NursingLink

Job Profile: Registered Nurse

Monster.com — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:47:00 -0800

Adapted from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2006-07 Edition

Significant Points

Nature of the Work

Working Conditions

Employment

Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement

Job Outlook

Earnings

Related Occupations

Significant Points

• Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation, with 2.4 million jobs.

• About three out of five jobs are in hospitals.

• The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree and a diploma from an approved nursing program.

• Registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations; job opportunities in most specialties and employment settings are expected to be excellent, with some employers reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining enough RNs.

Nature of the Work

Registered nurses (RNs), regardless of specialty or work setting, perform basic duties that include treating patients, educating patients and the public about various medical conditions, and providing advice and emotional support to patients’ family members. RNs record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help to perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.

RNs teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, including post-treatment home care needs, diet and exercise programs, and self-administration of medication and physical therapy. Some RNs also are trained to provide grief counseling to family members of critically ill patients. RNs work to promote general health by educating the public on various warning signs and symptoms of disease and where to go for help. RNs also might run general health screening or immunization clinics, blood drives, and public seminars on various conditions.

RNs can specialize in one or more patient care specialties. The most common specialties can be divided into roughly four categories - by work setting or type of treatment; disease, ailment or condition; organ or body system type; or population. RNs may combine specialties from more than one area - for example, pediatric oncology or cardiac emergency - depending on personal interest and employer needs.

Next: Nature of the Work Continued >>

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RN Specialties by Work Setting or Type of Treatment

RNs may specialize by work setting or by type of care provided.

• For example, ambulatory care nurses treat patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries on an outpatient basis, either in physicians’ offices or in clinics. Some ambulatory care nurses are involved in telehealth, providing care and advice through electronic communications media such as videoconferencing or the Internet.

• Critical care nurses work in critical- or intensive-care hospital units and provide care to patients with cardiovascular, respiratory or pulmonary failure.

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• Emergency, or trauma, nurses work in hospital emergency departments and treat patients with life-threatening conditions caused by accidents, heart attacks and strokes. Some emergency nurses are flight nurses, who provide medical care to patients who must be flown by helicopter to the nearest medical facility.

• Holistic nurses provide care such as acupuncture, massage and aroma therapy, and biofeedback, which are meant to treat patients’ mental and spiritual health in addition to their physical health.

• Home health care nurses provide at-home care for patients who are recovering from surgery, accidents and childbirth.

• Hospice and palliative care nurses provide care for, and help ease the pain of, terminally ill patients outside of hospitals.

• Infusion nurses administer medications, fluids and blood to patients through injections into patients’ veins.

• Long- term care nurses provide medical services on a recurring basis to patients with chronic physical or mental disorders.

• Medical-surgical nurses provide basic medical care to a variety of patients in all health settings.

• Occupational health nurses provide treatment for job-related injuries and illnesses and help employers to detect workplace hazards and implement health and safety standards.

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• Perianesthesia nurses provide preoperative and postoperative care to patients undergoing anesthesia during surgery.

• Perioperative nurses assist surgeons by selecting and handling instruments, controlling bleeding and suturing incisions. Some of these nurses also can specialize in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

• Psychiatric nurses treat patients with personality and mood disorders.

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• Radiologic nurses provide care to patients undergoing diagnostic radiation procedures such as ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging.

• Rehabilitation nurses care for patients with temporary and permanent disabilities.

• Transplant nurses care for both transplant recipients and living donors and monitor signs of organ rejection.

RN Specialties by Disease, Ailment or Condition

RNs specializing in a particular disease, ailment or condition are employed in virtually all work settings, including physicians’ offices, outpatient treatment facilities, home healthcare agencies and hospitals.

• For instance, addictions nurses treat patients seeking help with alcohol, drug and tobacco addictions.

• Developmental disabilities nurses provide care for patients with physical, mental or behavioral disabilities; care may include help with feeding, controlling bodily functions, and sitting or standing independently.

• Diabetes management nurses help diabetics to manage their disease by teaching them proper nutrition and showing them how to test blood sugar levels and administer insulin injections.

• Genetics nurses provide early detection screenings and treatment of patients with genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis and Huntington’s disease.

• HIV/AIDS nurses care for patients diagnosed with HIV and AIDS.

• Oncology nurses care for patients with various types of cancer and may administer radiation and chemotherapies.

• Finally, wound, ostomy and continence nurses treat patients with wounds caused by traumatic injury, ulcers or arterial disease; provide postoperative care for patients with openings that allow for alternative methods of bodily waste elimination; and treat patients with urinary and fecal incontinence.

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RN Specialties by Organ or Body System type

RNs specializing in treatment of a particular organ or body system usually are employed in specialty physicians’ offices or outpatient care facilities, although some are employed in hospital specialty or critical-care units.

• For example, cardiac and vascular nurses treat patients with coronary heart disease and those who have had heart surgery, providing services such as postoperative rehabilitation.

• Dermatology nurses treat patients with disorders of the skin, such as skin cancer and psoriasis.

• Gastroenterology nurses treat patients with digestive and intestinal disorders, including ulcers, acid reflux disease and abdominal bleeding. Some nurses in this field also specialize in endoscopic procedures, which look inside the gastrointestinal tract using a tube equipped with a light and a camera that can capture images of diseased tissue.

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• Gynecology nurses provide care to women with disorders of the reproductive system, including endometriosis, cancer and sexually transmitted diseases.

• Nephrology nurses care for patients with kidney disease caused by diabetes, hypertension or substance abuse.

• Neuroscience nurses care for patients with dysfunctions of the nervous system, including brain and spinal cord injuries and seizures.

• Ophthalmic nurses provide care to patients with disorders of the eyes, including blindness and glaucoma, and to patients undergoing eye surgery.

• Orthopedic nurses care for patients with muscular and skeletal problems, including arthritis, bone fractures and muscular dystrophy.

• Otorhinolaryngology nurses care for patients with ear, nose and throat disorders, such as cleft palates, allergies and sinus disorders.

• Respiratory nurses provide care to patients with respiratory disorders such as asthma, tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis.

• Urology nurses care for patients with disorders of the kidneys, urinary tract and male reproductive organs, including infections, kidney and bladder stones, and cancers.

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RN Specialties by Population

Finally, RNs may specialize by providing preventive and acute care in all health care settings to various segments of the population, including newborns (neonatology), children and adolescents (pediatrics), adults and the elderly (gerontology or geriatrics).

RNs also may provide basic healthcare to patients outside of healthcare settings in such venues as including correctional facilities, schools, summer camps and the military. Some RNs travel around the United States and abroad providing care to patients in areas with shortages of medical professionals.

Most RNs work as staff nurses, providing critical healthcare services along with physicians, surgeons and other healthcare practitioners. However, some RNs choose to become advanced practice nurses, who often are considered primary healthcare practitioners and work independently or in collaboration with physicians.

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• For example, clinical nurse specialists provide direct patient care and expert consultations in one of many of the nursing specialties listed above.

• Nurse anesthetists administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs during surgery and provide post-anesthesia care.

• Nurse-midwives provide primary care to women, including gynecological exams, family planning advice, prenatal care, assistance in labor and delivery, and neonatal care.

• Nurse practitioners provide basic preventive healthcare to patients, and increasingly serve as primary and specialty care providers in mainly medically underserved areas. The most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care and gerontology; however, there are many other specialties. In most states, advanced practice nurses can prescribe medications.

Patient Contact

Some nurses have jobs that require little or no direct patient contact. Most of these positions still require an active RN license.

• Case managers ensure that all of the medical needs of patients with severe injuries and illnesses are met, including the type, location and duration of treatment.

• Forensics nurses combine nursing with law enforcement by treating and investigating victims of sexual assault, child abuse or accidental death.

• Infection control nurses identify, track and control infectious outbreaks in healthcare facilities; develop methods of outbreak prevention and biological terrorism responses; and staff immunization clinics.

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• Legal nurse consultants assist lawyers in medical cases by interviewing patients and witnesses, organizing medical records, determining damages and costs, locating evidence, and educating lawyers about medical issues.

• Nurse administrators supervise nursing staff, establish work schedules and budgets, and maintain medical supply inventories.

• Nurse educators teach student nurses and also provide continuing education for RNs.

• Nurse informaticists collect, store and analyze nursing data in order to improve efficiency, reduce risk and improve patient care.

RNs also may work as healthcare consultants, public policy advisors, pharmaceutical and medical supply researchers and salespersons, and medical writers and editors.

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Working Conditions

Most RNs work in well-lighted, comfortable healthcare facilities. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients’ homes, schools, community centers and other sites. RNs may spend considerable time walking and standing. Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require 24-hour care; consequently, nurses in these institutions may work nights, weekends and holidays. RNs also may be on call - available to work on short notice. Nurses who work in office settings are more likely to work regular business hours. About 23 percent of RNs worked part-time in 2004, and 7 percent held more than one job.

Nursing has its hazards, especially in hospitals, nursing care facilities and clinics, where nurses may care for individuals with infectious diseases. RNs must observe rigid, standardized guidelines to guard against disease and other dangers, such as those posed by radiation, accidental needle sticks, chemicals used to sterilize instruments and anesthetics. In addition, they are vulnerable to back injury when moving patients, shocks from electrical equipment and hazards posed by compressed gases. RNs who work with critically ill patients also may suffer emotional strain from observing patient suffering and from close personal contact with patients’ families.

Employment

As the largest healthcare occupation, registered nurses held about 2.4 million jobs in 2004. About three out of five jobs were in hospitals, in inpatient and outpatient departments. Others worked in offices of physicians, nursing care facilities, home healthcare services, employment services, government agencies and outpatient care centers. The remainder worked mostly in social assistance agencies and educational services, public and private. About one in four RNs worked part- time.

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Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement

In all states and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Nurses may be licensed in more than one state, either by examination or by the endorsement of a license issued by another state. Currently 18 states participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement, which allows nurses to practice in member states without recertifying. All states require periodic renewal of licenses, which may involve continuing education.

There are three major educational paths to registered nursing: A bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (BSN), an associate degree in nursing (ADN) and a diploma. BSN programs, offered by colleges and universities, take about four years to complete. In 2004, 674 nursing programs offered degrees at the bachelor’s level. ADN programs, offered by community and junior colleges, take about two to three years to complete. About 846 RN programs in 2004 granted associate degrees. Diploma programs, administered in hospitals, last about three years. Only 69 programs offered diplomas in 2004. Generally, licensed graduates of any of the three types of educational programs qualify for entry-level positions as staff nurses.

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Many RNs with an ADN or diploma later enter bachelor’s programs to prepare for a broader scope of nursing practice. Often, they can find a staff nurse position and then take advantage of tuition reimbursement benefits to work toward a BSN by completing an RN-to-BSN program. In 2004, there were 600 RN-to-BSN programs in the United States. Accelerated master’s degree programs in nursing also are available. These programs combine one year of an accelerated BSN program with 2 years of graduate study. In 2004, there were 137 RN-to-MSN programs.

Accelerated BSN programs also are available for individuals who have a bachelor’s or higher degree in another field and who are interested in moving into nursing. In 2004, more than 165 of these programs were available. Accelerated BSN programs last 12 to 18 months and provide the fastest route to a BSN for individuals who already hold a degree.

Individuals considering nursing should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of enrolling in a BSN program, because, if they do, their advancement opportunities usually are broader. In fact, some career paths are open only to nurses with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

A bachelor’s degree often is necessary for administrative positions and is a prerequisite for admission to graduate nursing programs in research, consulting and teaching, and all four advanced practice nursing specialties - clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners. Individuals who complete a bachelor’s receive more training in areas such as communication, leadership and critical thinking, all of which are becoming more important as nursing care becomes more complex.

Additionally, bachelor’s degree programs offer more clinical experience in nonhospital settings. In 2004, 417 nursing schools offered master’s degrees, 93 offered doctoral degrees and 46 offered accelerated BSN-to-doctoral programs.

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All four advanced practice nursing specialties require at least a master’s degree. Most programs last about two years and require a BSN degree and some programs require at least one to two years of clinical experience as an RN for admission. In 2004, there were 329 master’s and post-master’s programs offered for nurse practitioners, 218 master’s and post-master’s programs for clinical nurse specialists, 92 programs for nurse anesthetists and 45 programs for nurse midwives. Upon completion of a program, most advanced practice nurses become nationally certified in their area of specialty. In some states, certification in a specialty is required in order to practice that specialty.

All nursing education programs include classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other behavioral sciences, and nursing. Coursework also includes the liberal arts for ADN and BSN students.

Supervised clinical experience is provided in hospital departments such as pediatrics, psychiatry, maternity and surgery. A growing number of programs include clinical experience in nursing care facilities, public health departments, home health agencies and ambulatory clinics.

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Nurses should be caring, sympathetic, responsible and detail-oriented. They must be able to direct or supervise others, correctly assess patients’ conditions and determine when consultation is required. They need emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies and other stresses.

Some 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 and good performance often are promoted to more responsible positions. In management, nurses can advance to assistant head nurse or head nurse and, from there, to assistant director, director and vice president. Increasingly, management-level nursing positions require a graduate or an advanced degree in nursing or health services administration. They also require leadership, negotiation skills and good judgment.

Some nurses move into the business side of health care. Their nursing expertise and experience on a healthcare team equip them to manage ambulatory, acute, home-based and chronic care. Employers - including hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and managed care organizations, among others - need RNs for health planning and development, marketing, consulting, policy development and quality assurance. Other nurses work as college and university faculty or conduct research.

Foreign-educated nurses wishing to work in the United States must obtain a work visa. Applicants are required to undergo a review of their education and licensing credentials and pass a nursing certification and English proficiency exam, both conducted by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. (The commission is an immigration-neutral, nonprofit organization that is recognized internationally as an authority on credentials evaluation in the healthcare field.) Applicants from Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom are exempt from the language proficiency exam. In addition to these national requirements, most states have their own requirements.

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Job Outlook

Job opportunities for RNs in all specialties are expected to be excellent. Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014, and, because the occupation is very large, many new jobs will result. In fact, registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations. Thousands of job openings also will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, especially as the median age of the registered nurse population continues to rise.

Much faster-than-average growth will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit a greater number of medical problems to be treated, and by an increasing emphasis on preventive care. In addition, the number of older people, who are much more likely than younger people to need nursing care, is projected to grow rapidly.

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Employers in some parts of the country and in certain employment settings are reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining an adequate number of RNs, primarily because of an aging RN workforce and a lack of younger workers to fill positions. Enrollments in nursing programs at all levels have increased more rapidly in the past couple of years as students seek jobs with stable employment. However, many qualified applicants are being turned away because of a shortage of nursing faculty to teach classes. The need for nursing faculty will only increase as a large number of instructors nears retirement. Many employers also are relying on foreign-educated nurses to fill open positions.

Even though employment opportunities for all nursing specialties are expected to be excellent, they can vary by employment setting. For example, employment is expected to grow more slowly in hospitals - which comprise healthcare’s largest industry - than in most other healthcare industries. While the intensity of nursing care is likely to increase, requiring more nurses per patient, the number of inpatients (those who remain in the hospital for more than 24 hours) is not likely to grow by much. Patients are being discharged earlier, and more procedures are being done on an outpatient basis, both inside and outside hospitals. Rapid growth is expected in hospital outpatient facilities, such as those providing same-day surgery, rehabilitation and chemotherapy.

Despite the slower employment growth in hospitals, job opportunities should still be excellent because of the relatively high turnover of hospital nurses. RNs working in hospitals frequently work overtime and night and weekend shifts and also treat seriously ill and injured patients, all of which can contribute to stress and burnout. Hospital departments in which these working conditions occur most frequently - critical-care units, emergency departments and operating rooms - generally will have more job openings than other departments.

To attract and retain qualified nurses, hospitals may offer signing bonuses, family-friendly work schedules or subsidized training. A growing number of hospitals also are experimenting with online bidding to fill open shifts, in which nurses can volunteer to fill open shifts at premium wages. This can decrease the amount of mandatory overtime that nurses are required to work.

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More and more sophisticated procedures, once performed only in hospitals, are being performed in physicians’ offices and in outpatient care centers, such as freestanding ambulatory surgical and emergency centers. Accordingly, employment is expected to grow much faster than average in these places as healthcare in general expands. However, RNs may face greater competition for these positions because they generally offer regular working hours and more comfortable working environments.

Employment in nursing care facilities is expected to grow faster than average because of increases in the number of elderly, many of whom require long-term care. In addition, the financial pressure on hospitals to discharge patients as soon as possible should produce more admissions to nursing care facilities. Job growth also is expected in units that provide specialized long-term rehabilitation for stroke and head injury patients, as well as units that treat Alzheimer’s victims.

Employment in home healthcare is expected to increase rapidly in response to the growing number of older persons with functional disabilities, consumer preference for care in the home and technological advances that make it possible to bring increasingly complex treatments into the home. The type of care demanded will require nurses who are able to perform complex procedures.

Generally, RNs with at least a bachelor’s degree will have better job prospects than those without a bachelor’s. In addition, all four advanced practice specialties - clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, midwives and anesthetists - will be in high demand, particularly in medically underserved areas such as inner cities and rural areas. Relative to physicians, these RNs increasingly serve as lower-cost primary care providers.

Earnings

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Median annual earnings of registered nurses were $52,330 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $43,370 and $63,360. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,760. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of registered nurses in May 2004 were as follows:

• Employment services: $63,170

• General medical and surgical hospitals: $53,450

• Home health care services: $48,990

• Offices of physicians: $48,250

• Nursing care facilities: $48,220

Many employers offer flexible work schedules, child care, educational benefits and bonuses.

Related Occupations

Workers in other healthcare occupations with responsibilities and duties related to those of registered nurses are occupational therapists, physical therapists, physician assistants, respiratory therapists and social workers.

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Find Your Path to the RN Title

Nursinglink — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:48:00 -0800

In all States and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN. But there are many ways to get there!

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You can obtain one (or more!) of several degrees in order to become a nurse.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN): This degree is typically gained through a year of training at a hospital, graduation from vocational-technical school, or through community college.

Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN): is acquired through graduation from community college and usually takes two years. It prepares an RN for a very defined set of clinical practices, and coursework includes technical practice and nursing theory. Many nurses with an ADN will return to school for a BSN or higher degree.

Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN): A Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN) requires graduation from a traditional 4-year college or university, and provides the full preparation for the entire scope of RN responsibilities. The preparation from a BSN includes nursing theory and broad clinical practice, as well as study of human development, psychology, chemistry, biology, and nutritional sciences. BSN holders are qualified to pursue masters degrees and Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) professions, including Nurse Practitioner (NP), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNW) , Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

To explore Nursinglink's Lists of Accredited ADN and BSN programs, click here.

Related Read: ADN vs. BSN: Which to Choose?

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How to Be a Registered Nurse

NursingUniforms.net — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 11:55:00 -0800

A Registered Nurse (RN) is a nurse who completes a course of study and passes the examinations to obtain a license and register as a nurse. You’ll find many RNs in hospitals throughout the world, and the need for RNs still continues. Read on to know more about registered nursing, and how to become a registered nurse.

What Does An RN Do?

RNs provide the greatest level of care for patients, which include care for specific diseases and conditions. RNs are also qualified to advice and coordinate health services for patients with doctors, nurses and hospital staff. In many hospitals, registered nurses are placed in charge of interns, technicians and medical volunteers. RNs are also responsible for a patient’s case management, which means that the RN has to discuss and coordinate the case with physicians, therapists or specialists. RNs provide treatment, educate patients on treatment, educate other nurses on how to treat patients, administer medications, screen patients for health, perform diagnostic tests, and help with treatment planning, complete medical charts, assist with surgeries and also provide emergency care.

Where Can You Find RNs?

Registered nurses are an important aspect of any healthcare team. RNs can find employment in a number of health care facilities. A few of these are hospitals, outpatient clinics, private nursing facilities, nursing care facilities, residential care facilities, women care centers, surgeries, community clinics and schools. An RN can choose to specialize in specific healthcare areas. Some RNs become Emergency Room Nurses, and these nurses have to be on call at any hour to handle emergencies. Some RNs choose to work with particular groups such as children with cancer, women clinics and so on. In each of these areas, the RNs are required to specialize by obtaining training specific to the areas of work.

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Becoming A Registered Nurse

You can use one of three educational routes to become an RN:

• Complete a nursing diploma via a vocational nursing program

• Do an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) either online or via a community college

• Complete a Bachelor Degree in Nursing (BSN) from a college or university

Most RNs complete an ADN or BSN; however, if you graduate from any one of the three nursing program types listed above, you can sit for the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). This is the national licensing exam for registered nurses in the United States, recognized by all state nursing boards.

Next: RN Career Prospects >>

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Alternatively, you can start by qualifying as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). To obtain either of these degrees, you have to complete a 1-year practical nursing program and pass the Practical Nurse exam from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. You can then begin working as a nurse, while continuing with your education to eventually become a registered nurse.

RN Career Prospects

The nursing career is experiencing a strong growth phase, which is especially true for registered nurses. Currently, there are 2.5 million registered nurses in the United States. This apart, by 2016, employment opportunities for nurses are expected to go up by 23%. In the coming years, we expect the demand for nurses to raise in elderly care facilities, home health care and outpatient treatment clinics other than the growth projected for nurses in hospital settings. If you are a registered nurse with a bachelor degree, your employment prospects will be better in the coming years than if you have an associate degree or a nursing diploma.

RN Earnings

A number of factors influence the salaries paid to nurses. These include which State you’re employed in, your level of education and experience, and your place of work such as a hospital, a private clinic, home care and so on. In the United States, the median base salary range for staff RNs is $59,000 to $66,100. An Emergency Nurse is paid a little more, in the range of $65,800 and $79,800.

It is relatively easy to take up registered nursing as a career path. All you need is the right degree, the aptitude and the right attitude for nursing. Working with patients requires that your compassion and sympathy levels are high. If you fit these criteria, you can train to be a registered nurse. If you enjoy playing a major role in ensuring better health and wellness for people, you are bound to find the nursing career to be very rewarding in all respects.

A registered nurse will always be in demand. RNs are skilled healthcare providers who play a key role in helping to control healthcare costs, and ensure quality care to patients. Registered nursing jobs are part of a noble career, and jobs will continue to rise in this healthcare career sector. There’s enormous job security, good pay, and great emotional satisfaction to be had from a nursing job.

Next: 6 Ways Nurses Can Solve Patient Care Problems >>

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CRNA Careers

Megan Malugani | Monster.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:49:00 -0800

The poor morale that plagues many overworked and underappreciated RNs isn't an issue for the 30,000 nurses who practice one of the profession's most desirable specialties: Nurse anesthesia. Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) - nurses with master's degrees who administer approximately 65 percent of all anesthetics given to patients each year nationwide, according to American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) data - are highly skilled, highly autonomous, well-paid and in demand.

"It takes a lot of time, energy and effort to become trained in this profession, but it is well worth the commitment," says Indianapolis-based CRNA Jackie Rowles. "The opportunities are endless, and the satisfaction is very high. People in this profession really love their jobs."

Nurse anesthetists practice in every setting in which anesthesia is administered, including operating rooms, obstetrical delivery rooms, outpatient surgery centers, and in the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons and other physicians. While nurse anesthetists can administer anesthesia without physician supervision in many states, there is still some public misunderstanding about CRNAs' scope of practice, Rowles says. "Some people think we just assist the physician," she explains. "They don't realize we do the exact same thing as an anesthesiologist."

Job Flexibility Is Just One Reward

Rowles finds the job's biggest rewards are the bonds she forms with patients and the ability to quickly relieve their pain. "This is one profession where you can actually work with one patient at a time and give them undivided attention," she says. "It's a time when patients are scared or nervous or hurting after an accident, and you can help them and make them feel better almost immediately."

Another advantage of the job is flexibility. Rowles's day job is providing pain-management services at an office shared by a group of 18 neurosurgeons, but she also takes OB anesthesia calls at a local hospital. "The beauty of our profession is that there are so many options and schedules available," she says. "Most nurse anesthetists I know are working more than one place. It's not for greed, but because there is a need out there."

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Rural Areas See Big Demand

CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers in approximately two-thirds of all rural hospitals in the country. Wendell Spencer, CRNA, MHS, is a partner in a group of nurse anesthetists that contracts with 12 small hospitals in Nebraska and South Dakota. Spencer spends $600 a month on gasoline traveling between the hospitals, which are located up to 70 miles in all directions from his home. Some days he works 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. On days when he's on call and doesn't get any cases, Spencer doesn't get paid.

"It takes a uniquely dedicated professional to be out here providing services for these patients," says Spencer, who is the Region 4 director for the AANA. "I love the fact that the patients get to know me on a first-name basis. They count on me and trust me with something pretty sacred, which is the loss of control for them. They trust me to put them to sleep and wake them up."

Rigorous Education Leads to Healthy Salary

Nurses seeking to apply to one of the more than 100 US nurse-anesthesia programs must have a bachelor's degree, a nursing license and at least a year's experience in an acute-care setting. The education is rigorous and competitive, with four to six applicants for every student accepted into a program, Spencer says. The programs last 24 to 36 months and include clinical training in university-based or large community hospitals. Following graduation with a master's degree, the aspiring nurse anesthetist must pass a national certification exam.

Six-figure salaries await newly minted CRNAs. The mean salary for 2003 graduates was $120,000, according to the AANA's 2004 Practice Profile Survey. However, most new CRNAs are saddled with student loans of $50,000 to $80,000, Spencer says.

Nurse-anesthesia programs must produce 1,500 to 1,800 new graduates a year to meet the demand for CRNAs expected by 2010, the AANA says. The new blood will be critical, given that the average age of CRNAs is projected to peak at just older than 48 in 2018. "We need some young folks to pick up the slack and carry on," Spencer says.

Read the original on Monster.com.

Setting Nurse-to-Patient Ratios = More RNs

United Press International — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:24:00 -0800

Legislation in California that set nurse-to-patient ratios added more registered nurses to the hospital staffing mix, not fewer as feared, researchers say.

Lead researcher Matthew McHugh, a nursing professor at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, says California was the first state to pass legislation setting staffing levels. However, mindful of the ongoing nurse shortage California legislators determined that hospitals could employ licensed practical nurses as well as registered nurses to meet the requirements of the law, McHugh says.

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"California's state-mandated nurse staffing ratios have been shown to be successful in terms of increasing registered nurse staffing," McHugh says in a statement. "From a policy perspective, this should be useful information to the states currently debating legislation on nurse-to-patient ratios."

California experienced a more serious nurse shortage than other areas of the country but made up the gap by hiring "travel nurses" -- temporary workers who move from hospital to hospital as needed and ae not less educated LPNs, the researchers say.

The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, examined hiring practices from 1997 to 2008, pre- and post-implementation of the legislation, concluding that the increase in nurse staffing did not come at the expense of decreasing RNs.

"Our findings demonstrate that the nurse-to-patient ratio mandate in California was effective in increasing registered nurse staffing in hospitals," McHugh says.

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