Nursing Career Search

Posts Tagged ‘Nurses Work’

Nurses are a vital part of the medical community. There are over 2.5 million nurses in the United States, and nursing is the largest employer in the healthcare field. As the population ages, it is expected that we will need more nurses than ever to fill these available positions. There are two reasons for the increased demand for nurses. An aging population is one that will have a greater need for medical care, and many nurses are reaching retirement age. At a time when teacher and nurse where the two traditional career paths for women, many of the nurses that are reaching retirement age now chose nursing as a career. As other fields of study opened up, fewer women chose to enter the nursing field. That is offset slightly by the fact that many men are entering the field once dominated by women. Men, lured by the promise of flexible schedules and high demand, are a growing segment of the nursing community.

The nursing community is vital to the structure of the entire medical community. Nurses are responsible for their patient’s well being, and must not only dispense medicine, but recognize early signs of complications, monitor the patient’s emotional condition, and help the patient’s family understand the diagnosis and treatment of a disease.

The Importance of Nurses in the Hospital Setting

Nurses receive specialized training in monitoring and assessing medical conditions. While a physician diagnoses a disease or ailment and prescribes a course of treatment, it is the nurse who is involved in the implementation of that therapy. Nurses work one on one with patients, monitoring their vital signs and observing any changes to their condition. Often a nurse’s instinct, honed by hours on the job, is the first clue that a patient may not be responding well to treatment or that there may be another problem.

A nurse will typically be responsible for many patients on each shift. She is responsible for making sure they receive their medications and any other prescribed treatments, as well as helping with basic needs and comforts. The nurse is often a liaison between the patient and their family and the physician. The nurse can often explain in layman’s terms what the doctor has diagnosed and, using knowledge from years on the job, comfort the patient and family members.

The Importance of Nursing in the Community

Nurses are an important part of the community. Particularly in under-served areas, a patient may receive a good deal of their primary care from a nurse. Immunization clinics and health screenings are just two of the ways that nurses serve the community. Without community nurses, many children would be unable to attend school, or be unable to see the chalk board, or older patients would be unaware of high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Community nursing is growing in importance as health care becomes unaffordable for many families. Community nurses often implement low cost programs that allow members of the community to receive help in losing weight, monitoring their blood pressure, or obtaining dental or eye exams for their children.

Nursing in the Home Care Setting

Nurses that work in home health care provide a valuable service to their clients. Often an elderly person is unable to live on their own, but does not want to give up their independence and enter a nursing home. Sometime, a child with a medical condition can stay home, but needs therapy daily. In situations such as these, a home health nurse is invaluable. The nurse makes up a schedule that is set up by the treating physician, and visits homes, administering therapy, checking on the client’s well being, and assessing the patient for any additional needs they may have.

A Higher Level of Care

One of the problems with the rising cost of health care is the lack of access to physicians. Many nurses are furthering their education in ways that help the entire medical community. A registered nurse that has completed his or her bachelor degree may continue on to one of many branches of graduate school. After specialization, she will graduate as a nurse practitioner, and specialize in midwife and delivery, community health, family care, or anesthetics. Although supervision levels vary by state, the nurse practitioner typically works under the supervision of a physician.

While the nurse practitioner must work under a physician, she has a great deal of autonomy. It is not a situation where the nurse is directly supervised. The physician is available for consultation, and may review charts and diagnosis on occasion, but the nurse practitioner can order tests, refer patients to specialists and has prescribing authority. Nurse practitioners have enhanced the level of care offered in many poor and rural communities. They also allow a hospital to reduce its costs by providing services that in the past were only offered by a physician.

By the year 2020, the United States will face a nursing shortage of 800,000 unfilled registered nursing jobs – and very few of those jobs are in traditional hospital settings. These days, a registered nursing job is as likely to take you into a laboratory or someone’s living room as it is to put you at bedside in the recovery room. If you’re just starting your career in nursing, or looking to make a change, take a look at some of the non-traditional settings that have registered nursing jobs available.

Home Health Registered Nursing Jobs

Home health care is one of the fastest growing sectors of the nursing profession. As hospitals and insurance companies struggle to lower the costs of delivering care, they’ve found that providing nursing care in the home makes more than financial sense. Most patients improve faster when they’re in the familiar setting of their own home. Registered nursing jobs that involve home health care include geriatric nursing, visiting nurse jobs and community health nursing. Some popular home health registered nursing jobs include:

- Newborn visiting nurses make home calls on new mothers who have just been released from the hospital. They offer suggestions and assess physical and medical needs of both mother and child.

- Visiting chronic care nurses help keep patients at home who only require a few hours of skilled nursing care per day or week. They may change feeding tubes or start intravenous medications, assess medical needs or change dressings after surgery.

- Early intervention nurses work with families who have young children with medical needs at home. An EI nurse can make the difference between keeping a child at home or choosing institutionalization.

Occupational Health Registered Nursing Jobs

Occupational health is a growing field, and there are many different positions for registered nurses within it. An occupational health nurse may do initial assessments and physical examinations on site, assess medical needs if someone is injured on the job site or provide medical information and advice to employees of a company.

Public Health Registered Nursing Jobs

Do you dream of making a difference on a wide scale? Public health nurses are often involved in making policies that affect the population of entire cities and states. Among the options for work available in the public sector for nurses are:

- Clinic nurses do hands on patient care in a clinic setting. Registered nurses and nurse practitioners deliver care and advice to families and patients on nutrition, health, preventive care, birth control and medical care.

- Nurses working for the Department of Health may be involved in infectious disease control, monitoring compliance with health guidelines and consulting on medical policies for hospitals and other medical facilities.

School Nursing Jobs

School nurses work on site to help manage the medical needs of students. These days the school nurse may float from campus to campus, or be assigned to one school. Many schools now offer on site clinics for students, and a nurse working in a school clinic may be a student’s primary health contact. They’re responsible for doing emergency care, assessing medical needs and providing family contact points for school students.

Hospice Registered Nursing Jobs

Unlike traditional nursing homes, hospices offer round the clock skilled nursing in a homelike setting. Hospice nursing jobs offer the opportunity for a registered nurse to provide a personal touch to severely ill and terminal patients in a less clinical setting. Hospice nurses work under the supervision of doctors, but often have far more autonomy in making medical decisions.

A nursing career opens so many doors that it’s impossible to fit them all into a brief overview. For more information on registered nursing jobs and career opportunities, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site.

By the year 2014 – just eight years away – there will be 3.6 million new jobs available in the medical profession, and the bulk of those jobs – about 60% of them – will be open to those with nursing degrees of one kind or another. The demand for registered nurses is highest – the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the number of jobs available for registered nurses will rise by 27% by 2014 – but there will also be increased opportunities for certified nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, physician’s assistants and those in medical technical fields like phlebotomy and pulmonology.

And if you thought that the only jobs available for nurses were in hospitals and medical facilities, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has more news for you. Less than 60% of registered nurses work in a hospital. A nursing degree opens doors of opportunity into so many fields that it’s easily one of the most versatile and useful degrees that you can acquire. Not only that – a nursing degree appeals to a wide range of people. According to the BLS, about 20% of those entering the nursing workforce are older workers starting on a second career. Many of them have been attracted by rising salaries triggered by the nursing shortage, but for many of them, a nursing degree is a chance to do something that makes them feel good.

Whether you’ve just started your nursing career, are returning to work after a hiatus, or are switching to a career in nursing as a second career, take a look at some of the opportunities that are open to you with a nursing degree.

Pediatric Home Health Care is one of the growing fields for those with nursing degrees. Every state in the Union now has some sort of Early Intervention program that identifies children under the age of three years with special needs. Pediatric home health care gives you the opportunity to work with children and parents and make a real difference in their lives.

Elder Home Health Care is the other end of the spectrum. The ‘aging of America’ means that more and more people require a little bit of help to remain in their homes. Nursing assistants, registered nurses and licensed nurses can provide that little bit extra that will allow a senior citizen to maintain a higher quality of life and remain at home when all they need is a few hours of medical care a day or week.

Working in a Blood Donor Center is an option that makes you part of the life-saving network. There’s more to blood donor centers than just starting IVs. Nurses who specialize in pharesis can command high salaries, and a nurse working in the blood collection field can be a valuable community organizer as well as a medical practitioner.

A Critical Care Transport nurse requires multiple nursing degrees, but it can be one of the most interesting and fascinating nursing jobs available. A CCT nurse accompanies patients being transported from home or a nursing facility to another nursing facility. The nurse is responsible for maintaining continuity of care for every patient – in the back of an ambulance. It’s a challenging and fun job that commands a salary commensurate with the experience required.

On Site Nursing is a wide open field for medical workers with nursing degrees. You can work at an amusement park or zoo, or in the medical office at a state or national park, or provide medical backup for the emergency workers at a beach or other recreational setting. If you choose to work on site at a camp or other facility, your benefits may include free tuition for your own family.

Nurses work hand in hand with doctors so they can help treat a patient. Given than medicine has evolved into different fields, it has created so many nursing career opportunities and here are some of them.

Oncology is a field of medicine that deals with patients who are suffering from cancer. Nurses who decide to specialize here may administer chemotherapy, counsel patients and work with doctors to create the right treatment plan depending on what stage of development is the cancer.

Nurses who are interested in perioperative nursing otherwise known as OR nurses assist the surgeons both directly and indirectly during an operation. They help prepare the patient before and after the operation as well check on the equipment to be used by making sure they are sterile. Given that there are different types of surgeries done on patients, nurses will have to specialize again to be part of the working team.

Sickness is not the only reason that a patient may end up in the hospital as accidents take place in the work area or on the road. If the person has a neck or a head injury, it is up to the otorhinolaryngology nurses to help the patient. To get this job you must have a resident nurse with a diploma or have a degree either in AD or BSN. These individuals may find work also in hospices, clinics and home care agencies.

Kids get sick and it is up to the pediatric nurse to help them get better. But pediatrics also has other specializations such as oncology and hematology if ever the child is either suffering from cancer or a blood disorder.

Anesthesia is given to a patient prior to surgery. For that, you will a nurse that specializes in perianesthesia to help the patient go to sleep and slowly bring them back after the operation. The difference between an anesthesiologist is that he or she will be the one to administer the anesthesia. The nurse simply helps the patient to make sure they are comfortable.

Soon to be mothers need the help of prenatal nurses in preparation for motherhood. This is done by telling them what to anticipate especially if this is their first child and giving them general health advice for them and the baby.

Cancer prevention is important so this can be detected and removed during its early stages. For that, you will have to undergo a few tests and the ones work these machines are called radiology nurses. They are the ones who operate the x-rays, sonograms, mammograms, ultrasound and a bunch of other machines.

There are mental health disorders and problems that patients face. Aside from the psychiatrist who will help you out, you can also see psychiatric nurses. These individuals are trained to handle patients suffering from anxiety, addiction, physical and sexual abuse, personality disorders and depression.

Close to cardiac and otorhinolaryngology nurses is rehabilitation nursing. The job of those who are in this field is to work with patients that have either been temporarily or permanently disabled. They help the patient deal with the fact that they now have a handicap and the only way to live is with the help of wheelchairs, crutches and prosthetics.

A career in nursing opens a lot of opportunities. You just have to specialize in something in order to make the most of your profession.

Nurses are in the business of saving lives. Although they do not perform surgery, they work hand in hand with doctors and other experts so that the patient may recover. Sadly, there is a shortage of such professionals in the industry. If you dont know yet what you want to do with your life, maybe the information provided here will make you consider nursing as a possible career choice.

Anyone who wants to start a career in nursing must at least be a high school graduate with good academic standings. He or she must also have a sufficient score in the SAT and the nursing entrance exam.

There are over 1,500 nursing programs currently available and there are three types that will enable the student to start their nursing career. There is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing that is a 4 year course, the Associate Degree in Nursing and the Hospital Diploma both of which are 2 year courses.

Aside from working in the hospital, you will have the opportunity to find work in other places such as schools, correctional facilities, research labs, private companies, health care centers and private homes.

A full time employed resident nurse makes about $46,800 annually while staff nurses make about $42,100. This isnt that bad when you are working in an entry level position. If you decide to pursue advanced studies later on like a masters or a doctorate degree, you can expect to earn around $61,000 to $63,550.

There are approximately 2.7 million licensed registered nurses in the US and majority of them are women. Men only represent 5.4% of the total population but in the US military, 33% of them are men.

The environment where nurses work is usually well lighted and clean. Most of your time will be spent bending, stretching, standing and walking. You will work not only on the dayshift but also on a nightshift including weekends and holidays. You may be on call on short notice if there is a need for additional manpower to help out in the hospital.

You have the option to work as a full time or part time nurse. In 2006, 21% of registered nurses worked part time as some held another job.

Despite the clean environment, sometimes nurses are prone to hazards. These include coming into contact with patients that are afflicted with infectious diseases and need harmful, hazardous or toxic medication in order to recover. This can be prevented of course by wearing the proper gear and equipment.

Accidents also happen at the workplace such as accidental needle sticks, chemical spills that are used to sterilize equipment and radiation. But nurses are very vulnerable to back injuries, gases and shocks from electrical equipment.

Since nurses are only human, they may also suffer from emotional strain from caring for patients that are suffering from unrelieved intense pain, personal contact with the patients family, the need to make crucial decisions as well as ethical dilemmas.

This just goes to show that life as a nurse is not easy and those who can stomach the ups and downs will be the only ones to stay in this profession for a very long time. The question you have to ask yourself after reading this is whether or not you have what is takes to be a nurse.

Nursing is a noble profession. Without these people, no one will be able to look after the patient when the doctor is not available. It should be pointed that there is a shortage of nurses in the US. The government for its part has hired foreign nationals to fill the gap but this is not enough to solve the problem. This is why knowing some facts about a career in nursing could probably encourage students in high school or maybe even in college to make that shift.

1.Entry level nurses earn a lot more than what other professionals earn after graduating from college. One report shows that they get an average of $45,000 a year compared to accountants who only get about $41,000.

2.Unlike other courses that will require the student to get a degree in 4 years, nurses can graduate and find work after 2 years. These programs area namely an Associate Degree in Nursing or AND as well as the Hospital Diploma. Students of these two programs can go back to school later on to further their studies by getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or BSN.

3.Nurses may also find work in places other than the hospital. These include schools, correctional facilities, private companies, research labs and homes since only three out of five registered nurses work in a hospital.

4.For the country, majority of nursing jobs are occupied by women despite an increase of 5.4% of males that have joined the workforce. But in the U.S. military, one third of those serving are men.

5.In the US, the ratio between registered nurses and doctors is 4:1. Aside from providing the usual health care services to patients, they also teach patients about prevention and work in other fields such as cardiac, family health, gynecology, neonatal, neurology, oncology, pediatrics and other advance clinical specialties.

6.Nurses work between 8 to 10 hours per shift because the risk of an error happening are greater if they work longer than 12 hours.

7.The reason why the government has to fill the shortage of nurses is to lower the incidence of adverse outcomes with patients. For instance, one study has shown that if the number of registered nurses in a hospital is not increased, there will be a rise in the number of patients who will suffer from lung failure, pressure ulcers and urinary tract infections.

Those with higher resident nurse staffing will have lower rates of adverse patient outcomes enabling them to be discharged later on without further incident.

8.Apart from a shortage in trained nurses, there is also a shortage in nursing faculty. After years of working in a hospital setting, such individuals can apply in schools to teach what they know to the bunch of hopefuls who want to make a difference in the lives of the patients.

The facts mentioned about nursing just goes to show that nurses play a vital life saving role in the overall healthcare system of the country. Doctors which we have a lot of can only do so much and they need the help of trained professionals to follow through what they have done to treat a patient.

If you have the desire to help people, then perhaps you should see if a nursing career is right for you.