There are many benefits to getting a nursing job. Great pay,
flexible hours, and the ability to work in practically any location are three
top benefits to becoming a nurse, not the mention the rewards that go along
with caring for patients.
Flexibility of hours draws many nurses to this profession.
You can have your pick of any shift, especially if you are a more seasoned
nurse. In virtually any hospital in the country there are a large variety of
shifts and number of hours per pay period for a nurse to work. There are
8 hour shifts, 10 hour shifts, and 12 hours shifts, on days, evenings, or
nights. Those could be anywhere from 20 to 80 hours per pay period (a 2
week pay period). A nurse can work part-time, full time, or PRN, meaning they
come in when they are called. Clinic or school nurses work a typical eight to
ten-hour schedule.
Variety is another great characteristic of nursing jobs.
There are no limits to the areas where nurses can work. The army, a hospital, a
rehab clinic, a doctor's office, a school - the options are limitless. The
biggest nursing employment settings will be hospitals, physicians' offices,
outpatient care centers, nursing care facilities, and home health care.
A nurse can choose to specialize in what medical field they
want to work in - oncology, operating room, pediatrics, geriatrics, neurology,
psych, urology, ob/gyn. Also there are several different nursing positions to
choose from. Staff nurse, floor charge nurse, floor unit manager,
educator, hospital wide nursing supervisor, research nurse are examples of the
options a nurse has, depending on their experience and specialty.
There are five ways a person can become a nurse. He or she
can get their Bachelor of Science Nursing (BS/BSN), which is a four-year
program offered at colleges and universities. BSN graduates have the best
opportunity in terms of nursing career choices. Then there is the Associates
Degree in Nursing (ADN), which is offered at junior and community colleges, and
even some universities and hospitals. The ADN is a two-to-three year program
that trains and prepares nurses to provide direct patient care in a variety of
settings. Many hospitals are now asking ADNs to go back and get their BSN. The hospital diploma is two to three year
program that specializes in preparing nurses to give direct care to patients in
a variety of settings. Nurses can also become an Licensed Practical Nurse
(LPN): Under the direction of doctors and registered nurses (RNs), an LPN
administers basic care (takes temp, vital signs, etc.) directly to patients.
Accelerated Programs (Accelerated BSN/MSN) are for nursing candidates that
already have Bachelor's, or even Master's degrees.
After the schooling portion is finished, the nurse must pass
the NCLEX-RN, a state board exam that has a skills portion and a written
portion. If the nurse passes these, they can practice medicine in the state
they are in.
Practicing diligence and tenacity will enable the potential
nurse to graduate and realize all of the opportunities that are waiting for
them in the real world.
