| Nursing is a highly regarded profession with high | | | | Practical Nurse or a Vocational Nurse. Once |
| standards of honesty and ethics amongst various | | | | graduated, the next important thing is to obtain |
| other professions. Nursing has emerged as the largest | | | | licensure for practice in the State of your preference. |
| health care occupation with over 2.7 million jobs. With | | | | Eighteen states participate in the Nurse Licensure |
| over 100,000 vacant positions and a ever-growing | | | | Compact Agreement (NCLA) which permits a licensed |
| need for health care workers, the career outlook is | | | | nurse to practice in any of the other seventeen |
| excellent for the nursing field. National Center for | | | | states, if they have obtained license to practice in |
| Workforce Analysis, an agency of the U.S. | | | | one of the states. License can be obtained by |
| Department of Health and Human Services predicts a | | | | passing national licensing exam NCLEX-RN for |
| shortage of 808,416 nurses by the year 2020. Such | | | | becoming a Registered Nurse and NCLEX-PN for |
| an analysis and prediction is backed by very strong | | | | becoming Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed |
| reasoning and findings. Advancement in technology | | | | Vocational Nurse (LVN) as in Texas, California. LPN |
| and medical field has resulted in an increased life span. | | | | and LCN provide care for sick, injured and disabled |
| Elderly population is now living longer and more of | | | | under direct supervision of physicians and RNs. |
| them will require care and nursing. With more elderly | | | | Nursing career is full of opportunities for those who |
| people in need of such care, demands rise for nursing | | | | want to specialize and pursue higher education. A |
| force that can meet such needs. Also, the need for | | | | few popular specialties are AIDS Care Nurse, |
| more skilled nurses is growing. With insurance | | | | Ambulatory Care Nurse, Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse, |
| companies stepping into the medical field to reduce | | | | Case Management, Correctional Nurse, Enterostomal |
| the cost of health care expenditure, demand for | | | | Therapy Nurse, Gastroenterology/Endoscopy Nurse, |
| nurses, outside the hospital setting has also risen. Not | | | | Genetics Nurse, Infection Control Nurse, Intravenous |
| to forget that the current nursing workforce is aging | | | | Therapy Nurse, long-term Care Nurse, Managed Care |
| and many are expected to retire over next 10-15 | | | | Nurse, Nephrology Nurse and more, the list does not |
| years only to create a void, adding to the shortage | | | | end here. Most of the specialties do welcome RNs |
| further. So, nurses with a BSN degree can expect a | | | | with a BSN degree only. In addition, there is increasing |
| securer career and better job prospects. | | | | demand for APNs. APNs are primary health care |
| Nurses blend knowledge of science and technology | | | | practitioners, working independently or in collaboration |
| with the art of care and compassion. Nursing provides | | | | with physicians. In most states, they are permitted |
| opportunity to save and improve lives, care for the | | | | to prescribe medications. The four specializations for |
| sick and debilitated, educate patients and people | | | | APNs include Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) providing |
| towards achieving good health and above all, the | | | | expert consultation in any of the above mentioned |
| feeling of helping someone in their hour of illness and | | | | specialties; Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) administer |
| need. There is no greater service than caring for the | | | | anesthesia and monitor patient's vital signs during |
| sick and needy. Nurses are required to deliver basic | | | | surgery in addition to providing post-anesthesia care; |
| duties, which includes but is not limited to providing | | | | Nurse Midwives (CNM) provide primary care to |
| treatment, health education, emotional support, | | | | females covering aspects like family planning, prenatal |
| record maintenance, operating medical equipment in | | | | care, neonatal care and assist delivery; and Nurse |
| addition to counseling patient and their family about | | | | Practitioners (NP) who provide basic preventive |
| the management of their illness. Registered Nurses | | | | health care to patient. NPs are primary as well as |
| (RNs) also run general health screening and | | | | specialty care providers in medically underserved |
| immunization clinics, organize public seminars, motivate | | | | areas. APNs are lower cost primary care providers in |
| blood donation drives, etc. Three out of five nurses | | | | comparison to physicians. |
| in the United States work in hospitals. Most of the | | | | Advanced degrees available to nurses are masters |
| others work in clinics, home health, extended care | | | | (MSN), doctoral degree (Ph.D., EdD, DNS) and |
| settings, schools, colleges, universities, the public | | | | post-doctoral programmes. Doctoral degrees can |
| health services, and nonprofit agencies throughout | | | | provide placements as a senior policy analyst, |
| the United States and many other countries. Nursing | | | | researcher, health system executive and as a nursing |
| can be a challenging job with continuous exposure to | | | | school dean. |
| grief and suffering, stress, work pressures, little or | | | | RNs may work as a staff nurse or become APNs. |
| excessive patient contact and occupational hazards | | | | Also exisins are a few positions involving little or no |
| including but not limited to infectious diseases, | | | | direct patient contact. Such positions include Case |
| radiation exposure, accidental needle sticks, chemicals, | | | | Managers, Forensic Managers (applying knowledge of |
| anesthesia, back injury and emotional stress. Role | | | | nursing for legal enforcement, like treating and |
| autonomy and independence, innovativeness, | | | | investigating a victim of assault or abuse and similar), |
| technical knowledge, and teamwork are | | | | Infection Control Nurses, Legal Nurse Consultants |
| characteristics of this job, in addition to personal | | | | (assist lawyers in medical cases by interviewing |
| satisfaction and professional rewards. | | | | patient, organizing records, and educating lawyers |
| The nursing schools are a gateway to this profession | | | | about medical conditions), Nurse Administrators, Nurse |
| and almost all of them require a high school diploma in | | | | Informatics, Health Care Consultants, Public Policy |
| addition to sound academic standing in English, | | | | Advisors, Medical editors and writers. |
| Algebra, Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology with a | | | | Career and job prospects are bright as mentioned |
| GPA score of atleast 3. Computer experience is an | | | | above and with increasing demand and difficulty to |
| asset. Leadership and organization skills are vital to | | | | hold up nurses in hospitals, many hospitals and |
| this profession. Most schools shall still require you to | | | | corporate sectors have now started offering |
| clear the National League for Nursing (NLN) | | | | incentives like signing bonuses, subsidized training, |
| Pre-admission exam besides the SAT exam. Over | | | | open shift bidding. Open shift bidding is an emerging |
| 1,500 nursing programs in the US provide three | | | | concept where nurses can find vacant shifts at |
| different educational paths towards becoming a | | | | premium wages and bid for same online. This also |
| Registered Nurse (RN). Bachelor of Science in Nursing | | | | reduces mandatory overtime that many nurses have |
| (BSN) is a four-year program offered at colleges and | | | | to do otherwise. Many employers now provide family |
| universities. An associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a | | | | friendly work schedules and flexibility, again an |
| two-year program offered at many community and | | | | indication of demand in such places. |
| junior colleges. Some hospital schools of nursing and | | | | RNs are earning anywhere from $37,300 to greater |
| universities offer an ADN degrees. Hospital Diploma is | | | | than $74,760 depending upon qualifications and |
| a two to three year program based in hospital | | | | experience, besides job locations. Median salary can |
| settings. Many diploma schools are affiliated with | | | | be appreciated as $52,330 annually. Entry level RN |
| junior colleges where students take basic science and | | | | can earn from $30,000 to $45,000 annually. All this |
| English requirements. Opportunities are maximum with | | | | comes with benefit packages including health |
| a BSN degree. BSN is a requirement for obtaining a | | | | insurance, holiday pay, college tuition reimbursement, |
| master's degree or becoming an Advanced Practice | | | | childcare, pension plans and much more. Expected |
| Nurse (APN). The American Association of Colleges | | | | shortage of nurses over coming years is going to tilt |
| of Nursing (AACN) recognizes the BSN degree as the | | | | the situation more in the favor of nurses and they |
| minimum educational requirement for a professional | | | | can look forward to a securer future with brighter |
| nursing practice. Even though graduates can begin | | | | prospects and rewards. |
| practice as an RN with an ADN or diploma, the BSN | | | | Becoming a nurse is not just about money but |
| degree is a must for nurses seeking to assume roles | | | | dedicating your life to service mankind, caring for the |
| as case-managers or supervisors or move across | | | | sick and to be able to support them and their family |
| employment settings. Tuition fee depends on your | | | | in difficult times. The potential is enormous and |
| college and state of residence, but financial aids and | | | | specialization options aplenty. Nursing as a profession |
| scholarships are available to take care of such needs. | | | | is full of personal satisfaction and professional |
| There are technical and vocational schools as well, | | | | rewards. |
| which provide one-year course towards becoming a | | | | |