What is registered nurse

They are expected to continue growing at a rate of 12 percent per year through Over the next decade, this amounts to approximately , job openings for registered nurses each year. Several factors contribute to strong growth in job openings and demand for healthcare services provided by registered nurses. A majority of new job opportunities originate with hospitals that need to replace workers who leave the workforce due to retirement or change professions entirely.

An aging population baby boomer generation is also driving demand for healthcare services because older patients will typically experience more medical problems than people of a younger age.

Job prospects in facilities and nursing specialties that cater to older patients are expected to be especially robust for the next decade. Long-term healthcare centers, rehabilitation centers, outpatient care facilities, residential care facilities, and home healthcare services are a few settings where demand is projected to be higher than average. The minimum education requirement to become a registered nurse is an associate degree, which typically takes two years to complete in most states.

However, many states are moving towards a BSN requirement, which typically takes four years to complete. Check with your state board of nursing for requirements.

However, achieving licensure can take several additional months, making it inaccurate to say that you can become a registered nurse in one year. It is widely known that the field of nursing is booming. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS , the demand for nurses in the United States will be one of the top in-demand professions for the next 10 years. Registered nurses who hold a bachelor of science in nursing BSN generally have better job prospects.

Registered Nurse RN. By EveryNurse Staff on June 25, What Is a Registered Nurse? What Does a Registered Nurse Do? Depending on their location, work setting, and level of education, a registered nurse may perform various duties. Typical job duties and tasks of a registered nurse include:. After reading the list above, it should be obvious that employers are looking for nurses with a robust set of technical nursing skills.

Still, it should be noted that most of the technical skills you need to succeed must be learned through education and professional training. ER Nurse. ICU Nurse. Medical-Surgical Nurse. Pediatric Nurse. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. Certified Nurse-Midwife. Clinical Nurse Specialist. Nurse Practitioner. Registered Nurse Salary. Highest-Paid Registered Nurse Positions. Rehabilitation nurses care for patients who have temporary or permanent disabilities or have chronic illnesses.

Some nurses do not work directly with patients, but they must still have an active registered nurse license. For example, they may work as nurse educators, healthcare consultants, or hospital administrators. They provide direct patient care in one of many nursing specialties, such as psychiatric-mental health or pediatrics. CNSs also provide indirect care by working with other nurses and medical staff to improve the quality of care that patients receive.

They often serve in leadership roles and may educate and advise other nursing staff. CNSs also may conduct research and may advocate for certain policies.

Registered nurses held about 3. The largest employers of registered nurses were as follows:. Some nurses travel frequently in the United States and throughout the world to help care for patients in places where there are not enough healthcare workers. Registered nurses may spend a lot of time walking, bending, stretching, and standing. They are vulnerable to back injuries because they often must lift and move patients. The work of registered nurses may put them in close contact with people who have infectious diseases, and they frequently come into contact with potentially harmful and hazardous drugs and other substances.

Therefore, registered nurses must follow strict guidelines to guard against diseases and other dangers, such as accidental needle sticks and exposure to radiation or to chemicals used in creating a sterile environment. Nurses who work in hospitals and nursing care facilities usually work in shifts to provide round-the-clock coverage. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They may be on call, which means that they are on duty and must be available to work on short notice.

Nurses who work in offices, schools, and other places that do not provide hour care are more likely to work regular business hours.

Nursing education programs usually include courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology psychology, and social and behavioral sciences.

Diploma programs, usually offered by hospitals or medical centers, typically take 2 to 3 years to complete. All programs include supervised clinical experience. In addition to science courses, bachelor's degree programs usually include education in communication, leadership, and critical thinking. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement.

CNSs who conduct research typically need a doctoral degree. Registered nurses must have a nursing license issued by the state in which they work. Other requirements for licensing, such as passing a criminal background check, vary by state.

Nurses may become certified through professional associations in specific areas, such as ambulatory care, gerontology, or pediatrics. Although certification is usually voluntary, it demonstrates adherence to a specific level of competency, and some employers require it.

CNSs must satisfy additional state licensing requirements, such as earning specialty certifications. Contact state boards of nursing for specific requirements.

Critical-thinking skills. Registered nurses must assess changes in the health status of patients, such as determining when to take corrective action. Communication skills.

Registered nurses must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and evaluate their health conditions. Nurses need to clearly explain instructions, such as how to take medication. Registered nurses should be caring and empathetic when working with patients.

Detail oriented. Registered nurses must be precise because they must ensure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time. Emotional stability. Registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stressors. Organizational skills. Nurses often work with multiple patients who have a variety of health needs. The ability to coordinate numerous treatment plans and records is critical to ensure that each patient receives appropriate care.

Physical stamina. Nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as lifting patients. They may be on their feet for most of their shift. Most registered nurses begin as staff nurses in hospitals or community health settings. With experience, good performance, and continuing education, they can move to other settings or be promoted to positions with more responsibility.

In management, nurses may advance from assistant clinical nurse manager, charge nurse, or head nurse to more senior-level administrative roles, such as assistant director or director of nursing, vice president of nursing, or chief nursing officer. Increasingly, management-level nursing positions require a graduate degree in nursing or health services administration. Administrative positions require leadership skills, communication ability, negotiation skills, and good judgment.

Some nurses move into the business side of healthcare. Their nursing expertise and experience on a healthcare team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based, and chronic care businesses. Employers—including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations—need registered nurses for jobs in health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance.

Some RNs may become nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, or nurse practitioners , which, along with clinical nurse specialists, are types of advanced practice registered nurses APRNs.

APRNs may provide primary and specialty care, and in many states they may prescribe medications. Other nurses work as postsecondary teachers or researchers in colleges and universities, which typically requires a Ph. Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U. Source: U.

Sure, they wear scrubs, give shots and carry stethoscopes around their necks, but what does a registered nurse do, exactly? More than you might think! These multi-tasking caregivers are masters at juggling many important duties to care for their patients and support other providers. Registered nurse RN jobs offer variety, career stability and a sense of personal fulfillment.

But what is an RN exactly and what do they do on a daily basis? Keep reading for a better understanding of the typical nursing responsibilities. It may come as a surprise to some, but registered nurses are not limited to working in hospitals. RN nurses can also work in in clinics, schools, assisted living facilities, homes and more. They can also specialize in areas such as cardiac care, pediatrics, family practice, geriatrics, labor and delivery, and emergency nursing.

Still, there are some general RN duties you can expect regardless of employer. Here are some tasks that can be found in a typical registered nurse job description:. In order to carry out these important duties, nurses must have a well-rounded balance of technical and soft skills. Many precise technical skills are needed to provide high quality care for patients.

But aside from that, there are several transferrable skills the best nurses share. In order to excel in registered nurse jobs, you must possess excellent communication, emotional intelligence , teamwork , problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. As mentioned before, RN nurses can provide care in a variety of healthcare settings.

To help you understand how those nurse responsibilities can differ, we broke it down into four common work environments. Compare and contrast to find the right healthcare setting for you. The BLS reports that in , 60 percent of registered nurses worked in hospitals.

Hospital nurses typically start their day with a report from the departing shift to get up-to-speed with any updates, from admissions and discharges to patients whose conditions may have improved or worsened. Next comes the count of medications, and then patient assessments, which generally includes vitals and a medical evaluation.

So any time during these normal rounds you could be interrupted to handle emergencies, such as a patient coding or in arrest, a new admission or another urgent event. And considering hospitals operate around the clock, these nurses may be expected to work long shifts , including overnight or on weekends and holidays.

This may include getting exam tables ready, checking otoscope and ophthalmoscope lights, turning on computers and getting charts prepared for the day. A slow day may have a nurse seeing 15 patients, while a busy day might include 30 or more. After a patient is checked in, the nurse is notified and typically begins the exam by checking height, weight and other vitals. After patients meet with the physician, clinic nurses handle follow-up tests or procedures such as vaccinations, X-rays and scheduling meetings with specialists.