Registered Nurse (rn): Fastest Growing Nursing Career Registered Nurse (rn)

RNs make up the largest portion of jobs in healthcare. About sixty percentof the over two and a half million jobs are in a hospital setting. Others workin skilled nursing facilities usually with a role of manager or supervisor, inhome health care, or doctors’ offices. There are other job opportunities forRegistered Nurses such as occupational health, addition recovery services,hospice care, and holistic medicine.

Specialization

Working in a hospital gives a RN the chance to specialize in a particular field of medicine just as adoctor would. These opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Emergency or trauma, transplantRehabilitation, radiologyPsychiatric-mentalhealthPerianesthesiaCritical careAmbulatory care

Focusing in the care of a specific disease, genetic disorder, or illness isan option for an RN:

HIV/AIDS and cancer Disabled populations, such as physical, mental, oremotionalWound nurses treat patients with openings due to traumatic injury,bedsores, diabetes, amputations, etc.

RNs also specialize in specific physiological areas and the diseases andillnesses associated with them.:

UrologyCardiovascularDermatologyGastroenterologyGynecologyNephrologyNeuroscienceOphthalmicOrthopedicOtorhinolaryngologyRespiratory

Another form of specialization a nurse might find interesting is by agepopulation:

Neonatology – newbornsPediatrics – children and adolescents. Gerontology andgeriatrics – adults and the elderly.

Settings

RNs who specialize may work in hospitals, rehabs, and/or doctors offices.Some registered nurses who chose not to work in typical healthcare settingswork in places such as correctional facilities, camps, military, resorts,ships, and schools.

Education

RNs have three different paths to acquire licensure:

BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) offered by four-year collegesADN(Associate Degree in Nursing)Diploma from an approved nursing program

Most nurses obtain their RN from either the Associate or Bachelor Degreeprograms. The ADN takes two to three years to complete. A BSN usually takesfour to five years to complete. There are accelerated programs (12 – 18months) for those who have a bachelor’s degree in another field.

After completing the education and clinical training requirements, studentsmust pass a national licensing examination known as the NCLEX-RN. Additionaltraining is often needed if a specialized nursing career is to be pursued.

Registered – RN Nurse Salaries

Salary for RNs usually ranges from $50,000 to $70,000 depending onexperience, work environment, and specializations. Nurses who acquire amanagerial position may have the opportunity earn a higher salary similar tothe salary of nurses with years of experience.

Job Outlook

Job outlook for RNs is excellent overall. Location and environmentdetermines the amount of employment opportunities a nurse may have. The U.S.Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics has determined thatemployment opportunities for RNs are anticipated to be the fastest growingoccupation in the next ten years, including more than a half million jobs.These statistics do not account for the hundreds of thousands of jobs that willbecome available by those nurses retiring from their careers.