Oct
31
Nursing Jobs- The Emerging Trend In 2008
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Kris Koonar asked:
The nursing profession has undergone plenty of changes in the last five years. In this constantly changing field, it is essential and important to learn the new trends in nursing jobs in order to ensure a good career path. Today, the demand for Registered Nurses or RNs has tremendously increased due to two major factors. Relatively less number of professionals who choose this line and the retirement of existing nurses have led to a demand of trained nurses. Secondly, there is a significant increase in a nurse’s range of duties, with an increase in the number of the older people and baby boomers, which is due to the fact that there is a significant increase in the number of older people and people in need of nursing assistants in the world.
Statics has revealed that the demand for nurses has been on the rise since the year 2000 and is estimated to go up further in future as well. Study has shown that since not many people are choosing this field as their future career the existing registered nurses are in great demand in all the hospitals and nursing homes. If you check some of the job sites for nursing jobs you will find plenty of openings in almost all hospitals all over the country. Keeping this in mind it is wise to invest your time by choosing this field as your future career since you are assured of a good job and even better growth in the future.
Becoming a traveling nurse has the advantages of traveling without having to spend your money and see new places while enjoying free housing, relocation and many other benefits. Plenty of nursing jobs are open in the United States research has shown that almost all the hospitals lack the required number of nursing assistants and that the nursing homes are constantly on the look out for quality nurses.
Study has revealed that this acute shortage of nurses is due to the changes in the world trend, which with its advancement in technology has kept people on their toes to keep up with the latest trend in the nursing field. This increase in the educational structure of nursing along with increased work pressure has kept people from opting for this field
Due to this shortage of people opting for the nursing profession, the hospitals have to compromise on the staffing and make do with the staff they have. This demand has made nursing one of the five fastest growing professions in the world. To retain the present nurses it has become necessary to give good salary and increment to keep them happy on the job. With this increase and demand in nursing jobs, the quality and professionalism in this field has increased tremendously making it a lucrative profession for anyone looking for the right opening to start their career.
GUSTAVO
The nursing profession has undergone plenty of changes in the last five years. In this constantly changing field, it is essential and important to learn the new trends in nursing jobs in order to ensure a good career path. Today, the demand for Registered Nurses or RNs has tremendously increased due to two major factors. Relatively less number of professionals who choose this line and the retirement of existing nurses have led to a demand of trained nurses. Secondly, there is a significant increase in a nurse’s range of duties, with an increase in the number of the older people and baby boomers, which is due to the fact that there is a significant increase in the number of older people and people in need of nursing assistants in the world.
Statics has revealed that the demand for nurses has been on the rise since the year 2000 and is estimated to go up further in future as well. Study has shown that since not many people are choosing this field as their future career the existing registered nurses are in great demand in all the hospitals and nursing homes. If you check some of the job sites for nursing jobs you will find plenty of openings in almost all hospitals all over the country. Keeping this in mind it is wise to invest your time by choosing this field as your future career since you are assured of a good job and even better growth in the future.
__________________________________________________________________
Becoming a traveling nurse has the advantages of traveling without having to spend your money and see new places while enjoying free housing, relocation and many other benefits. Plenty of nursing jobs are open in the United States research has shown that almost all the hospitals lack the required number of nursing assistants and that the nursing homes are constantly on the look out for quality nurses.
Study has revealed that this acute shortage of nurses is due to the changes in the world trend, which with its advancement in technology has kept people on their toes to keep up with the latest trend in the nursing field. This increase in the educational structure of nursing along with increased work pressure has kept people from opting for this field
Due to this shortage of people opting for the nursing profession, the hospitals have to compromise on the staffing and make do with the staff they have. This demand has made nursing one of the five fastest growing professions in the world. To retain the present nurses it has become necessary to give good salary and increment to keep them happy on the job. With this increase and demand in nursing jobs, the quality and professionalism in this field has increased tremendously making it a lucrative profession for anyone looking for the right opening to start their career.
GUSTAVO
Oct
22
Breaking The Silence - Forensic Nursing
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Rosie Fletcher asked:
It was in 1992 when the term Forensic nursing was first heard. But what is it exactly? Forensic nursing is a specialty field that deals with the care of crime victims, collecting evidences and providing health care services in the prison system. It is a combined health care and judicial system profession to be precise. International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) is the official association of forensic nurses established in 1992 by a team of nurses who specialize in sexual assault examination.
1. A Day In The Life
Contrary to popular belief forensic nurses don’t spend their day hanging around with corpses. Examining victims of sexual assault and training colleagues how to treat violently injured patients eat up most of these nurses days. Another related job for a forensic nurse is providing counsel to schoolchildren who fired guns.
2. Training
Training as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is the entry-level position you need to obtain in order to break into forensic nursing. The nurse should be a Registered Nurse (RN) before being able to complete the specialized training needed to meet the standards of the IAFN. Forty hours of didactics and forty hours of clinical work are also needed. The nurse should be trained in handling and collecting evidences like hairs, fibers and swabs of fluids for DNA testing.
Forensic nursing is not limited to helping **** victims. Forensic nurses also work with other types of interpersonal abuse such as domestic violence, child and elderly abuse, neglect and physiological, as well as psychological abuse. They could also examine victims of near-fatal or fatal traumas like shooting or stabbing.
A lot of forensic nurses work as nurse examiners in the emergency rooms in the hospitals. In cases like shooting or stabbing, the forensic nurse works in collecting bullets and other debris left in the body that will help in the investigation. Removing the clothes the victim is wearing and storing them in a special bags are also some of their duties. They also have to photograph and measure the wounds of the patients. In case the victim dies, the nurse has to work with the medical examiner (ME).
3. Other Considerations
Forensic nurses are qualified to testify in court as an expert witness or a fact witness. As an expert witness, the nurse is allowed to give his or her opinions while on the witness stands in order to shed light on the case. On the other hand, as a fact witness, the nurse is only to state the details and answer the questions. A forensic nurse should state the information in an objective manner. It means that he or she should not speak for or against either the victim or the accused. As the duty calls for it, the nurse only has to state the information he or she obtained, not make conjecture about what he or she thinks happened.
4. Tools of the Trade
A forensic nurse should also know how to use different tools in order to document what he or she has gathered during the examination or treatment process.
- A digital camera
- An Omnichrome
- A Coloscope
To date, specialty areas are being related to forensic nursing. This includes a Forensic Nurse Specialist, Forensic Nurse Investigator, Nurse Coroner or what is known as Death Investigator, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Legal Nurse Consultant, Forensic Gerontology Specialist, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse and a Correctional Nursing Specialist. Forensic nursing is a growing industry in the field of nursing. More and more nurses are being drawn to it. Nursing schools are also taking notice of this need. Forensic Nurse Programs are now being offered in nursing schools.
HERIBERTO
It was in 1992 when the term Forensic nursing was first heard. But what is it exactly? Forensic nursing is a specialty field that deals with the care of crime victims, collecting evidences and providing health care services in the prison system. It is a combined health care and judicial system profession to be precise. International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) is the official association of forensic nurses established in 1992 by a team of nurses who specialize in sexual assault examination.
1. A Day In The Life
Contrary to popular belief forensic nurses don’t spend their day hanging around with corpses. Examining victims of sexual assault and training colleagues how to treat violently injured patients eat up most of these nurses days. Another related job for a forensic nurse is providing counsel to schoolchildren who fired guns.
2. Training
Training as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner is the entry-level position you need to obtain in order to break into forensic nursing. The nurse should be a Registered Nurse (RN) before being able to complete the specialized training needed to meet the standards of the IAFN. Forty hours of didactics and forty hours of clinical work are also needed. The nurse should be trained in handling and collecting evidences like hairs, fibers and swabs of fluids for DNA testing.
__________________________________________________________________
Forensic nursing is not limited to helping **** victims. Forensic nurses also work with other types of interpersonal abuse such as domestic violence, child and elderly abuse, neglect and physiological, as well as psychological abuse. They could also examine victims of near-fatal or fatal traumas like shooting or stabbing.
A lot of forensic nurses work as nurse examiners in the emergency rooms in the hospitals. In cases like shooting or stabbing, the forensic nurse works in collecting bullets and other debris left in the body that will help in the investigation. Removing the clothes the victim is wearing and storing them in a special bags are also some of their duties. They also have to photograph and measure the wounds of the patients. In case the victim dies, the nurse has to work with the medical examiner (ME).
3. Other Considerations
Forensic nurses are qualified to testify in court as an expert witness or a fact witness. As an expert witness, the nurse is allowed to give his or her opinions while on the witness stands in order to shed light on the case. On the other hand, as a fact witness, the nurse is only to state the details and answer the questions. A forensic nurse should state the information in an objective manner. It means that he or she should not speak for or against either the victim or the accused. As the duty calls for it, the nurse only has to state the information he or she obtained, not make conjecture about what he or she thinks happened.
4. Tools of the Trade
A forensic nurse should also know how to use different tools in order to document what he or she has gathered during the examination or treatment process.
- A digital camera
- An Omnichrome
- A Coloscope
To date, specialty areas are being related to forensic nursing. This includes a Forensic Nurse Specialist, Forensic Nurse Investigator, Nurse Coroner or what is known as Death Investigator, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Legal Nurse Consultant, Forensic Gerontology Specialist, Forensic Psychiatric Nurse and a Correctional Nursing Specialist. Forensic nursing is a growing industry in the field of nursing. More and more nurses are being drawn to it. Nursing schools are also taking notice of this need. Forensic Nurse Programs are now being offered in nursing schools.
HERIBERTO
Oct
2
Home Health Nursing- A Popular Nursing Job
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Kris Koonar asked:
Nursing is no longer restricted within the walls of the hospital. Travel nursing, independent contract nursing, nursing assistants, emergency room nursing, floor nursing, operating room nursing, pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, home health nursing etc. are some of the fields within nursing that one can pursue.
Home health nursing is growing as a popular career option for nurses. The increasing population of the senior citizens requires a lot of care on a daily basis. This has lead to an increase in demand for aides at home who can treat, examine and provide therapies and interventions for the usual ailments and sickness generally faced by the elderly.
Home health nursing is similar to the job of a normal nurse. It requires the nurse to take on all responsibility and extend personal care and attention to the patient, the difference being that the nurse has to travel all the way to the patient’s home for providing this care. Generally the home health nurse works with disabled or elderly people, who require care and attention beyond that which the family members of the patient can provide. A home health nurse usually takes care by assisting the patient in daily chores like laundry, cooking, housekeeping, bathing, dressing etc. A home health nurse also checks temperature, changes dressings, takes the pulse count of the patient and also helps the patient with exercises or other treatments prescribed by the doctor or therapist.
Home health nurses generally get employed at the homes of clients, who are invalid, terminally ill or ambulatory patients, but other options of working include social service agencies and nursing care facilities. The services in the home health care sector are regulated by the government at the local and the federal levels, depending on the type of service given to the clients, like social services, medical and non medical services. The earnings as a home health nurse ranges from $6 to $15 per hour. As a home health nurse the professional has the option to decide on the number of patients he or she can take care of, in order to maximize income and comfort level. These nurses have control on the hours of work they put in. Thus, home health nursing is a well paid job for friendly and skilled nurses.
Many senior citizens are now choosing to stay at home for their health care needs and enjoy the benefits of their health insurance plans and policies. This ensures that the job market for home health nurses will continue to be on the rise, thus making home health nursing a popular career choice for nurses. Apart from the money, the reward of enabling an elderly person to enjoy good health is even more satisfying.
ROGER
__________________________________________________________________
Nursing is no longer restricted within the walls of the hospital. Travel nursing, independent contract nursing, nursing assistants, emergency room nursing, floor nursing, operating room nursing, pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, home health nursing etc. are some of the fields within nursing that one can pursue.
Home health nursing is growing as a popular career option for nurses. The increasing population of the senior citizens requires a lot of care on a daily basis. This has lead to an increase in demand for aides at home who can treat, examine and provide therapies and interventions for the usual ailments and sickness generally faced by the elderly.
Home health nursing is similar to the job of a normal nurse. It requires the nurse to take on all responsibility and extend personal care and attention to the patient, the difference being that the nurse has to travel all the way to the patient’s home for providing this care. Generally the home health nurse works with disabled or elderly people, who require care and attention beyond that which the family members of the patient can provide. A home health nurse usually takes care by assisting the patient in daily chores like laundry, cooking, housekeeping, bathing, dressing etc. A home health nurse also checks temperature, changes dressings, takes the pulse count of the patient and also helps the patient with exercises or other treatments prescribed by the doctor or therapist.
Home health nurses generally get employed at the homes of clients, who are invalid, terminally ill or ambulatory patients, but other options of working include social service agencies and nursing care facilities. The services in the home health care sector are regulated by the government at the local and the federal levels, depending on the type of service given to the clients, like social services, medical and non medical services. The earnings as a home health nurse ranges from $6 to $15 per hour. As a home health nurse the professional has the option to decide on the number of patients he or she can take care of, in order to maximize income and comfort level. These nurses have control on the hours of work they put in. Thus, home health nursing is a well paid job for friendly and skilled nurses.
Many senior citizens are now choosing to stay at home for their health care needs and enjoy the benefits of their health insurance plans and policies. This ensures that the job market for home health nurses will continue to be on the rise, thus making home health nursing a popular career choice for nurses. Apart from the money, the reward of enabling an elderly person to enjoy good health is even more satisfying.
ROGER
Sep
19
How to Become a Home Health Care Nurse
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Tony Jacowski asked:
Home Health Care Basics
Home health care nursing is a growing industry, with a large number of patients and their families opting for home-based health care. Today there are specific academic programs to train nurses in home care. There are also a number of agencies that place home health care nurses in the appropriate environment with ailing individuals and their families. These agencies match criteria such as the nurse’s experience and qualifications, the patient’s care requirements, budget and the location of the patient and the nurse.
There is a growing need for Home Care Nurses because:
*Medicare, Medicaid and Long Term Care insurance reimbursement and documentation have changed treatment methods
*Aging baby-boomers are now in large numbers
*Changes in technology and medical care in hospitals have brought about a significant change, with shorter inpatient stay and more cases of at-home rehabilitation.
*Increasing medical outpatient procedures, with follow-up home care
*Advances in technology and medical care that have decreased mortality rates but increased morbidity and chronic illness.
The job of a Home Health Care Nurse calls for an array of skills and experience. Specializations include a wide range of treatments including emotional support, educating patients on the road to recovery from illness or injury to women who have experienced childbirth. Special care is also needed for ailing children and the elderly who need palliative care for chronic illnesses.
A practicing nurse must be able to adjust to the unique home setting of each patient. They must have good interpersonal skills to deal with the patient on the one hand and the patient’s family or support structure on the other. The nurse should be experienced and confident enough to make quick autonomous decisions, without the support structure that is available at a hospital or nursing home.
Children with disabilities, be they genetic, congenital or caused by an injury, present a separate set of challenges to a nurse. They require additional skills such as patience and understanding of the needs of the family. Progress in the medical field is not only increasing the lifespan of these children, but is also allowing them to live comparatively independent lives away from the hospital. In this area, a positive attitude and positive reinforcement is of prime importance for the development of the child.
Experienced nurses are familiar with medication procedures and have completed graduate level programs. Most agencies require that these nurses have at least one year of clinical experience prior to working in home health care. Advanced practicing nurses can expedite that training by helping new nurses understand the home health care market and teaching.
Employment And Salary
In the United States, according to the Department of Labor, there were 2.4 million nurses in America, and many in the medical fraternity believe there is a gross shortage in nursing staff. The shortage is expected to grow to 10% in 2010. The average salaries for nurses in the US are:
*$53,450 for hospital nursing
*$49,000 for home care
*$48,200 for nursing care facilities
Training And Continuing Education
Home health care nurses require:
*Associate degree in nursing (ADN), takes 2-3 years to complete
*Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), takes 4 years to complete. This course allows nurses to pursue advancement into administrative positions or research, consulting, and teaching. It is also essential to become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nurse practitioner (U.S. Department of Labor, 2004).
*Master’s degree in nursing (MSN), with a minimum of two years post-clinical experience for advanced nursing
*All nurses need to have supervised clinical experience during their training
Nurses can also earn specialized professional certificates online in Geriatric Care or Life Care Planning.
All nurses, whether they are working at a hospital, nursing facility, or in home care, need to have continuing education. With constant advances in medicine and the changing face of health care staying abreast with the latest developments enhances patient care and health procedures. Continuing education is offered by universities, continuing education programs, and internet sites. The American Nurses Association (ANA) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is a popular avenue for continuing education.
The career of a home health care nurse is rewarding. Advances in medicine and decreasing mortality and increasing morbidity bring new challenges and opportunities. It provides an opportunity to make a difference one life at a time. Proper education combined with clinical experience will make the home health care nurse an important cog in the wheel of medical care of tomorrow.
GRADY
Home Health Care Basics
Home health care nursing is a growing industry, with a large number of patients and their families opting for home-based health care. Today there are specific academic programs to train nurses in home care. There are also a number of agencies that place home health care nurses in the appropriate environment with ailing individuals and their families. These agencies match criteria such as the nurse’s experience and qualifications, the patient’s care requirements, budget and the location of the patient and the nurse.
There is a growing need for Home Care Nurses because:
*Medicare, Medicaid and Long Term Care insurance reimbursement and documentation have changed treatment methods
*Aging baby-boomers are now in large numbers
*Changes in technology and medical care in hospitals have brought about a significant change, with shorter inpatient stay and more cases of at-home rehabilitation.
*Increasing medical outpatient procedures, with follow-up home care
*Advances in technology and medical care that have decreased mortality rates but increased morbidity and chronic illness.
The job of a Home Health Care Nurse calls for an array of skills and experience. Specializations include a wide range of treatments including emotional support, educating patients on the road to recovery from illness or injury to women who have experienced childbirth. Special care is also needed for ailing children and the elderly who need palliative care for chronic illnesses.
A practicing nurse must be able to adjust to the unique home setting of each patient. They must have good interpersonal skills to deal with the patient on the one hand and the patient’s family or support structure on the other. The nurse should be experienced and confident enough to make quick autonomous decisions, without the support structure that is available at a hospital or nursing home.
Children with disabilities, be they genetic, congenital or caused by an injury, present a separate set of challenges to a nurse. They require additional skills such as patience and understanding of the needs of the family. Progress in the medical field is not only increasing the lifespan of these children, but is also allowing them to live comparatively independent lives away from the hospital. In this area, a positive attitude and positive reinforcement is of prime importance for the development of the child.
Experienced nurses are familiar with medication procedures and have completed graduate level programs. Most agencies require that these nurses have at least one year of clinical experience prior to working in home health care. Advanced practicing nurses can expedite that training by helping new nurses understand the home health care market and teaching.
Employment And Salary
In the United States, according to the Department of Labor, there were 2.4 million nurses in America, and many in the medical fraternity believe there is a gross shortage in nursing staff. The shortage is expected to grow to 10% in 2010. The average salaries for nurses in the US are:
*$53,450 for hospital nursing
*$49,000 for home care
*$48,200 for nursing care facilities
Training And Continuing Education
Home health care nurses require:
*Associate degree in nursing (ADN), takes 2-3 years to complete
*Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN), takes 4 years to complete. This course allows nurses to pursue advancement into administrative positions or research, consulting, and teaching. It is also essential to become a clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, and nurse practitioner (U.S. Department of Labor, 2004).
*Master’s degree in nursing (MSN), with a minimum of two years post-clinical experience for advanced nursing
*All nurses need to have supervised clinical experience during their training
Nurses can also earn specialized professional certificates online in Geriatric Care or Life Care Planning.
All nurses, whether they are working at a hospital, nursing facility, or in home care, need to have continuing education. With constant advances in medicine and the changing face of health care staying abreast with the latest developments enhances patient care and health procedures. Continuing education is offered by universities, continuing education programs, and internet sites. The American Nurses Association (ANA) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) is a popular avenue for continuing education.
The career of a home health care nurse is rewarding. Advances in medicine and decreasing mortality and increasing morbidity bring new challenges and opportunities. It provides an opportunity to make a difference one life at a time. Proper education combined with clinical experience will make the home health care nurse an important cog in the wheel of medical care of tomorrow.
GRADY
Sep
12
Types of Nursing in Canada - Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Psychiatric Nurse
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Beverly Hansen OMalley asked:
There are three types of nursing if you are considering nursing as a career in Canada:
Licensed Practical Nurse, LPN Registered Nurse, RN Registered Psychiatric Nurse, RPN
In Canada all nursing professions are regulated in the public interest and you must pass a licensing exam to become registered in order to practice nursing as a career.
Nursing education for each of these types of nursing has common curricular components and some specialty components. However, the length of nursing education varies and each category has a defined scope of practice.
Licensed Practical Nurse
The Licensed Practical Nurse has 1-2 years of education in a community college or private post-secondary training institute. They have a limited nursing scope of practice that is completely contained within the scope of practice of a registered nurse and cannot work with clients who are complex or require multiple interventions.
In Ontario and some other provinces they are called a Registered Practical Nurse and this is abbreviated as RPN. This can be confusing because a registered psychiatric nurse is also abbreviated as RPN in the western provinces. In many provinces LPN’s were not fully utilized for many years and the numbers of nurses practicing as a licensed practical nurse declined dramatically. Because of the pressures exerted by fiscal restraint and by the nursing shortage which is quite acute, the licensed practical nurse is now in demand again in provinces where they can legally practice.
Registered Psychiatric Nursing
Schools that prepare nurses to enter psychiatric nursing are limited to the four western provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. There are over 5,000 Registered Psychiatric Nurses registered with the 4 regulatory authorities in these provinces.
Registered Psychiatric Nursing is not recognized as a separate type of nursing in the eastern provinces so that might be why they call practical nurses RPN’s (Registered Practical Nurses). This term cannot be used in the western provinces because it already used for psychiatric nurses.
The association of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada recommends that the minimum requirement for initial registrants for entry to practice into the profession of psychiatric nursing should be a baccalaureate degree by the year 2012.
On the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Canada website there are 7 education programs listed for psychiatric nursing in all of Canada. There is no legally recognized classification of Psychiatric Technician in Canada. You may see this as a one of the different types of nursing in other countries such as the United States but it is not a recognized type of nursing in Canada.
Registered Nursing
Of the three types of nursing, registered nursing (the RN) is the most common type. It is typically the registered nurse that people think of when they think of the nursing profession. Registered nursing has the broadest nursing scope of practice.
There are no hospital based schools of nursing in Canada. A university education is required. Some colleges have partnered with universities and students can enter a nursing program where the first two years are offered in the college setting and then complete the nursing degree at the university.
Most provinces have registered nurse education programs that are 4 years in length ( 8-9 semesters) but some provinces are now implementing a three year program (9 semesters) as an accelerated program in order to bring more nurses into the Canadian health care system more quickly.
One province in Canada (British Columbia) is responding to increased pressures on the Canadian health care system by broadening the scope of practice of the registered nurse to include some tasks that were previously out of scope.
When these new regulations are put in place, under certain circumstances the registered nurse will be able to provide a broader range of services than that provided by the current regulations including:
ordering ultrasound or X-ray diagnostics (in triage situations) conducting tuberculosis screening managing labor in hospital when the primary care provider is absent
These changes recognize the current education and skills of the registered nurse. However, the changes are specific to British Columbia as the nursing profession in Canada is regulated provincially. It is quite possible and quite likely however, that other provinces will follow suit.
MONTE
There are three types of nursing if you are considering nursing as a career in Canada:
Licensed Practical Nurse, LPN Registered Nurse, RN Registered Psychiatric Nurse, RPN
In Canada all nursing professions are regulated in the public interest and you must pass a licensing exam to become registered in order to practice nursing as a career.
Nursing education for each of these types of nursing has common curricular components and some specialty components. However, the length of nursing education varies and each category has a defined scope of practice.
Licensed Practical Nurse
The Licensed Practical Nurse has 1-2 years of education in a community college or private post-secondary training institute. They have a limited nursing scope of practice that is completely contained within the scope of practice of a registered nurse and cannot work with clients who are complex or require multiple interventions.
In Ontario and some other provinces they are called a Registered Practical Nurse and this is abbreviated as RPN. This can be confusing because a registered psychiatric nurse is also abbreviated as RPN in the western provinces. In many provinces LPN’s were not fully utilized for many years and the numbers of nurses practicing as a licensed practical nurse declined dramatically. Because of the pressures exerted by fiscal restraint and by the nursing shortage which is quite acute, the licensed practical nurse is now in demand again in provinces where they can legally practice.
Registered Psychiatric Nursing
Schools that prepare nurses to enter psychiatric nursing are limited to the four western provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. There are over 5,000 Registered Psychiatric Nurses registered with the 4 regulatory authorities in these provinces.
Registered Psychiatric Nursing is not recognized as a separate type of nursing in the eastern provinces so that might be why they call practical nurses RPN’s (Registered Practical Nurses). This term cannot be used in the western provinces because it already used for psychiatric nurses.
The association of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Canada recommends that the minimum requirement for initial registrants for entry to practice into the profession of psychiatric nursing should be a baccalaureate degree by the year 2012.
On the Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Canada website there are 7 education programs listed for psychiatric nursing in all of Canada. There is no legally recognized classification of Psychiatric Technician in Canada. You may see this as a one of the different types of nursing in other countries such as the United States but it is not a recognized type of nursing in Canada.
Registered Nursing
Of the three types of nursing, registered nursing (the RN) is the most common type. It is typically the registered nurse that people think of when they think of the nursing profession. Registered nursing has the broadest nursing scope of practice.
There are no hospital based schools of nursing in Canada. A university education is required. Some colleges have partnered with universities and students can enter a nursing program where the first two years are offered in the college setting and then complete the nursing degree at the university.
Most provinces have registered nurse education programs that are 4 years in length ( 8-9 semesters) but some provinces are now implementing a three year program (9 semesters) as an accelerated program in order to bring more nurses into the Canadian health care system more quickly.
One province in Canada (British Columbia) is responding to increased pressures on the Canadian health care system by broadening the scope of practice of the registered nurse to include some tasks that were previously out of scope.
When these new regulations are put in place, under certain circumstances the registered nurse will be able to provide a broader range of services than that provided by the current regulations including:
ordering ultrasound or X-ray diagnostics (in triage situations) conducting tuberculosis screening managing labor in hospital when the primary care provider is absent
These changes recognize the current education and skills of the registered nurse. However, the changes are specific to British Columbia as the nursing profession in Canada is regulated provincially. It is quite possible and quite likely however, that other provinces will follow suit.
MONTE
Sep
8
Become a Nurse in Canada - Are you a Registered Nurse in Another Country?
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Beverly Hansen OMalley asked:
Do you want to become a nurse in Canada? Did you graduate and work as a registered nurse in another country? The Canadian immigration doors are open to professionals particularly nurses who want to work in Canada.
Why would you want to become a nurse in Canada?
You can expect to earn an hourly wage between $25 and $35 depending on your level of experience and the province you work in. The Canadian health care system is publicly funded which means that all hospitals are publicly administered. You will receive the same salary no matter what hospital you work in because nurses are represented by provincial labor unions. There may be some variation in pay between provinces but there is a great deal of parity across the country in registered nurse salaries because of the labor unions. Besides the reasonable wages there are also employer paid benefits that have been negotiated by the labor unions including vacation time, sick time, education leave, health insurance, and pension plans. Canadian immigration has a program for skilled workers that includes nurses. If you have one year of experience as a registered nurse in your own country you can enter through this program. If you do not have any experience in nursing you may have to enter Canada through the regular immigration process or through the provincial nominee program. You will never be short of work. There are over 250,000 registered nurses in Canada and yet there is still an ongoing nursing shortage. Presently that shortage is estimated at 78,000 registered nurses and is predicted to rise to over 110,000 by the year 2010.
Providing that the Canadian immigration rules, policies, and working visa requirements are met you must follow the correct procedure to become a nurse in Canada. With the exception of providing proof of language proficiency this procedure is the same for all applicants even those educated in Canada.
Apply for your registration.
contact the provincial licensing body for registered nurses (or licensed practical nurses). Be prepared to pay a fee for your application. submit all the documentation that supports your education, experience, and immigrant status. provide proof of English language fluency. This includes both reading, writing, and speaking. Many provincial licensing bodies are now using theCanadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. Some provinces will require this condition to be met before they accept your application for registration. submit proof of a clear criminal records check. You can expect to pay another fee for this. The police run a background check through a database to make sure that you do not have a criminal record.
Write and Pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam
Once all your documentation is reviewed and accepted as “equivalent” you will be given permission to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam or the Canadian Registered Practical Nurse Exam. Which exam you write will depend on what type of nursing license you are seeking and what you qualify for. All provinces have separate nursing regulatory bodies for registered nursing and licensed practical nursing except in Ontario where all nurses are under the same regulatory association.
Substantially Equivalent Competency Assessment
The number of internationally educated nurses who want to become a nurse in Canada is increasing every year and there have been some instances where nurses were entering the system unprepared for the real job of a registered nurse in Canada. Because of the variations in Education for nurses around the globe reviewing educational preparation and documentation turned out to not be a good predictor of success in the workplace in all cases. As a result a new evaluation has emerged called the Substantially Equivalent Competency assessment or SEC.
This is an evaluation that uses both a written test and an observation of your applied clinical skills using simulated nursing situations for the Canadian health care system.
The SEC evaluations are being done mostly in the western provinces. You may be required to undergo an SEC if your paperwork is not sufficient to support an equivalent education or experience as would be required of a registered nurse in Canada. This often happens when a nurse graduated in another country some time ago and has many years of experience but cannot produce the complete educational documentation to support the application.
When your application to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam is complete there may be a waiting period because the exam is only offered every four months. However, you may be allowed to work during that time under a temporary nursing license provided all other requirements have been met. You must however, have an employer willing to hire you under a temporary permit and if you do not pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam your temporary permit will be revoked.
Many internationally educated nurses are successful in obtaining their nursing license in Canada and the number of internationally educated nurses working in the Canadian health care system has gone up dramatically since the 1990’s. Between 2000 and 2007 approximately 20% of the candidates who wrote the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam were not educated in Canada.
Your journey to become a nurse in Canada might be lengthy so don’t give up! Being a registered nurse in the Canada health care system means having a secure well paid job that can provide you with challenge and meaning in your life, so it might just be worth it!
VERN
Do you want to become a nurse in Canada? Did you graduate and work as a registered nurse in another country? The Canadian immigration doors are open to professionals particularly nurses who want to work in Canada.
Why would you want to become a nurse in Canada?
You can expect to earn an hourly wage between $25 and $35 depending on your level of experience and the province you work in. The Canadian health care system is publicly funded which means that all hospitals are publicly administered. You will receive the same salary no matter what hospital you work in because nurses are represented by provincial labor unions. There may be some variation in pay between provinces but there is a great deal of parity across the country in registered nurse salaries because of the labor unions. Besides the reasonable wages there are also employer paid benefits that have been negotiated by the labor unions including vacation time, sick time, education leave, health insurance, and pension plans. Canadian immigration has a program for skilled workers that includes nurses. If you have one year of experience as a registered nurse in your own country you can enter through this program. If you do not have any experience in nursing you may have to enter Canada through the regular immigration process or through the provincial nominee program. You will never be short of work. There are over 250,000 registered nurses in Canada and yet there is still an ongoing nursing shortage. Presently that shortage is estimated at 78,000 registered nurses and is predicted to rise to over 110,000 by the year 2010.
Providing that the Canadian immigration rules, policies, and working visa requirements are met you must follow the correct procedure to become a nurse in Canada. With the exception of providing proof of language proficiency this procedure is the same for all applicants even those educated in Canada.
Apply for your registration.
contact the provincial licensing body for registered nurses (or licensed practical nurses). Be prepared to pay a fee for your application. submit all the documentation that supports your education, experience, and immigrant status. provide proof of English language fluency. This includes both reading, writing, and speaking. Many provincial licensing bodies are now using theCanadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses. Some provinces will require this condition to be met before they accept your application for registration. submit proof of a clear criminal records check. You can expect to pay another fee for this. The police run a background check through a database to make sure that you do not have a criminal record.
Write and Pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam
Once all your documentation is reviewed and accepted as “equivalent” you will be given permission to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam or the Canadian Registered Practical Nurse Exam. Which exam you write will depend on what type of nursing license you are seeking and what you qualify for. All provinces have separate nursing regulatory bodies for registered nursing and licensed practical nursing except in Ontario where all nurses are under the same regulatory association.
Substantially Equivalent Competency Assessment
The number of internationally educated nurses who want to become a nurse in Canada is increasing every year and there have been some instances where nurses were entering the system unprepared for the real job of a registered nurse in Canada. Because of the variations in Education for nurses around the globe reviewing educational preparation and documentation turned out to not be a good predictor of success in the workplace in all cases. As a result a new evaluation has emerged called the Substantially Equivalent Competency assessment or SEC.
This is an evaluation that uses both a written test and an observation of your applied clinical skills using simulated nursing situations for the Canadian health care system.
The SEC evaluations are being done mostly in the western provinces. You may be required to undergo an SEC if your paperwork is not sufficient to support an equivalent education or experience as would be required of a registered nurse in Canada. This often happens when a nurse graduated in another country some time ago and has many years of experience but cannot produce the complete educational documentation to support the application.
When your application to write the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam is complete there may be a waiting period because the exam is only offered every four months. However, you may be allowed to work during that time under a temporary nursing license provided all other requirements have been met. You must however, have an employer willing to hire you under a temporary permit and if you do not pass the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam your temporary permit will be revoked.
Many internationally educated nurses are successful in obtaining their nursing license in Canada and the number of internationally educated nurses working in the Canadian health care system has gone up dramatically since the 1990’s. Between 2000 and 2007 approximately 20% of the candidates who wrote the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam were not educated in Canada.
Your journey to become a nurse in Canada might be lengthy so don’t give up! Being a registered nurse in the Canada health care system means having a secure well paid job that can provide you with challenge and meaning in your life, so it might just be worth it!
VERN
Sep
4
Associate Nursing Degree- A Great Way to Start Your Nursing Career
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Kris Koonar asked:
To make a career in the medical field is very challenging. Many young girls are taking up the profession of nursing. Doctors and nurses will never get ‘out of demand’. Nursing as a profession does have a brighter side. One has to be genuinely interested in becoming a nurse and as a nurse has to take care of patients with lot of patience and dedication. An associate nursing degree is the first step towards the nursing career. It trains a person to be a certified nurse without obtaining the bachelor’s degree. The associate nursing degree leaves you with a good chance to stand out once you approach your bachelor’s degree in nursing.
You can choose to take an associate nursing degree through a campus-based college or with the help of an online college. An online nursing degree is very convenient especially if you are working. You can complete the course without disturbing your daily schedule. If you are self-motivated and hard working you can manage to complete your degree in the shortest period. An online degree proves very beneficial as it gives you a lot of flexibility. You can finish the nursing course without disturbing your daily routine. You can continue working and giving more time for the family, you can plan your time accordingly and study for the course.
The online associate nursing degree gives you a benefit of attending the online classes any time and from any place with an Internet connection. During these online classes you can ask your questions and get your quires sorted out. Due to this advantage, online nursing degree is gaining a lot of popularity. An associate nursing degree acts as a foundation for a brighter future in the medical field.
An associate nursing degree will enable you to work in any hospital, any other nursing facility or under any doctor. When you get your higher degree, your chances of getting a better job increase due to the nursing degree. This degree will make your base strong and you have a clear and a better idea of nursing once you finish the degree.
The associate nursing degree acts like a ladder for your career graph and prepares you for the National Council of Licensure Examination for registered nurses. The associate degree has two different programs. One program is designed for those who do not have any knowledge of the medical or nursing background and the other program is for the licensed practicing nurses. The licensed practicing nurses are the ones who have a prior nursing experience.
Hundreds of nurses obtain associate nursing degree every year, due to the rise in the demand for nurses. Nurses enjoy a good salary and are able to help those in pain. A nursing degree will fetch you a job at an entry level with the salary ranging from $40,000 to $45,000 annually. Many hospitals and companies offer tuition reimbursement benefits once you become a registered nurse with the associate nursing degree. You can use this benefit when you plan to do your BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing by completing the RN-to-BSN program. BSN will boost your nursing career and help you earn more.
ANTHONY
To make a career in the medical field is very challenging. Many young girls are taking up the profession of nursing. Doctors and nurses will never get ‘out of demand’. Nursing as a profession does have a brighter side. One has to be genuinely interested in becoming a nurse and as a nurse has to take care of patients with lot of patience and dedication. An associate nursing degree is the first step towards the nursing career. It trains a person to be a certified nurse without obtaining the bachelor’s degree. The associate nursing degree leaves you with a good chance to stand out once you approach your bachelor’s degree in nursing.
You can choose to take an associate nursing degree through a campus-based college or with the help of an online college. An online nursing degree is very convenient especially if you are working. You can complete the course without disturbing your daily schedule. If you are self-motivated and hard working you can manage to complete your degree in the shortest period. An online degree proves very beneficial as it gives you a lot of flexibility. You can finish the nursing course without disturbing your daily routine. You can continue working and giving more time for the family, you can plan your time accordingly and study for the course.
The online associate nursing degree gives you a benefit of attending the online classes any time and from any place with an Internet connection. During these online classes you can ask your questions and get your quires sorted out. Due to this advantage, online nursing degree is gaining a lot of popularity. An associate nursing degree acts as a foundation for a brighter future in the medical field.
An associate nursing degree will enable you to work in any hospital, any other nursing facility or under any doctor. When you get your higher degree, your chances of getting a better job increase due to the nursing degree. This degree will make your base strong and you have a clear and a better idea of nursing once you finish the degree.
The associate nursing degree acts like a ladder for your career graph and prepares you for the National Council of Licensure Examination for registered nurses. The associate degree has two different programs. One program is designed for those who do not have any knowledge of the medical or nursing background and the other program is for the licensed practicing nurses. The licensed practicing nurses are the ones who have a prior nursing experience.
Hundreds of nurses obtain associate nursing degree every year, due to the rise in the demand for nurses. Nurses enjoy a good salary and are able to help those in pain. A nursing degree will fetch you a job at an entry level with the salary ranging from $40,000 to $45,000 annually. Many hospitals and companies offer tuition reimbursement benefits once you become a registered nurse with the associate nursing degree. You can use this benefit when you plan to do your BSN Bachelor of Science in Nursing by completing the RN-to-BSN program. BSN will boost your nursing career and help you earn more.
ANTHONY
Aug
27
Nursing, the Next 10 Years, a Brief Overview
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Craig Elliott asked:
General Outlook for Nurses
The outlook for individuals considering entering the nursing field is excellent. Registered nurses, or RN’s, make up the largest number of health care workers in the country. In addition, registered nurses will make up one of the fasted growing population of workers in all occupations over the next ten years.
Many registered nurses begin their career in the hospital setting. This allows the nurse to become familiar with various branches of medicine. While there is a demand for hospital nurses, this area of nursing will remain relatively level over the next ten years.
Many healthcare experts predict a surge in demand for registered nurses in the home health care setting. As Americans live longer, have more disposable income, and desire to remain home, nurses that can oversee care and treatment in the home setting will become increasingly valuable.
Another area of nursing that will see a surge in growth is with nurses who continue their education with Master’s level work. With the rising cost of healthcare many families are using nurse practitioners and nurse midwives as a replacement for their primary care physician.
Hospitals, also, are realizing the cost saving benefit of highly trained nurses, and many employ nurse anesthetists, clinical nursing specialists, and nurse practitioners to keep their costs under control.
Not a Registered Nurse?
Job prospects for licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, while positive, are not as strong as those of registered nurses. Licensed practical nurses will continue to be in demand, particular in hospital and long term care facilities.
Many licensed practical nurses continue their schooling to become RNs while employed. The responsibilities of an RN are greater, but they also include more opportunities. RNs typically supervise LPN in a clinical setting, and the greater skill level allows the RN more job options.
RN or BSN?
The schooling necessary to become a registered nurse can be completed in anywhere from two to four years. The coursework is very intensive and involves many clinical hours. A program completed in less that four years, however, will leave you with an RN, not a BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing. An RN is fully qualified to do all the duties required of a registered nurse, depending on the state. Obviously, the addition of a bachelor degree has many benefits.
An RN with a bachelor’s degree in nursing is at an advantage when administrative positions open up in a hospital or clinical setting. In fact, due to the degree of federal and state oversight on healthcare facilities, many require a BSN for administrative, case management, and supervisory positions.
If you are considering working on your Master’s degree, either as a nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, or to teach, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree. While not all programs will mandate that your bachelor’s must be in nursing, it is certainly helpful.
Considering a Career Switch?
Nursing is an excellent opportunity for individuals looking to move into a different career. With the high demand for nurses, many potential employees, particularly hospitals, will pay for most or all of your schooling. Even if you must foot the bills for your education initially, signing bonuses, combined with the near guarantee of a job upon graduation, takes much of the risk out of a career switch.
Another attractive fact concerning the nursing profession is the attractive tuition reimbursement plans offered by many employers. These offers, combined with the flexible shift scheduling available at many hospitals and care facilities make it possible to go from a LPN, to RN, to RN with BSN and on to acquiring a master’s in your desired specialty without hefty student loans or a disruption of your income.
The Future of Nursing
Clearly all nursing professions will continue to grow over the next ten years. Nursing is an excellent career choice for those who wish to make a good income, have a flexible schedule, and continue their education. While the hours can be long, and the work physical, a quality nurse should never find themselves without their choice of jobs.
While long hours and the physical demands of the job may scare some people off, many others are attracted to the flexibility, the fast paced environment, and the ability to help others. For those concerned about the rigors of a nursing career, there are many positions available in private doctor’s offices, public schools, and other lower stress environments. Nursing, whether in a clinical setting or administrative is a job in great demand.
ROB
General Outlook for Nurses
The outlook for individuals considering entering the nursing field is excellent. Registered nurses, or RN’s, make up the largest number of health care workers in the country. In addition, registered nurses will make up one of the fasted growing population of workers in all occupations over the next ten years.
Many registered nurses begin their career in the hospital setting. This allows the nurse to become familiar with various branches of medicine. While there is a demand for hospital nurses, this area of nursing will remain relatively level over the next ten years.
Many healthcare experts predict a surge in demand for registered nurses in the home health care setting. As Americans live longer, have more disposable income, and desire to remain home, nurses that can oversee care and treatment in the home setting will become increasingly valuable.
Another area of nursing that will see a surge in growth is with nurses who continue their education with Master’s level work. With the rising cost of healthcare many families are using nurse practitioners and nurse midwives as a replacement for their primary care physician.
Hospitals, also, are realizing the cost saving benefit of highly trained nurses, and many employ nurse anesthetists, clinical nursing specialists, and nurse practitioners to keep their costs under control.
Not a Registered Nurse?
Job prospects for licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, while positive, are not as strong as those of registered nurses. Licensed practical nurses will continue to be in demand, particular in hospital and long term care facilities.
Many licensed practical nurses continue their schooling to become RNs while employed. The responsibilities of an RN are greater, but they also include more opportunities. RNs typically supervise LPN in a clinical setting, and the greater skill level allows the RN more job options.
RN or BSN?
The schooling necessary to become a registered nurse can be completed in anywhere from two to four years. The coursework is very intensive and involves many clinical hours. A program completed in less that four years, however, will leave you with an RN, not a BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing. An RN is fully qualified to do all the duties required of a registered nurse, depending on the state. Obviously, the addition of a bachelor degree has many benefits.
An RN with a bachelor’s degree in nursing is at an advantage when administrative positions open up in a hospital or clinical setting. In fact, due to the degree of federal and state oversight on healthcare facilities, many require a BSN for administrative, case management, and supervisory positions.
If you are considering working on your Master’s degree, either as a nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner, or to teach, you are required to have a bachelor’s degree. While not all programs will mandate that your bachelor’s must be in nursing, it is certainly helpful.
Considering a Career Switch?
Nursing is an excellent opportunity for individuals looking to move into a different career. With the high demand for nurses, many potential employees, particularly hospitals, will pay for most or all of your schooling. Even if you must foot the bills for your education initially, signing bonuses, combined with the near guarantee of a job upon graduation, takes much of the risk out of a career switch.
Another attractive fact concerning the nursing profession is the attractive tuition reimbursement plans offered by many employers. These offers, combined with the flexible shift scheduling available at many hospitals and care facilities make it possible to go from a LPN, to RN, to RN with BSN and on to acquiring a master’s in your desired specialty without hefty student loans or a disruption of your income.
The Future of Nursing
Clearly all nursing professions will continue to grow over the next ten years. Nursing is an excellent career choice for those who wish to make a good income, have a flexible schedule, and continue their education. While the hours can be long, and the work physical, a quality nurse should never find themselves without their choice of jobs.
While long hours and the physical demands of the job may scare some people off, many others are attracted to the flexibility, the fast paced environment, and the ability to help others. For those concerned about the rigors of a nursing career, there are many positions available in private doctor’s offices, public schools, and other lower stress environments. Nursing, whether in a clinical setting or administrative is a job in great demand.
ROB
Aug
13
Eight Types of Nurses
Filed Under Careers | Comments Off
A Nutt asked:
Nurses are respected and valued members of the medical community. They play a critical role in the health care field. Although the medical field is made up of many types of nurses, they are all exciting and rewarding careers. The following list outlines many types of nursing careers:
- Registered Nurse (RN): Registered Nurses work in almost all areas of the health care profession. They perform many tasks that include: administering treatments such as medications, performing certain medical procedures, monitoring vital signs, advising and supporting patients, educating patients about medical conditions, and keep families up-to-date on a patient’s status. Registered Nurses can specialize in certain medical areas
- Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA): Certified Nurse Assistants are also known as nurses’ aides, patient care technicians, home health aides, and home health assistants. CNAs are employed in a number of health care fields. They work in hospitals, nursing homes, private homes, and adult living homes. CNAs perform a number of duties that include: monitoring health such as recording a patients temperature, pulse, and respiration, helping patients eat, bathe, and dress, helping patients walk, keeping patients rooms in order, providing nutritious meals, answering patients’ call bells, and making beds. They may also help patients to exam rooms and even assist with simple procedures. CNAs report to a Registered Nurse.
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Although Licensed Practical Nurses have less training than Registered Nurses, they are employed in all areas of health care. They work in hospitals, nursing homes, and medical clinics. LPNs perform such duties as monitoring a patient’s overall condition, giving injections, recording vital signs, and applying dressings. They will also assist patients with personal hygiene and report any treatment reactions
- Critical Care Nurse: A Critical Care Nurse works with seriously injured and ill patients in the hospital. This type of nurse works in the ICU (intensive care unit) or CCU (critical care unit). Their job is to care for patients who are being treated for serious and life-threatening illnesses.
- Travel Nurse: A Travel Nurse is a nurse that travels to different areas and provides short term support when there is a nurse shortage. They will fill in when a full time nurse goes on maternity leave, during peak work times, if a nurse has a long term illness, or if a nurse is on an extended vacation. There assignments are short term but they are highly paid. An assignment usually runs for about 13 weeks. Travel Nurses often work in hospitals and medical clinics. Employers will provide many benefits such as free housing and health insurance.
- Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN): Theses nurses perform the same job function as licensed practical nurses. LVNs provide certain medical services such as giving enemas, treating bedsores, bandaging wounds, and recording vitals. They also assist patients with bathing and dressing.
- Public Health Nurse (PHN): These nurses are registered nurses who have specialized in community health. They often go to community centers, homes, and schools where they assist individuals and families with health concerns. They work with community organizers regarding health related issues. They also perform the same duties as registered nurses.
- Nurse Practitioner: A Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse who has specialized training and education which allows them to carry out many tasks normally performed by a doctor. Such tasks include diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries. Some states allow practical nurses to write prescriptions.
These are just a few of the more popular areas of nursing. Nurses are on the front lines of health care and are usually the first people patients meet when faced with a health issue. Nurses provide valuable support for patients and their families making them an indispensable part of the health care community.
ORLANDO
Nurses are respected and valued members of the medical community. They play a critical role in the health care field. Although the medical field is made up of many types of nurses, they are all exciting and rewarding careers. The following list outlines many types of nursing careers:
- Registered Nurse (RN): Registered Nurses work in almost all areas of the health care profession. They perform many tasks that include: administering treatments such as medications, performing certain medical procedures, monitoring vital signs, advising and supporting patients, educating patients about medical conditions, and keep families up-to-date on a patient’s status. Registered Nurses can specialize in certain medical areas
- Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA): Certified Nurse Assistants are also known as nurses’ aides, patient care technicians, home health aides, and home health assistants. CNAs are employed in a number of health care fields. They work in hospitals, nursing homes, private homes, and adult living homes. CNAs perform a number of duties that include: monitoring health such as recording a patients temperature, pulse, and respiration, helping patients eat, bathe, and dress, helping patients walk, keeping patients rooms in order, providing nutritious meals, answering patients’ call bells, and making beds. They may also help patients to exam rooms and even assist with simple procedures. CNAs report to a Registered Nurse.
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Although Licensed Practical Nurses have less training than Registered Nurses, they are employed in all areas of health care. They work in hospitals, nursing homes, and medical clinics. LPNs perform such duties as monitoring a patient’s overall condition, giving injections, recording vital signs, and applying dressings. They will also assist patients with personal hygiene and report any treatment reactions
- Critical Care Nurse: A Critical Care Nurse works with seriously injured and ill patients in the hospital. This type of nurse works in the ICU (intensive care unit) or CCU (critical care unit). Their job is to care for patients who are being treated for serious and life-threatening illnesses.
- Travel Nurse: A Travel Nurse is a nurse that travels to different areas and provides short term support when there is a nurse shortage. They will fill in when a full time nurse goes on maternity leave, during peak work times, if a nurse has a long term illness, or if a nurse is on an extended vacation. There assignments are short term but they are highly paid. An assignment usually runs for about 13 weeks. Travel Nurses often work in hospitals and medical clinics. Employers will provide many benefits such as free housing and health insurance.
- Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN): Theses nurses perform the same job function as licensed practical nurses. LVNs provide certain medical services such as giving enemas, treating bedsores, bandaging wounds, and recording vitals. They also assist patients with bathing and dressing.
- Public Health Nurse (PHN): These nurses are registered nurses who have specialized in community health. They often go to community centers, homes, and schools where they assist individuals and families with health concerns. They work with community organizers regarding health related issues. They also perform the same duties as registered nurses.
- Nurse Practitioner: A Nurse Practitioner is a registered nurse who has specialized training and education which allows them to carry out many tasks normally performed by a doctor. Such tasks include diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries. Some states allow practical nurses to write prescriptions.
These are just a few of the more popular areas of nursing. Nurses are on the front lines of health care and are usually the first people patients meet when faced with a health issue. Nurses provide valuable support for patients and their families making them an indispensable part of the health care community.
ORLANDO
Aug
8
Make Money as an Independent Nurse
Filed Under Careers | Comments Off
Kris Koonar asked:
Nursing has always been considered to be a noble profession. Nurses selflessly provide care, counseling and guidance to not just the ailing member, but also to the family members so that they can cope with the illness and live more comfortably.
Generally, the work in the nursing industry, till a few years back was of a typical nature. The nurse worked her shift in the hospital until she retired, received an average income and earned the stipulated holidays. The growing American economy has caught up in the health care sector too. The fact that there is an alarming shortage of nurses is not hidden. A great imbalance in the demand and supply of individuals in the nursing profession has lead to the boom in the nursing sector.
In the present times, nurses have ample of opportunities to grow. There are a number of options available today that may rejuvenate the nursing career, effectively overcoming the disproportionate income as compared to the long hours and dedication to the work they put in. A nurse can easily make a lot of money and live comfortably by diversifying. There are many opportunities like becoming an independent nursing contractor, starting your own nursing agency, nursing registry, nurse staffing agency etc. The options for increasing your income are endless.
As an independent nurse contractor, the nurse has the choice of the place and amount of hours to work for, giving professional independence and a significant income. As an independent nurse, you have to enter into a contractual agreement which would be drawn between you and the health care establishment for nursing services. The contract enables you to negotiate the hours of work, duration of your services and compensation. An independent nurse usually contracts with a health care establishment or with a patient, and is compensated by the hour.
The different types of health care establishments an independent nurse can opt for are nursing homes, hospitals, doctor’s offices, nurse consultancy, home health, rehabilitation centers etc. Independent nurse contracting gives the opportunity to double or triple income without working overtime, enhance job satisfaction and gain a better control over career and financial conditions.
With the ever increasing shortage of qualified nurses, the nursing registry industry is growing by leaps and bounds. This area in nursing provides limitless opportunities. In order to start your nursing agency, all you need is the willingness and passion for being self employed is needed. There are many ready made packages available that can help start this business. These packages provide marketing strategies, administrative targets, organizational structure, nurse checklist forms, competency forms etc. The demand for good nursing care is huge and ever increasing, ensuring handsome profits.
Even on a smaller scale a nurse can start a nurse staffing agency as she or he works and earn a lot of money. By providing a registry for even two full time nurses, an earning of about $100,000, can be made, which is more than the annual salary drawn by a typical nurse!!! It is therefore advisable to diversify and bank on the booming nursing industry and make the millions now!
CLAYTON
Nursing has always been considered to be a noble profession. Nurses selflessly provide care, counseling and guidance to not just the ailing member, but also to the family members so that they can cope with the illness and live more comfortably.
Generally, the work in the nursing industry, till a few years back was of a typical nature. The nurse worked her shift in the hospital until she retired, received an average income and earned the stipulated holidays. The growing American economy has caught up in the health care sector too. The fact that there is an alarming shortage of nurses is not hidden. A great imbalance in the demand and supply of individuals in the nursing profession has lead to the boom in the nursing sector.
In the present times, nurses have ample of opportunities to grow. There are a number of options available today that may rejuvenate the nursing career, effectively overcoming the disproportionate income as compared to the long hours and dedication to the work they put in. A nurse can easily make a lot of money and live comfortably by diversifying. There are many opportunities like becoming an independent nursing contractor, starting your own nursing agency, nursing registry, nurse staffing agency etc. The options for increasing your income are endless.
As an independent nurse contractor, the nurse has the choice of the place and amount of hours to work for, giving professional independence and a significant income. As an independent nurse, you have to enter into a contractual agreement which would be drawn between you and the health care establishment for nursing services. The contract enables you to negotiate the hours of work, duration of your services and compensation. An independent nurse usually contracts with a health care establishment or with a patient, and is compensated by the hour.
The different types of health care establishments an independent nurse can opt for are nursing homes, hospitals, doctor’s offices, nurse consultancy, home health, rehabilitation centers etc. Independent nurse contracting gives the opportunity to double or triple income without working overtime, enhance job satisfaction and gain a better control over career and financial conditions.
With the ever increasing shortage of qualified nurses, the nursing registry industry is growing by leaps and bounds. This area in nursing provides limitless opportunities. In order to start your nursing agency, all you need is the willingness and passion for being self employed is needed. There are many ready made packages available that can help start this business. These packages provide marketing strategies, administrative targets, organizational structure, nurse checklist forms, competency forms etc. The demand for good nursing care is huge and ever increasing, ensuring handsome profits.
Even on a smaller scale a nurse can start a nurse staffing agency as she or he works and earn a lot of money. By providing a registry for even two full time nurses, an earning of about $100,000, can be made, which is more than the annual salary drawn by a typical nurse!!! It is therefore advisable to diversify and bank on the booming nursing industry and make the millions now!
CLAYTON