Aspects of a Nursing Career

My career goal is to become a nurse, and today I would like to share with you the basic aspects of a nursing career. Specifically, I will be talking about starting and long-range salary, job outlook, required education, job responsibilities, and possibilities for advancement.

The starting salary of a nurse depends on the level of training and type of degree or license obtained. A registered nurse (RN) with a bachelor of science in nursing degree would qualify for a higher salary range than a licensed practical nurse (LPN) with an associate’s degree. In 2010, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the 10th percentile of RN salaries, for those starting out in the industry, was $44,190 a year. The median annual salary was $64,690. A 2011 report on Drexel University’s website reported the average first-year salary for an RN with a bachelor’s degree as $49,033. According to the BLS in 2011, the lowest 10 percent of LPN salaries was $30,650 and the median annual salary was $41,150. Allied Health World states that even top-paid, highly experienced LPNs rarely earn more than $55,000 a year (Tucker).

There is a positive job outlook for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. According to the BLS, the employment of RNs is expected to grow 19 percent between 2012 and 2022, while the employment of LPNs is expected to grow 25 percent in the same time period. An aging population will likely lead to an increase in health care services, as older people tend to require more medical care than younger people. Additionally, more people will have access to healthcare services due to federal healthcare reform. More patients would mean that more nurses are needed to care for them. Job opportunities should also be plentiful due to a need to replace nurses who retire. The job outlook for registered nurses is especially good since RNs with at least a bachelor’s degree typically have better job opportunities than those without one (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Becoming a nurse requires both education and training. The education and training required for a registered nurse are greater than that required for a licensed practical nurse—RNs typically complete two to three additional years of educational training. LPN training often takes one year or less, while RNs usually get either a two-year associate’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. Both RNs and LPNs must pass an exam—the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)—to get a license to practice (Tucker). Nurses can choose to become certified through professional organizations in specific subjects, such as gerontology or IV therapy (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists these job responsibilities for registered nurses:

Record the symptoms and medical history of patients

Administer treatments and medicine

Set up patient care plans or contribute to existing plans

Observe and monitor patients, then record those observations

Cooperate with doctors and other medical professionals

Operate and monitor medical equipment

Assist in diagnostic testing and analyzing the results

Educate patients and their families on how to manage their injuries or conditions (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

The BLS lists the job responsibilities for licensed practical nurses as:

Monitor a patient’s health by doing things like checking temperature an blood pressure

Perform basic care, such as inserting catheters or changing bandages

Providing basic patient care by helping patients dress, bathe, etc.

Discuss available care and treatments and listen to patient concerns

Communicate patients’ status to nurses and doctors

Keep diligent healthcare records (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Nurses typically work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists, and RNs often oversee LPNs.

There are several ways for registered nurses to gain advancement. One way for RNs to advance in their profession is through clinical specialization. RNs usually begin their careers as generalists, working wherever they are needed. Over time, they may find a passion for a specific area of nursing. For instance, they may choose to focus on surgery and become perioperative nurses, or they could choose to work for a certain group of patients, such as seniors or pregnant women. Another way for RNs to advance is through advanced practice nursing, such as working as nurse-midwives or nurse anesthetists. In addition, there are non-clinical options in the nursing profession, including nurses trained in informatics—the healthcare use of information systems, case-management nurses, nurse researchers, and nurse educators. These paths provide higher pay and promotion opportunities for nurses (Decker).

I have spoken about the salary, job outlook, required training, job responsibilities, and possibilities for advancement in for nurses. These are key elements to look at when considering a nursing career.

Works Cited

Decker, Fred. What Are the Promotion Opportunities of Being a Registered Nurse? n.d. 21 February 2014. http://work.chron.com/promotion-opportunities-being-registered-nurse-9945.html.

Tucker, Kristine. The Salary of Newly Graduated Nurses. n.d. 21 February 2014. http://work.chron.com/salary-newly-graduated-nurses-3993.html.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Registered Nurses. 8 January 2014. 21 February 2014. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm