Pursuing A Career As An RN

Author: Mariana Quick

With advancement in health technology and in the average lifespan of people, registered nurses are in demand. Logically speaking, the older a person becomes, the more opportunities arise to grow ill. Similarly, as people age they have more incidents of injuries and age-related needs. In addition, the large number of people in the world means that more people will become pregnant and more will require physical exams. If you are inclined to help ailing people or have an interest in joining the medical profession, you might want to consider nursing as a career.

The responsibilities of registered nurses are many. They work alongside doctors in varying capacities. Registered nurses help doctors by caring for patients. Nurses who pursue a specialty are active in delivery wards, pediatric emergency rooms, sports centers, and other fields. What you are allowed to do as a nurse depends on how well you are educated and how you were trained. A nurse practitioner, for example, can perform tasks that are normally reserved for a doctor. They provide diagnoses and write prescriptions for medications.

Whatever field of nursing you wish to practice, the first steps to take remain the same. You need to devote yourself to rigorous preparation. You will also have to take one of the college admission exams. The two main exams are the American College Test or ACT and the Scholastic Aptitude Test or SAT. If you score well on the ACT or SAT, you can then pursue a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree in nursing, or you can finish a diploma program. You will be required to study practical skills and medical theory, as well as serve as a supervised intern in a medical setting. Subjects covered in these classes include nursing as well as nutrition, physiology, anatomy, and chemistry. The bachelor's degree will open up the most doors due to its in-depth course of study. You might wish to continue your training and earn your master's as a nurse practitioner.

Once you graduate, you will need to take and pass the federal nursing test. Once you start practicing, stay on top of the laws and latest information relevant to your profession. With advance strides in the field of medicine, all within the industry should pursue continuing education to provide optimum care to their patients. With each new medical breakthrough, new drugs make their appearance, treatment methodology changes, and state and federal legislation adjusts. For this reason, many states require mandatory training programs for established nurses in order to qualify for license renewal and continue practicing.

Your chances of getting a job as a registered nurse depend on two factors. These are the quality of your education and the amount of experience that you have. You can build up your experience by volunteering at clinics, hospitals, or nonprofit organizations. With more experience, you are only going to better your chances of getting hired. If you studied to work in a particular specialty, focus some of your volunteer efforts in that area.

Your experience will be a major advantage to get a foothold in this industry, even if it is in an entry level job. Your willingness to work and advance your education and experience will combine to help you make brilliant headway.

As long as there are people in the world, nurses will play and important role in society. As life expectancy continues to increase, the need for registered nurses will continue to grow. No matter what the economy is like, you are guaranteed job security if you are a registered nurse, which is comforting for nurses and patients alike.