Registered Nurses

Health care professions are some of the most challenging, yet rewarding occupations today. The health care team works together to bring quality medical care and treatment to patients. Registered nurses are highly respected and continue to be an essential part of the health care community, according to the Bureau and Labor Statistics, “nurses are the largest health care occupation.” Registered nurses job description focuses on patient care, some of the many responsibilities of nurses are the following: observe patients and record observations, maintain patients medical records, work with physician and medical staffing to devise a plan of treatment, administer medicine and treatments, and instruct patients and family members of such treatment

One option is from an approved nursing program, which includes some hospital nursing programs, where students are generally awarded a diploma in nursing (Bureau of Labor and Statistics). The program is usually under 2 years and graduates are eligible for employment immediately thereafter. However, applicants should be mindful of any prerequisite courses that hospitals may require before acceptance into these types of programs. Much like hospital nursing programs, community college nursing programs are typically 2 years or under in length, require completion of course prerequisites, and prepare recent graduates to enter into the workforce. However, acceptance into college nursing programs can be quite competitive, with emphasis placed on students with the highest grade point average. Graduates of community college nursing programs earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ASN). Registered nurses that wish to further their education may pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN), at a university, or subsequently, a Master of Science in Nursing Degree (MSN). Again, applicants should be reminded to apply to an approved program, taking into consideration the cost of tuition, the length of study, and the graduation rate of the school’s

The median salary for nurses with a bachelor’s degree is around 66, 000 a year, although nurses can make up to 77,000 a year, depending upon education, position, locality and state. A career in nursing offers many advantages, including: a stable income; nurses are usually full-time employees, benefits, work incentives, and tuition reimbursement (Bureau and Labor and Statistics). However, much like any career, there are disadvantages. Nurses are often required to work long hours or over-time, partly due to fluctuations in staffing, although, this may also be part of the job description, it is not uncommon for nurses to work 12-16 hour shifts. Likewise, a fluctuation in staffing may lead to a heavier than average workload, therefore increasing work related stress. Individual should also be reminded of the psychological strain from nursing. At times nurses may subjected to emotional stress, such as from the death of a