The healthcare field is booming, with millions of new jobs expected to be added in the next few years. Naturally, the field of nursing also is seeing unprecedented demand for more workers. How much demand exactly? Consider the following:
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates that there will be 19% growth for all healthcare workers from 2014-2024.
- This means that a stunning 3 million healthcare jobs will be added by 2024.
- In nursing, there will be 16% job growth for RNs by 2024, and a stunning 31% growth increase for nurse practitioners.
Clearly, the demand is there for many new nurses, so there has never been a better time to consider a nursing career. But what are the different types of nurses? The great news is that there are many types of nurses, and various levels of nurses that require different degrees.
So, you can earn one degree, gain experience in nursing, and then continue your education later to make more money and enjoy higher level responsibilities. You also may be able to get credit in your bachelor’s in nursing BSN, master’s in nursing MSN or even doctoral level DNP coursework for classes that you took earlier in your career.
Let’s take a close look at the different types of nurses that are out there, and their responsibilities:
Licensed Practical (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
This is the entry level nursing position that you can find with only a year or so in a nursing certification program that results in a certificate or diploma in nursing.
LPNs provide very basic medical care for patients and always work under the direct supervision of RNs and doctors. They are responsible for the basic medical needs of patients, including monitoring vital signs, changing bandages, and reporting their condition to nurses and doctors.
Depending upon the state you work in, you may be able to provide limited medications to patients, and start IV drips, but in other states this may not be allowed.
To become an LPN or LVN, you need to complete a program that is usually offered at a community college or vocational school, but a few may be found at hospitals too. Classes will be taught in nursing, biology, pharmacology and basic anatomy.
After you take your state approved program, you then must sit for your NCLEX-PN examination so that you can get your license, which is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
Some nurses are LPNs for a few years and after they gain experience in their hospital, they then earn their bachelor’s degree to become an RN.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities for Practical Nurses are:
Knowledge:
- Medicine and Dentistry – Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Skills:
- Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Abilities:
- Oral Comprehension – The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Registered Nurse (RN)
RNs are a vital part of the healthcare system, and provide and coordinate most care of patients today. They also educate their patients and their families about many health problems and diseases. Providing advice and emotional support to patients and family is also an important part of their job.
RNs are an essential part of most hospitals because they work regularly with their patients and have a deep understanding of their health issues. Doctors rely on good RNs to provide them with insights into what is really going on with a particular patient. Most doctors on rounds only see the patient once a day, whereas the RN interacts with the patient over a 12 hour shift.
To become an Registered Nurse RN, you have to earn your bachelor’s degree in nursing or an associate’s degree in nursing. While there are still jobs with associate’s degrees available, more hospitals want all of their RNs to have a bachelor’s degree today; it has been shown that nurses with a BSN provide a higher level of care.
Most RN degree programs are designed for people who already have nursing experience. However, there are ‘direct entry’ BSN programs available for professionals with a bachelor’s degree in another field without nursing experience. You will need to complete your prerequisite courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology first, but you can enter nursing with your BSN.
Once you finish your BSN degree, you must sit for your NCLEX-RN examination so that you can practice as an RN.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities for Registered Nurses are:
Knowledge:
- Medicine and Dentistry – Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Skills:
- Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Abilities:
- Oral Comprehension – The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife, Nurse Anesthetist, Clinical Nurse Specialist
For many nurses, their long term goal is to become an advanced practice nurse (ADN) because they provide primary and speciality health care in the modern health care system. Many of their duties are the same as doctors and other highly paid health care specialists.
As noted earlier, job demand for these professions is very high and will only go higher in the coming years. Also, most ADNs earn well over $90,000 per year, with some nurse anesthetists earning over $150,000 per year. Each speciality has national licensing requirements after graduation that is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Licensing:
- Nurse practitioners are referred to as NPs and are primary and specialty care providers that provide advanced nursing service to patients. NPs do many of the same jobs as doctors. They assess patients, determine the best way to improve health, and also discuss ways to integrate healthier lifestyles into daily life. Many NPs end up specializing in a certain population, such as adult and geriatrics; pediatrics, neonates and mental health. After graduation, NPs can be certified in these specialties by the Association of Colleges of Nurses.
- Nurse midwives provide special care to women such as gynecological exams, birth control and family planning and pre and post natal care. Most people think that nurse midwives only deliver babies; in reality, that is an important but small part of all of the health care that they provide to their patients. Their general role is to be a primary care provider to women and their babies. They also play a very important role in educating patients to live a healthier life and to eat well during and after pregnancy. The American Midwife Certification Board certifies these nurses after they graduate from their program.
- A nurse anesthetist or CRNA is a step below an anesthesiologist but provides much of the same services as a full MD in the field: He or she provides anesthesia services and related services before and after many medical and surgical procedures. They also help patients to manage their pain and they also provide emergency services in some ERs and trauma centers. Each CRNA must work very closely with the patient to be sure that the anesthetic can be administered safely. Each CRNA must be certified by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists.
- Clinical nurse specialists or CNS is a very specialized registered nurse that is qualified to diagnose and treatment patients, but they also serve as very important leaders and consultants in hospitals. A CNS may be in charge of an entire department of nurses which affects how healthcare is delivered in the entire facility. CNSs are very important in reducing the number of medical problems, mistakes and increasing efficiency and patient satisfaction. Each CNS is certified after graduation by the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists.
To become an advanced practice nurse, you must earn your Master of Science in Nursing in one of the above specialties. You can enter advanced practice nursing without a background in nursing; this is known as a direct entry MSN program, such as Northeastern University. You must first earn your BSN in the first part of the program, work for 1-2 years as a nurse, and then you complete the MSN. That entire program takes four or five years.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The most important knowledge, skills, and abilities for Advance Practice Nurses are:
Knowledge:
- Medicine and Dentistry – Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Skills:
- Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Abilities:
- Oral Comprehension – The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Summary
The great part of being in the nursing field is that there is demand for nurses of all education levels and specialties. After you gain one degree and experience as one type of nurse, you can build up that experience and move to the next level of nursing.
