Sunday, February 17, 2008


Want a career that is not only in extremely high demand, but can be high-paying and flexible? Want a career where being able to change your working environment or primary field focus is always a possibility? Then maybe you should consider pursuing a career path in the diverse and incredibly broad field of nursing (there are over 100 fields in nursing!). Most people have little or almost no knowledge about the potentially rewarding benefits of nursing, thus have no interest whatsoever (Nurses in Demand, 2008). Due to the stereotypical images, ideas, and even roles in currently popular TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy, nursing is sometimes viewed as a lower job specifically designed to mindlessly assist doctors by simply taking their orders. However, this is a misconception! Not only do nurses possess strong leadership skills which place them in positions to make many important decisions, but their skills are highly valued and respected (Cardillo, 2003).

Because nursing staff is limited in many situations, hospitals are desperately seeking nurses to work overtime for extra benefits and compensation due to the serious shortage. Nursing is a highly academic and essential profession requiring specialized training and education, ranging from an associate degree all the way up to a doctorate degree in the field (Bridges, 1990). Overall compensation tends to increase the more education a nurse attains. Furthermore, location can play a role in salary, especially in locations that are extremely short staffed, such as California (Nursing Salaries, 2002).



Critical Care Nursing

Are you talented with technology? Do you possess strong communication skills? In critical care nursing, the use of sufficient technology enables nurses to constantly monitor a patient's condition. This requires, as one would have guessed, highly analytic and critical thinking skills suited to assess the most appropriate method of action, especially in emergency situations. In terms of preparation for this level of work, RN education is mandatory (2 year education at a minimum) along with other training preparation or certification. However, some hospitals prefer nurses who possess a BSN degree (4 year education) (Novotny, et al., 2003). One must be an effective communicator when dealing with patients as well as their concerned family members, since the critical care specialty involves direct, one on one contact with others (About Critical Care Nursing, 2006). Critical care nurses work in hospitals as part of a multidisciplinary team of physicians, therapists and other nurses. The employment outlook is extremely high and promising for this specialty (Novotny, et al., 2003).


Work in the Intensive Care Unit (Hadassah, 2008)


Read more.




Oncology Nursing

Those interested in caring for cancer patients can decide to enter oncology nursing. Strong knowledge of disease stages and formation of cancer in humans is essential to the adequate care of those suffering
. Again, good interpersonal skills are as important in this specialty as they are in most other nursing fields, since one must be highly tolerant and sympathetic towards patient's suffering and flexible to deal with the various levels of emergency settings. Furthermore, oncology nurses work on units in hospital settings. However, one can also work in a more private care setting, such as in home care service (Novotny, et al., 2003). RN's with a Baccalaureate degree combined with expertise in cancer care can further their education by achieving a master's degree in advanced oncology nursing. As in almost any nursing specialty, the job outlook is high in oncology nursing (Career Profiles: Oncology Nurse, 2007).

Learn more!




Advanced Practice Nursing

One of the most popular and rewarding careers in nursing is advanced practice nursing (APN). An APN can become a nurse practitioner and provide a broad range of services, including diagnosis and treatment of various illnesses and injuries, counseling, monitoring healing, conducting physical examinations, providing for overall maintenance of health, and much more. In a sense, nurse practitioners perform many of the same functions as physicians, often working side by side with them (What is a Nurse Practitioner? 1998-2008). These nurses possess extremely high leadership skills essential for making many independent decisions on behalf of patients. In addition, there is almost no limit to where they can choose to work and what types of patients they choose to work with, whether it be men, women, children, or elderly patients. A minimum of a master's degree in nursing is mandatory in order to pursue this career path. Of course, compensation depends on location as do other nursing specialties. However, nurse practitioners are in fact some of the highest paid nurses (Nurse Practitioner FAQ, 2006).


Nurse Practitioners (Nursing Spectrum, 2008)


Pediatric Nursing

Do you love working with children? Do not look any further. Health care in America is in need of more pediatric nurses. Just the sudden word of a trip to the doctor can frighten a child tremendously. Therefore, it is the duty of the pediatric nurse to alleviate alarmed children while attending to their needs. As a pediatric nurse, knowing how to communicate with a child based on their developmental level, as well as utilizing the correct tools appropriate for that level, is extremely important (Paton, 2007). Another important characteristic is the ability to stay calm and patient with children (Novotny, et al., 2006). Pediatric nurses have the flexibility to choose from a variety of settings in which to work, whether it be in a hospital, clinic, other facility, or home care setting. RN preparation is mandatory for this field. However, a BSN may be preferred in certain situations (Paton, 2007).


Wow, You've Sure Got Moves! (The Yale School of Nursing, 2003)

Wondering if this could be for you? Here are some FAQs as well as some more inside scoop about the world of pediatric care.



Mental Health Nursing

Do you want to assist those suffering from mental illness? Mental health nurses work with a variety of patients, ranging from children to adults. A mental health nurse could work in a multitude of places including a patient’s home, a residential unit, or a private hospital. Their main goals are not only to treat patients, but to also assist them in coping with neurologic or mental illnesses (Mental Health Nurse, 2008). Mental health nurses work with psychiatrists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other health professionals to deliver care. Additionally, these nurses must possess strong interpersonal skills in order to successfully establish trust with their patients as well as a healthy and supportive relationship (Milsom 2008)


Counseling from a Nurse, You Ask? (Cardiff, 2007)


Find out more on what it takes!



Research in Nursing

Are you interested in enhancing the science of nursing through research? Nurse researchers may not necessarily work in hospitals or provide direct care for patients, but they do play a vital role in our world. Their work involves research that is intended to improve the health of the community as a whole. This job can involve work in a variety of areas, including pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, and educational institutions. A nurse researcher can have the role of a clinical data coordinator, a clinical researcher, or a nursing professor (Careers in Nursing, 2004). In fact, a main reason why the shortage of nurses continues to exist is due to a lack of teachers in nursing programs (Powers, 2007). Superior analytical, observational, and writing skills are essential in order to successfully flourish in this career path. Such distinguished skills require a doctorate degree in preparation. The salary of a nurse researcher varies with the place of employment, and the overall job outlook is high (Novotny, et al., 2006).

Still curious? Get all the facts!



Revisiting Reasons to Explore Nursing

Think about the shortage of nurses... Think about who will provide care for your family if they were in need of serious help... Enjoying the many benefits and rewards of nursing can become a reality sooner than you think! If you are passionate about helping others and enjoy knowing at the end of the day that your work has dramatically changed, or even saved someone's life, you may hold the power to become a nurse.


Operating Room Nurses (Start A Staff Nursing Agency, 2007)




REFERENCES:

Milsom, J. (2008, January 10). Are You Ready to Meet the Challenges of Mental Health Nursing? The University of York, Department of Health Sciences. Retrieved January 20, 2008, from http://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/ugrad/mentalhealth.htm.

Careers in Nursing. (2004). Students' Corner. Retrieved January 19, 2008, from http://www.nursingspectrum.com/StudentsCorner/CareersInNursing/CareerAlternatives/RN.htm.

Mental Health Nurse: Job Description and Activities. (2008). Prospects. Retrieved January 18, 2008, from http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Explore_types_of_jobs/Types_of_Job/p!eipaL?state=showocc&pageno=1&idno=189

Novotny, J.M., Lippman, D.T., Sanders, N.K., & Fitzpatrick, J.J. (2003). 101 Careers in Nursing. New York: Springer Publishing Compary, Inc.

Nurses in Demand. (2008, January 24). Chronicle-Tribune. Retrieved January 19, 2008, from

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080124/NEWS03/80124004/1002/NEWS01.


Nursing Salaries. (2002). All Nursing Schools. Retrieved January 20, 2008, from http://www.allnursingschools.com/faqs/salaries.php.

Bridges, J. M. (1990). Literature Review on the Images of the Nurse and Nursing in the Media. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 13(2), 15.


About Critical Care Nursing. (2006). American Association of Critical-Care Nursing. Retrieved January 22, 2008, from http://www.aacn.org/AACN/mrkt.nsf/vwdoc/AboutCriticalCareNursing.

Career Profiles: Oncology Nurse. (2007). St. John Health. Retrieved January 23, 2008, from http://www.stjohn.org/CareerProfiles/oncnur/.

What is a Nurse Practitioner? (1998-2008). Women's Health Channel. Retrieved January 25, 2008, from http://www.womenshealthchannel.com/nursepractitioner.shtml.

Nurse Practitioner FAQ. (2006, November 6). NP Central. Retrieved January 25, 2008, from http://www.npcentral.net/consumer/npfaq.shtml.

Pediatric Nurse. (2007). Nursing Spectrum. Retrieved January 26, 2008, from http://www.nursingspectrum.com/studentscorner/careersinnursing/Specialties/PED.htm.

Nursing Shortage Serious for Seniors (2005, April 5). Senior Health. Retrieved January 26, 2008, from http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/prevention/a/nurse_shortage.htm.

Powers, E. (2007). The Nursing Education Dilemma. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved January 26, 2008, from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/06/22/nursing.

Paton, E.A. (2000). Pediatric Nursing FAQ. Retrieved January 27, 2008, from http://www.pediatricnursing.com/faq.html#14.

Cardillo, D. (2003). Just a Nurse? No Such Thing. CampusRn. Retrieved February 16, 2008, from http://www.campusrn.com/students/article.asp?news_id=889.