Nursing Careers - More than Just a Nurse These Days

In today’s economy, it is becoming increasingly hard to find or keep a job. A lot of businesses are closing down its doors and laying off the workforce. The situation doesn’t look good, and it can become disheartening for those who are looking for their first job or planning a major career change.

But, for those who are willing to put in additional effort into expanding their knowledge, there might be a career in nursing waiting for them. Before you dismiss my suggestion, let’s go over a few facts that might shed a new light onto nursing.

First of all, there is a lot more to nursing that you might be aware of. I was pleasantly surprised myself to find out that there are several different types of nurses, which differ from one another in many aspects, namely qualifications, responsibilities, salaries and so on. To make matters clearer, I am going list them:

• Registered Nurse

• Nurse Practitioner

• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN/LVN)

Before going any further, I have to emphasize that this is a very extensive subject, and I am going to provide a very brief overview for a few types of nurse. For more information, there are a lot of facts on the web, but you should definitely start with the Nurse Salary Guide - here, which goes into great detail about all the different types of nursing careers, the necessary qualifications and the salaries, which can vary a lot, depending on several factors, like specialization or location.

Registered Nurse

A Registered nurse RN is the closest thing to an average person’s idea of a nurse. But, in the past few decades, their role has expanded, which requires them to have more training and handle a wider spectrum of duties. Based on the level of education, there are three main types of program available to train as a RN:

• Nursing Diploma Programs – entry-level program, that lasts three years

• Associate Degree in Nursing – lasting 2-3 years, depending on your previous qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing – top-tier level that lasts up to 4 years

According to projections, there will be a rise of 19% in employment by 2022, or a total of 526,800 registered nurses, which indicates favorable climate if you decide to seek a career as a medical professional. Currently, there is total of 2.6 million registered nurses in the US, in all states, but keep in mind that their salaries may differ, with California being the best destination as far the financial aspect is concerned.

Licensed Practical Nurse

Licensed practical nurse provides support to other health care professionals, such as registered nurses and doctors, and also act as a liaison between the patients and other medical staff. This career has a lot of potential if you invest into training and education. Growth prediction for this job looks very promising, around 25% between 2012 and 2022, which means there will be an additional 182,900 licensed practical nurses in the US.

Nurse Practitioner

Bridging the gap between the doctors and the nurses are the nurse practitioners. Their responsibilities vary depending on the level of their qualifications and their specialization. Sometimes they are in charge of treating the patients, diagnosing them and even prescribing medications. Employment figures look very good for nurse practitioners, with a 31% increase projected between 2012 and 2022, which means a total of 47,600 additional nurse practitioners.

Those looking to have a career in nursing can expect a better chance for employment, with employment rates growing increasingly. The projected growth across all nursing careers ranges from 19 to 25%, putting it at the very top of all careers.

In an uncertain world a career in nursing might be one that stands out as being a safe and steady job for the future, as well as the present.