Qualified nurses are in high demand in the health care market. Throughout the years, the field of nursing has brought millions and millions of people above the average paying jobs. There has never a more exciting time to join the nursing profession. As a nurse it is possible to work in, among others, hospitals, clinics, nursing and residential homes, occupational health services, voluntary organizations that run hospices or residential care and the pharmaceutical industry. Nurses also work in the prison service, university education, on leisure cruise ships or for the armed forces.

Nurse Qualification

To become a Registered Nurse (RN), you must complete a formal education. It is possible to take either a diploma or degree course to qualify as a nurse. You can choose to go to traditional class-based courses or get your diploma or degree online through an online nursing program. You will learn the basic principal of nursing in the first year; you will then specialize in an emphasis field such as adult, children’s, mental health or learning disability nursing. Diploma courses will normally take 3 years to complete and a degree nursing course may need 3 to 4 years. Some nurses take their careers further by obtaining a BSN - Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, and if they want to progress even more, by obtaining a MSN - Master’s of Science in Nursing.

Receive Licensure As A Registered Nurse,

Once you graduate from nursing college or university, you are required to undergo an examination before receiving licensure as a registered nurse in the United States. The examination is called NCLEX-RN or the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. This examination has been developed to test your competence in the profession of nursing before practicing. Other than an RN, there is the LPNs or Licensed Practical Nurses who undergo the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).

Nurse Career Fields

Once you are qualified as a registered nurse, you can start your career in various nursing fields based on your specialization. There may be specific qualifications or advanced degrees required for certain nursing positions associated with different specialties. Among the common nursing fields are:

Adult Nursing

Adult nursing involves caring for adults not only in the hospital environment but also in the community setting such as attached to a health centre or in nursing homes. An inherent part of the role of an adult nurse is the promotion of health through education, the prevention of disease and the care, sustenance and rehabilitation of adults undergoing diagnostic and therapeutic regimes. Some of the most popular adult nursing specialties include 

• Ambulatory care, a field of nursing that helps treat a multitude of illnesses and injuries. They mostly work with outpatients.

• Emergency care nurses who work in the emergency room. The nurses in emergency care treat stroke patients, heart attack victims, people in serious accidents, and people with sudden illnesses. 

• Occupational health nurses, in addition to diagnosing and treating workplace injuries and illnesses, also prevent and investigate such incidents. 

• Critical care nurses, who focus on treating patients who have been injured severely, suffered a heart attack, or are seriously ill.

• Home health care nurses are responsible for rehabilitating patients after they return home 

• Operating room nurses work with the surgeon in the operating room. They also take up smaller procedures such as sutures etc.

Children’s Nursing

If you specialize in children's nursing, you will work to take care of children and young people, from newborn to adolescence. Because children react to illness in a very different way to adults, your trained skill in children's nursing will help you to understand their particular needs.

Learning Disability Nursing

As a nurse specialized in learning disability nursing, you will help those with learning disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives. You will need to work with a group of people with learning disabilities, living together and provide 24 hours support to this group.

Mental Health Nursing

Trends in modern living have increased pressures for many members of society that may cause many mental health issues. You as a mental health nurse will need to work with psychiatrists, social workers and others to co-ordinate the care of people suffering from mental illness.

Conclusion

There has never been a more exciting time to join the nursing profession. As a nurse it is possible to work in, among others, hospitals, clinics, nursing and residential homes, occupational health services, voluntary organizations that run hospices or residential care and the pharmaceutical industry. Nurses also work in the prison service, university education, on leisure cruise ships or for the armed forces.

As a registered nurse specialized in your field of interest, you have a wide variety of career opportunities to start with. The health market is always in demand for nurses, which means you have a bright career future once you get your qualification as a nurse.