This article provides an overview of the career of nursing and the requirements to become a nurse. There are two types of nurses are discussed in this article: Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Licensed Professional Nurses (LVNs).

While the two positions are similar, there are substantial differences in educational requirements and job responsibilities. RNs are the largest of the two occupations and occupation of the largest healthcare in the United States with more than 2.3 million jobs. In contrast, there is a little more than 700000 LPNs in the United States.

This article summarizes the two nursing professions, their work duties, wage levels and employment prospects, as well as discuss the career skills needed, training, training requirements, and licensing requirements to become a nurse.
Job Duties

The LPN and RN jobs are very similar. They work in the same types of health facilities. Its functions can also be quite similar. In general, however, RNs have more responsibility and authority to make LPNs. Some of the most common job for RNs functions include:

* Providing direct care of patients included observe, assess and record symptoms and progress in patients.
* Helping doctors during surgeries, treatments and tests.
* Diagnosis and treatment of common diseases and injuries.
* Administration of medicines.
* Prescription drugs according to State certification and licensing requirements.
* Developing and implementing care plans.
* To educate patients about specific health care tasks and / or educate groups on measures to improve or maintain their health.
* To supervise LPNs and auxiliary nurses.
* To supervise the activities of nursing, planning work schedules, and assignment of duties. These activities are common for the head nurses or nurse supervisors, but not all nurses in general.

LPNs tend to handle more than basic health care needs of the patient, under the direction of doctors and RNs. The work features an LPN include:

* Basic bedside care and monitoring of patients, including the taking of vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration) and monitoring of food and fluid intake and output.
* Collecting samples for testing and testing laboratory routine.
* To help feed the patients.
* To help keep patients comfortable making massage or rubbing alcohol, and help with personal hygiene needs, such as bathing or dressing.
* The administration of medicines, and the start of intravenous fluids in the states where this allowed.
* Developing and implementing care plans.
* Supervising nurses assistants.

Many of the daily responsibilities of a nurse will be dictated by their specific job.

* Hospital nurses make up the largest group of nurses. Hospital nurses are often assigned to a department. They are responsible for bedside nursing care and carry out healthcare systems.
* Offices of nurses working in outpatient services, such as doctors, clinics, ambulatory care, surgical centers, and emergency medical centres. Its functions are geared more towards the preparation and attendance at examinations, the administration of medicines and injections, dressing of wounds, assisted by minor surgery, and maintenance records.
* Nurses working in the premises of nursing care to manage residents, ranging from those who are recovering from fractures or other disabling injuries, the elderly or people with Alzheimer’s disease. They evaluate and monitor the health of residents, and develop and monitor treatment plans. Their duties may also include a fair amount of administrative and supervisory work.
* Home health nurses provide nursing care to patients in their homes dealing with a very wide range of health issues.
* Public Health Nurses working in government, schools, clinics and other community settings where people tend to, working to improve the overall health of the community at large.
* Occupational health nurses working in the workplace. They give emergency care, prepare accident reports, and have more attention.
* Chief nursing or nurse supervisors manage nurses and auxiliary nurses. They plan work schedules and assign roles, deliver or arrange training, and observe the nurse / patient interactions. Also make sure that records are kept in an accurate and timely and may be responsible for ordering supplies.

Work Skills

Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job. Nurses must take care, sympathetic and capable of empathy with patients. They also need to be able to cope with the stress of critical and demanding situations and emotional stress of coping with sick, injured or even dying patients. Nurses call for good observation skills, communication skills and the ability to make decisions based on the assimilation and evaluation of information.

The nurses also need the ability of management to at least be able to manage the auxiliary nurses. Head nurses and nurse supervisors require more leadership and administrative skills and negotiating skills and, potentially, budgeting and financial skills.
Revenue

Since 2002, salaries for RNs were about $ 48090, with 10% earning more than $ 69670. Salaries of LPNs were about $ 31440 with 10% earning more than $ 44040. Earnings for nurses (RNs and LPNs) vary depending on the segment of industry with the median annual income for industries that employ the largest number of nurses are:
Industry median wage
The median wage RN
for LPN
Employment services $ 55,980 $ 40,550
Medical and surgical hospitals $ 49,190 $ 30,310
Home health services $ 45,890 $ 32,850
Doctors offices $ 44,870 $ 28,710
Nursing care services $ 43,850 $ 32,220

Many employers also offer nursing bonuses, flexible working hours, childcare, education and benefits. Nearly 1 in 5 RNs work part-time.
Training and education needed

LPN training programs last about 1 year and include both classroom study and supervised clinical practice (patient care). In 2002, there were approximately 1100 the state approved LPN training programs. Most LPNs get their technical training or vocational training centres. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require LPNs pass a licensing examination (NCLEX-PN-The National Council of State Boards of Nursing or NCSBN). LPN States require that the licenses are renewed. The deadline for renewal varies from state. Many states also have continuing education requirements as a condition for license renewal. States may also have another state for specific requirements. Those interested in becoming a LPN should contact the Board of Nursing to better understand their state licensing requirements.

The requirements for becoming a Registered Nurse are more stringent. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require that candidates obtain a Registered Nurse degree nursing program approved nursing. There are three ways of teaching that students can take to get a nursing degree:

1. A degree in nursing (BSN). Bachelor of Science degree in nursing programs generally take 4 years to complete. In 2002, there were 678 nursing schools in the United States that offer BSN degrees. There are also over 110 BSN accelerated programs for people who already have a bachelor’s or higher degree in another field. These programs typically lasts from 12 to 18 months.
2. An associate degree in nursing (AND). Associate Degree Nursing programs, which are often offered by community and junior colleges, take about 2 to 3 years to complete. In 2002, there were about 700 such programs in the United States.
3. A diploma. Diploma programmes are offered in hospitals and usually last about 3 years. There are only a small decrease in the number and of such programs.

Advancement opportunities tend to be larger for graduates of BSN programs. Many positions, such as nursing management positions require a bachelor’s degree in nursing science. There are RN-BSN programs that allow the practice of RNs to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing science, while the program are already working on the ground. Taking this path toward a bachelor’s degree in nursing science can allow an individual to benefit from the employer education programs for reimbursement.

Registered Nurse All programs require two classroom study and supervised clinical experience in hospital departments. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require RNs pass a licensing examination (NCLEX-RN-The National Council of State Boards of Nursing or NCSBN). Require State Registered Nurse licenses be renewed. The deadline for renewal varies from state. Many states also have continuing education requirements as a condition for license renewal. States may also have another state for specific requirements. Those interested in becoming a registered nurse should contact the Board of Nursing to better understand their state licensing requirements.

Increasingly, advanced degrees are becoming a requirement for those who are trying to level management positions nursing.

Many different colleges and universities provide the necessary training to become a nurse. A good list of such institutions can be found on this page from college and universities offering information on the Schools of Nursing and related forms of training.
Employment

A large number of people working as nurses in the United States. In 2002, there were 2.3 million registered nurses and about 702000 LPNs. Of these, the highest percentage of working in hospitals with nearly 60% of RNs and 26% of LPNs who work in hospitals. Other major employers include nursing facilities, nursing care, home health care services, and physician offices.
Outlook

Through most of the next decade, the need for LPNs is expected to grow as fast as the need for all other occupations. The prospects of medical information is more promising. For most of the next decade the need for RNs is very good with employment expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most new jobs are expected to be created for medical information than any other occupation.

The outlook for employment growth nursing not vary by industry segment. The growth segment of the industry can be expected as follows:

* Hospitals - Nursing employment growth in hospitals is expected to be slower than other sectors of the healthcare industry. It is expected that the number of jobs for the hospital LPNs actually declining.
* Hospital outpatient facilities - Services such as those that provide the same day surgery, rehabilitation, and chemotherapy is expected to see rapid growth in nursing jobs.
* Free-standing outpatient facilities and offices of doctors - As more sophisticated procedures are being conducted outside the traditional hospital setting, nursing employment growth in this segment is expected to be above average.
* Nursing care facilities - With the aging of the U.S. population, the availability of jobs in nursing care nursing is expected to grow rapidly.

In general, one can expect that the need for nurses to expand dramatically in the foreseeable future.