate degrees might supervise other nurses, teach nursing, become nurse practitioners or do research.

Many nurses spend long hours on their feet. Although nurses working in physicians’ offices, schools, corporate settings or other places with traditional hours may work regular shifts with set schedules, those working in nursing facilities and hospitals providing round-the-clock care often have to work long weekend and holiday shifts. It is not unusual for some nurses to work 10 to 12 hours a day, three to four days each week.

Future job outlook Earnings range

Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 19 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventative care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby boomer population, as they live longer and more active lives.

Also, there is more financial pressure on hospitals to turn out patients as soon as they can. This will increase the numbers of people who are sent to long term care facilities and outpatient care centers. So it is logical that there will be strong job growth for nurses in those organizations.

The average national salary of jobs for this career was $64,000 with a high confidence ranking based on over 250 sources. Average Registered Nurse salaries for job postings nationwide are 7% higher than average salaries for all job postings nationwide.

The top 10 percent in the field earn over $94,000. Generally, these professionals have many years of experience, and usually have their master’s degree in nursing.

Workers who are employed for the government generally receive the highest salaries, followed by nurses at various types of hospitals. The lowest-paid RNs work in doctors’ offices.

Advantages of this career

• employment oppurtunity
• personal satisfaction
• ability to work in many places
• high flexibility
• best in salary

Disadvantages of this career

• school is very difficult
• exposures to virus and germs
• stress
• more physical load and demand

Interesting facts

• There Is a Major Nursing Shortage

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be a shortage of about 800,000 nurses by 2020. The population of the world is living much longer and will need to have more medical care. So, hospitals and medical facilities are always looking for nurses. Some places of employment will pay $10,000 sign on bonuses and more for the most experienced nurses.

• Job Flexibility Is High

There are few jobs that have the flexibility of nursing. You can work when you want and where you want. Do you want to work part time, full time or as a temporary hire? You can do all of them. You can take time off for work and find work fast when you want to come back to the field. You can work three days in a row and have four days off, and be full time employed, too.

• Enjoy Strong Personal Satisfaction

The field of nursing is one of the most respected fields in the world. Nurses are the key link between doctors and patients. Every situation is different, but many times the patient will interact a great deal more with the nurse than the doctor. Many nurses find that this is one of the most personally rewarding fields they can imagine.

• Work in Many Locations

By becoming a nurse, you can find work just about wherever you like. You may work in a city hospital, in the suburbs or in a rural area. You can work in any state and any country in the world. If you become a freelance consulting nurse, you can travel to work in most cities in America for a few days, weeks or months, and then move on to another place. You will find there is nursing work available wherever you go.

• Enjoy Career Mobility

After you become an RN, you can go in many directions in your career. You can work in the justice system as a legal nurse consultant, or in trauma care or wound care. You might work as a writer, teacher or a researcher. There are no end of options when you become a nurse.

• High Salaries

The median wage for nurses is almost $50,000, according to BLS. If you become a nurse practitioner, you can earn over $60,000 in median pay. You also can earn time and a half for working on holidays and weekends. Nurses who work in advanced practice can earn up to $90,000.

• Good As a Second Career Choice

Nursing is one of the most popular second careers. The field offers relatively good pay, and you easily can increase your earnings by working more hours, and working on holidays and weekends. There are many professionals who retire from their first career and continue to work part time as a nurse to supplement their income.

• Many Nursing Specialties

There are more than 200 nursing specialties in which you can earn a special certification. This will certify that you are an expert in that particular speciality. This will often cause you to earn a higher salary and to increase the demand for your services. Whatever your interest in nursing, you can probably find a specialty that interests you.

• Work in Many Different Patient Populations

If you like to work with a certain type of patient, you can do it as a nurse. Some of the most common patient populations include pediatric, gerontology, pain management, wound and burn management, psychiatric and chemical dependency.

Being a nurse means being well paid, in demand and able to enjoy many awesome benefits. Make sure to check out all of the educational programs near you that lead to becoming a registered nurse.