Building a Career as a Nurse?

Answer 1

There is a high demand for nurses, given the aging baby boomer population. Most nurses work at hospitals and clinics, either as registered nurses or as assistants. However, there are some nurses that are self-employed, providing various nursing services to clients. Some private nurses care for patients who need extra medical care, but would like to live at home.

Nurses provide a variety of services within a hospital, including caring for patients, providing education about various medical problems, recording medical information for the patient's medical history, operating medical machinery and performing follow-ups and rehabilitation.

Nurse aides perform more routine and hands-on tasks. They are often referred to as personnel or orderlies. Nursing aides assist patients in bathing, eating and dressing. They answer calls, clean up rooms and serve meals. Some nurse aides are responsible for checking the patient's respiration, pulse, temperature and blood pressure. They also perform errands such as delivering messages and carrying supplies.

Nurses must first complete one of three training programs before beginning a nursing career. The longest route involves obtaining a bachelor's degree in nursing, which generally takes 4 years. Obtaining an associate's degree in nursing takes two years. The aspiring nurse can also obtain a diploma from an approved nursing program at a hospital. All states require that nurses take and pass the national licensing examination. Some nurses receive further training and specialize in areas such as informatics or pediatrics.

Nursing aides receive training from vocational-technical centers, community colleges and high schools. Aides must complete 75 hours of state-approved training and also pass a competency evaluation.

All nurses need to be emotionally stable, mature, responsible, tactful, patient and understanding. They are often working with patients who are emotional or difficult to work with.

The median annual earnings for registered nurses in 2010 were $64,690, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some nurses earn as much as $95,000 a year. But the lowest 10% can earn as little as $44,190. Nurse aides earn much less, with the lowest 10% only earning $17,790. The median annual earnings for aides in 2010 was $24,010 and the highest 10% earned over $34,580.