Registered Nurse

A registered nurses also known as RN is responsible for treating patients.  A RN records a patients’ medical history and symptoms, performs diagnostic tests and analyzes results, operates medical machinery, administers treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation. 

RNs also teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, explaining post-treatment home care needs; diet, nutrition, and exercise programs; and self-administration of medication and physical therapy. They may also run general health screening or immunization clinics, blood drives, and public seminars on various conditions.

Some Interesting Facts about Registered Nursing

• There are 2.5 million Registered Nurses employed nationwide.
• Of the 2.5 million Registered Nurses, 1.6 million are employed in hospitals.

Job Prospects for Registered Nurses

With a huge number of baby boomers retiring and new immigrants coming to USA every year,  it is expected that there will be more than half a million new RN Jobs in the United States only by 2016.  Which is roughly 50,000 a year new RN jobs.  However, the nursing schools in USA are not producing 50,000 new registered nurses every year.  Therefore, anyone who goes to school to become a RN is likely to have a well paid job in an area and hospital of their choice.

Education Requirements for RNs 

There are three ways an individual can become a registered nurse:

• Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN),
• Diploma in Nursing. Some students may go for a Masters Degree in Nursing (MSN) as well.  Students with a MSN or BSN start at a higher level.  Students with lower level of degrees will need additional experience at a hospital to get the RN designation.  All nursing programs include classroom instruction and clinical experience in hospitals. Students are required to take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other behavioral sciences, and nursing.

Licensing & Certification Requirements

A very common questions asked by most of the students interested in becoming is How to become a licensed RN? The answer is very simple to this question.  In order to get licensed, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN.  Certification is common, and sometimes required, for the four advanced practice nursing specialties—clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners. Upon completion of their educational programs, most advanced practice nurses become nationally certified in their area of specialty. Certification also is available in specialty areas for all nurses. In some States, certification in a specialty is required in order to practice that specialty.

Can Nurses Licensed in One State Can Practice in Another

This depends on the state in which you live.  If your state is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement, then if you are licensed and permanently reside in one of the member States, you are allowed to practice in the other member States without obtaining additional licensure.

Requirements for Foreign Educated Nurses

Foreign-educated nurses wishing to work in the United States must obtain a work visa. To obtain the visa, nurses must undergo a federal screening program to ensure that their education and licensure are comparable to that of a U.S. educated nurse, that they have proficiency in written and spoken English, and that they have passed either the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS) Qualifying Examination or the NCLEX-RN. CGFNS administers the VisaScreen Program. Nurses educated in Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, or foreign-born nurses who were educated in the United States, are exempt from the language proficiency testing. In addition to these national requirements, foreign-born nurses must obtain state license in order to practice in the United States.

How much money Nurses Make

Good and well experienced nurses can make more than $83,000 a year.  Beginner nurses start around $40,000 a year.    Nurses in Hostpitals make more money than physicians offices.  Traveling nurses can make a lot more money because of the nature of their work.  Most of the nurses get flexible work schedules, child care, educational benefits, and bonuses.

Career Advancement for Nurses

A lot of RNs start their careers as licensed practical nurses or nursing aides, and then go back to school to receive their RN degree. Most RNs begin as staff nurses and with experience are promoted to more responsible positions. They can becomeassistant unit manger or head nurse, assistant director, director, vice president, or chief nurse. They can also move into the business side of health care. Employers—including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and managed care organizations, among others hire RNs for health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development, and quality assurance. Nurses with a PhD can work as college and university faculty or conduct research.