A Report on the Occupation of a Registered Nurse
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A Report on the Occupation of a Registered Nurse
Job Description
The job of a registered nurse is one of the most important roles in the healthcare sector. Registered nurses carry out many tasks ranging from being at the frontline of the health workforce to delivery of hands-on patient care in numerous settings. The job description of a registered nurse entails carrying out physical exams to assess health problems and needs. A nurse’s responsibility is also to review and keep medical records. They also perform treatments, administer medication, implement physician orders, and interpret special tests. Another task carried out by a registered nurse is administering care to the disabled, injured, and the ill (Cupit, Stout-Aguilar, Cannon, & Norton, 2019). Nurses also develop and implement nursing care plans. They order diagnostic tests to determine the needs and condition of a patient. It is also the work of nurses to supervise licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants, and aides. Registered nurses are also tasked with educating patients about their treatment plans and medical conditions. It is also the responsibility of registered nurses to maintain a hygienic working environment. Nurses also prepare medical equipment, rooms, and decontaminate instruments (Coffey & White, B2019). Moreover, registered nurses are tasked with providing psychological and emotional support.
Education and Certification
To become a registered nurse, a person is required to have either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) from an institution accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or Commission n Collegiate Nursing Education (Gazza, 2019). The main educational qualification for becoming a registered nurse is a Bachelor or master’s degree. Different AND programs are available at vocational or community colleges. These programs take 2-3 years. The program combines classroom learning with practical training in clinics, hospitals, and other healthcare settings. Some common courses studied when studying for an Associate Degree in Nursing include Human development, Pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, adult and family health, and psychiatric nursing.
Employment
Regarding availability, there are tons of jobs available for registered nurses. By 2030, the employment of registered nurses is expected to grow to nine percent. This is as fast as average for other occupations. Throughout the decade, it is projected that there will be about 194, 500 job openings. The states that have the highest demand for nurses include Texas (207, 810), California (274, 650), Florida (174, 710), New York (180, 730), and Pennsylvania (139, 480). For this career, the experience depends on the field and specific position. The average registered nurse makes $77 460 a year. In 2020, registered nurse made a median salary of $75 330 and on average, registered nurses make $33.85 every hour (White, Aiken, & McHugh, 2019). However, the pay rate depends on education, geographical location and experience. There are numerous career advancement opportunities for a registered nurse. Once a person the registered nursing level in their career, more specialized options such as flight nurse or cardiac care nurse emerge. A person can also decide to become a case management nurse. Other advancements have to do with becoming a nurse manager, an educator, or a practitioner.
Professional Activities
Common professional organizations for registered nurses include the American Heart Association, the American Nurses Association, the National Student’s Nurses Association, The National League for Nursing and the American Academy of Nursing. The National Student Nurse Association is the official professional organization for nurses-in-training across the United States (Spector, Hooper, Silvestre, & Qian, 2018). The cost of a student to join the National Student Nurse Association (NSNA) goes up to $20 in addition to state dues, while individual students renewing their membership have to pay up to $30 in addition to state dues (Sveinsdóttir, Blöndal, Jónsdóttir, & Bragadóttir, 2018). Professional journals for nursing include the Journal of Clinical Nursing, Journal of Advanced Nursing, International Journal of Nursing Studies, among others. Just like any other career, an individual must continuously invest in advanced education if they want to do well and flourish in the nursing career. If a person wants to in the future hold positions such as director f nursing or chief nursing officer, they should advance their education. Positions such as these require a minimum of a doctorate. As such, if a person wants to practice nursing at a greater length or holds leadership positions that come with the field, they should consider advancing their education. Without a doubt, continuing education units are a requirement for the nursing profession. Registered nurses are expected to earn credits throughout their career after every couple of years as it is a pre-liquisite for their license.
Conclusion/Reflection
Without a doubt, I foresee myself in the future working as a registered nurse. I see myself as a registered nurse working in the healthcare profession. In my exploration of this healthcare field, I have gathered that nursing is a demanding career that needs long hours of study and practical training. While training is not easy, the work of a nurse tends to be rewarding and fulfilling. The work of a nurse is one of the most significant jobs of the 21st century. It is a position of power to be in as it involves making hard decisions that, at times, the difference between life and death. I discovered that we never give nurses and other health care professionals enough appreciation and recognition. Nurses should be paid more money and given better working benefits. What stood up as most striking is how affordable it is for nursing students to join professional organizations. While most nursing students might not realize this, joining professional organizations as a student prepares them for practical work after graduation and helps them grow their connections.
References
Cupit, T., Stout-Aguilar, J., Cannon, L., & Norton, J. (2019). Assessing the nurse manager’s span of control: A partnership between executive leadership, nurse scientists and clinicians. Nurse Leader, 17(2), 103-108.
Coffey, J. S., & White, B. L. (2019). The clinical nurse educator role: A snapshot in time. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 50(5), 228-232.
Gazza, E. A. (2019, April). Alleviating the nurse faculty shortage: designating and preparing the academic nurse educator as an advanced practice registered nurse. In Nursing Forum (Vol. 54, No. 2, pp. 144-148).
Spector, N., Hooper, J. I., Silvestre, J., & Qian, H. (2018). Board of nursing approval of registered nurse education programs. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 8(4), 22-31.
Sveinsdóttir, H., Blöndal, K., Jónsdóttir, H. H., & Bragadóttir, H. (2018). The content of nurse unit managers’ work: a descriptive study using daily activity diaries. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 32(2), 861-870.
White, E. M., Aiken, L. H., & McHugh, M. D. (2019). Registered nurse burnout, job dissatisfaction, and missed care in nursing homes. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 67(10), 2065-2071.
