Registered Nurses in Action

Registered Nurses (RNs) treat patients, educate patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients’ family members.  RNs record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.

 

RNs teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, explaining post-treatment home care needs; diet, nutrition, and exercise programs; and self-administration of medication and physical therapy.  Some RNs work to promote general health by educating the public on warning signs and symptoms of disease.  RNs also might run general health screening or immunization clinics, blood drives, and public seminars on various conditions.

 

RNs can specialize in one or more areas of patient care.  There generally are four ways to specialize.

 

1)  RNs can choose a particular work setting or type of treatment, such as perioperative nurses, who work in operating rooms and assist surgeons.

 

2)  RNs also may choose to specialize in specific health conditions, as do diabetes management nurses, who assist patients to manage diabetes.

 

3)  Other RNs specialize in working with one or more organs or body system types, such as dermatology nurses, who work with patients who have skin disorders.

 

4)  RNs also can choose to work with a well-defined population, such as geriatric nurses, who work with the elderly.

 

Some RNs may combine specialties.  For example, pediatric oncology nurses deal with children and adolescents who have cancer.  There are many options for RNs who specialize in a work setting or type of treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program.  Nurses most commonly enter the occupation by completing an associate degree or bachelor’s degree program.

 

Individuals then must complete a national licensing examination in order to obtain a nursing license.  Further training or education can qualify nurses to work in specialty areas, and may help improve advancement opportunities.

 

In 2006, there were 342 master’s and post-master’s programs offered for nurse practitioners, 230 master’s and post-master’s programs for clinical nurse specialists, 106 programs for nurse anesthetists, and 39 programs for nurse-midwives.

 

In all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license.

 

Nurses may be licensed in more than one state, either by examination or by the endorsement of a license issued by another state.  The Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement allows a nurse who is licensed and permanently resides in one of the member states to practice in the other member states without obtaining additional licensure.

 

In 2006, 20 states were members of the Compact, while two more were pending membership.  All states require periodic renewal of licenses, which may require continuing education.

 

Certification is common, and sometimes required, for the four advanced practice nursing specialties – clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners.  Upon completion of their educational programs, most advanced practice nurses become nationally certified in their area of specialty.

 

Certification also is available in specialty areas for all nurses. In some states, certification in a specialty is required in order to practice that specialty.

 

More occupational information on Registered Nurses.