 |
|
|
|
There are various types of nurses, including licensed practical nurses (LPNs), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), and registered nurses (RNs). Licensed practical nurses and vocational nurses have duties and responsibilities that differ from registered nurses. Licenses practical nurses typically work under the supervision of doctors while registered nurses care for patients in a variety of different ways.
Nurses provide standard bedside care and also monitor and record patients' vital statistics, including their pulse, respiration and temperature. They may give basic injections, clean and dress wounds, and assist patients with bathing, dressing and mobility. They might also collect samples for lab work, perform routine laboratory testing and help keep medical equipment in operating rooms and other facilities clean and ready for use.
Nurses find work throughout a hospital setting, but some work in nursing homes, private practices or in home health care. In some states, nurses are licensed to administer prescription drugs and intravenous fluids.
Nursing Education Requirements: Degrees and Licensure
State-approved nursing certificate programs typically last two years at local community, vocational or technical colleges or through online nursing certificate programs. In addition to a high school diploma, or equivalent, some community colleges and vocational schools also require nursing program students to submit to a background check, as well as earn a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certificate.
Much of the classroom work for associate degree programs focuses on an introduction to the skills one needs to become an LPN or LVN, such as:
Additional coursework includes several semesters of English composition and communications, since nurses need to be good communicators, both with their patients and with supervising registered nurses and physicians. The first few semesters are typically spent at introductory classes in these subjects, while subsequent semesters focus on advanced-level coursework. Other education requirements for nursing students are basic patient care, first aid, pharmacology and nutrition.
In order to become an LPN or LVN, you'll also need to pass the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-PN. This exam covers four major categories: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity and physiological integrity.
Registered nurses, on the other hand, follow a more intensive educational path that typically lasts four years for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing (BSN), or five to six years for students who pursue a master's degree in nursing (MSN). Upon graduation, nurses are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam, which is required by all states for professional employment as a registered nurse.
Additional coursework for RNs includes many of the following:
All nursing programs also include hands-on clinical work, most often in a hospital setting.
Careers and Advancement for Nurses
Many licensed practical nurses choose to further their education by earning bachelor's or master's degrees in nursing and becoming registered nurses, which can open up dozens of different avenues of employment that include much higher levels of responsibility, patient care and pay. There are many LPN-to-RN educational programs tailored to include an LPN's previous training and education. Some nurses also choose to become certified in nursing specialties such as long-term care, gerontology or pharmacology.
Registered nurses who earn master's degrees and receive additional career training often move into the field of gerontology, pediatrics, maternity care or any number of nursing specialties.
Nurses can find educational resources and advanced career training at some of the following professional organizations:
There were more than 2.5 million registered nurses employed in the U.S. in 2009, and employment is projected to grow by 22 percent, or 581,500 jobs, from 2008 through 2018, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Median salaries approached $64,000 annually, while the top 10 percent earned more than $93,000 per year. The majority of registered nurses were employed at hospitals, with the second and third largest groups working in physicians' offices and home health care services.
Resources for Nurses:
These schools offer particularly quick info upon request, and we have written detailed profiles for each (click school names to see the profiles).
Request info from multiple schools, by clicking the Get Info links.
Copyright © QuinStreet, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
