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Career Overview
Nurses work to promote health, prevent disease and help patients
cope with illness. They are advocates and health educators for patients,
families and communities. When providing direct patient care, they
observe, assess and record patient symptoms, reactions and progress.
Nurses collaborate with physicians in the performance of treatments
and examinations, the administration of medications, and the provision
of direct patient care in convalescence and rehabilitation.
Medical and nursing care are advancing continuously and nurses
are actively engaged in continuous learning. Mayo School of Health
Sciences provides exceptional clinical training experiences through
many affiliated nursing education programs.
Choose a program:
More About Nursing
The field of nursing offers several levels of practice, each with
different educational requirements.
There are many excellent nursing programs throughout the United
States. Programs are offered for:
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Registered Nurse – Associate’s degree
- Registered Nurse – Baccalaureate degree
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse – Master’s
and Doctoral degree
Licensed Practical Nursing
Under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians, licensed
practical nurses (LPNs) may care for patients of all ages. Using
learned technical skills, licensed practical nurses assist patients
in meeting their physical and psychosocial needs. Licensed practical
nurses administer medications and perform treatments. Many employment
opportunities are available to practical nurses in hospitals, clinics,
nursing homes and home care. Graduates are awarded a diploma or
certificate in practical nursing and are eligible to apply to take
the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-PN).
Associate’s Degree/Registered Nurse
The associate degree nursing program is designed to prepare graduates
who administer safe, patient-centered nursing care in hospitals,
home settings, nursing homes, clinics and other health-care facilities.
Graduates are awarded an associate in science degree in
nursing and are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure
Exam (NCLEX-RN).
Bachelor’s Degree with a Major in Nursing/Registered Nurse
The bachelor’s degree in nursing is designed to provide opportunities
for students to develop a sound theoretical and clinical foundation
for the practice of professional (registered) nursing. Graduates
are prepared for a variety of roles in hospitals, nursing homes
and community health settings. Nurses with bachelor’s degrees
can practice in their community with responsibility for health promotion,
prevention of disease and caring for individuals, families and communities.
An understanding of people and how they adapt to the environment
is essential to the provision of these health-care services. Graduates
are awarded a bachelor of science degree in nursing and are eligible
to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN).
Master’s Degree/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse and
Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)
Graduate study in nursing is designed to expand students’
base of theoretical knowledge in nursing. Through scholarly inquiry,
nurses in the master’s program are prepared to manage and
facilitate complex health care in many settings. The masters-prepared
nurse may assume roles such as clinical nurse specialist, nurse
educator, nurse practitioner, nurse
midwife, nurse anesthetist or nurse
administrator.
Doctoral programs prepare nurse scholars who generate, expand and
disseminate nursing knowledge. They assume roles in practice, research
and education as advanced clinicians, administrators, educators,
researchers or policy makers.
Nursing is a profession in which your education, knowledge, skills
and experiences provide career flexibility and variety and can offer
continued advancement and growth.
Career Opportunities
Nursing is the largest health-care occupation and one of 10 occupations
projected to have the largest numbers of new jobs annually through
2010. Opportunities should be excellent for nurses with advanced
education and training.
Some states report current and projected shortages of nurses, primarily
due to an aging workforce and recent declines in nursing school
enrollments.
Faster than average growth also will be driven by technological
advances in patient care, which permit nurses to treat more medical
problems, and an increasing emphasis on preventive care. In addition,
the number of older people, who are much more likely than younger
people to need nursing care, is projected to grow rapidly.
As nursing positions expand beyond the traditional hospital nursing
roles, nurses have increased options and flexibility. In today’s
integrated health-care networks, nurses may rotate among employment
settings.
Facilities or areas in which nurses typically are employed include:
- Hospitals
- Clinics or Offices
- Nursing Homes
- Home-health
- Public Health
- Occupational Health or Industrial Nurse
- Leadership positions
Hospitals
Nurses working in hospitals comprise the largest group of nurses.
Most are staff nurses, who provide bedside nursing care and carry
out medical regimens. They also may supervise licensed practical
nurses and nursing aides. Hospital nurses usually are assigned to
one area, such as surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, emergency room,
intensive care or treatment of cancer patients. Some may rotate
among departments. Employment in hospitals is expected to grow more
slowly than in other health-care sectors. While the intensity of
nursing care is likely to increase, requiring a higher nurse-to-patient
ratio, the number of inpatients (i.e., those who remain in the hospital
for more than 24 hours) is not likely to increase. Patients are
being discharged earlier and more procedures are being done on an
outpatient basis.
Clinics or Offices
Clinic or office nurses care for outpatients in physicians' offices,
clinics, surgery centers and emergency medical centers. They prepare
patients for, and assist with, examinations, administer injections
and medications, dress wounds and incisions, assist with minor surgery
and maintain records. Some also perform routine laboratory and office
work. An increasing proportion of sophisticated procedures, which
once were performed only in hospitals, are being performed in physicians'
offices and clinics, including ambulatory surgery centers and emergency
medical centers. Accordingly, employment is expected to grow faster
than average in these health-care settings, especially in those
facilities providing same-day surgery, rehabilitation and chemotherapy.
Nursing Homes
Nursing home nurses manage nursing care for residents with conditions
ranging from a fracture to Alzheimer's disease. Although they often
spend much of their time on administrative and supervisory tasks,
RNs also assess residents' health condition, develop treatment plans,
supervise licensed practical nurses and nursing aides, and perform
difficult procedures such as starting intravenous fluids. They also
work in specialty-care departments, such as long-term rehabilitation
units for patients with strokes and head injuries. Employment in
nursing homes is expected to grow faster than average due to increases
in the number of elderly, many of whom require long-term care. In
addition, the financial pressure on hospitals to discharge patients
as soon as possible may result in more nursing home admissions.
Growth in units that provide specialized long-term rehabilitation
for stroke and head injury patients or that treat Alzheimer's victims
also will increase employment of nurses.
Home-health
Home-health nurses provide periodic services to patients in their
homes. After assessing patients' home environments, home-health
nurses care for and instruct patients and their families. Home-health
nurses care for a broad range of patients, such as those recovering
from illnesses and accidents, cancer and childbirth. They must be
able to work independently and may supervise home-health aides.
Employment in home health care is expected to grow rapidly. This
is in response to the growing number of older persons with functional
disabilities, consumer preference for care in the home, and technological
advances that make it possible to bring increasingly complex treatments
into the home. The type of care demanded will require nurses who
are able to perform complex procedures.
Public Health
Public health nurses work in government and private agencies and
clinics, schools, retirement communities and other community settings.
They focus on populations, working with individuals, groups, and
families to improve the overall health of communities. They also
work as partners with communities to plan and implement programs.
Public health nurses instruct individuals, families and other groups
regarding health issues, disease prevention, nutrition and child
care. They arrange for immunizations, blood pressure testing and
other health screening. These nurses also work with community leaders,
teachers, parents and physicians in community health education.
Occupational Health or Industrial Nurses
Occupational health or industrial nurses provide nursing care at
work sites to employees, customers and others with minor injuries
and illnesses. They provide emergency care, prepare accident reports,
and arrange for further care if necessary. They also offer health
counseling, assist with health examinations and inoculations, and
assess work environments to identify potential health or safety
problems.
Leadership Positions
Head nurses, nurse supervisors or nurse administrators direct nursing
activities. They plan work schedules and assign duties to nurses
and aides, provide or arrange for training, and visit patients to
observe nurses and to ensure the proper delivery of care. They also
may see that records are maintained and equipment and supplies are
ordered.
Earning Potential
Median annual earnings of registered nurses was $21.49 per hour
in 2002. According to a survey of hospitals across the United States,
the national median annual salary of full-time, hospital-based,
registered nurses in 2002 was $44,700. This represents base pay
only; earnings such as shift differentials provide additional compensation.
The median earnings for a clinical nurse specialist were $60,900.
Many employers offer flexible work schedules, child care, educational
benefits and bonuses.
Professional Organizations
Visit the following Web sites to learn more about the role of nurses:
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