Registered Nurses : Job Responsibilities, Education & Work Environment

Career opportunities for nurses await not only in hospitals, doctor's offices and patients' homes, but outside patient care as well. Nurses work directly with and look after patients. But the nurses' career is not limited to patient care alone. Nurse informatics and legal nurse consulting are the other job options available for registered nurses who wish to work outside patient care. In nurse informatics, nurses need to assist other nurses to get accessibility and utilize the computerized information. Legal nurse consulting careers require nurses to work with lawyers. There is a continuous demand for vast number of nurses in patient care. While working with patients, nurses can also choose to do specialization right from neonatology to hospice care.

There are some smart specialties for candidates aspiring to become nurses. The job positions of nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetist are also some of the preferred career options for nurses in the healthcare industry. Working as a nurse practitioner, the nurse would be functioning more like a physician's assistants, providing direct patient care. On the other hand, nurse anesthetists have become a much preferred option for healthcare providers in order to save money spent on hiring anesthesiologists (who earn as high as $300,000 annually).

Nurses' Roles & Responsibilities
Generalist nurses who work at community hospitals need to look after a wide range of patients. They are required to report at the general medical or surgical ward. Responsibilities of registered nurses include promote the patient's health, prevent diseases and help patients in the treatment of their illnesses. Many times when the nurse is not sure what to do, they can consult the physicians and the specialist nurses at the hospital. While working at hospitals, nurses keep patients under keen observation and record the illness symptoms as well as the improvements in a patient's health and report it to the physicians. Not only that, nurses also function as assistants to physicians during surgeries and other treatments. Registered nurses are also required to work out nursing care plans and provide patients with necessary instructions.

The largest group of nurses is comprised of hospital nurses. Licensed practical nurses work under the supervision of these hospital nurses. Usually, hospital nurses are assigned specific hospital departments which may include maternity, pediatrics, surgery, intensive care, emergency room etc. There are other nurses who have the responsibility of functioning in multiple departments. Office nurses perform their patient care work at the physician's office. The everyday job responsibilities of nurses may vary depending on where they work. Nurses' job responsibilities may also include routine laboratory work, office work, assistance in minor surgery and keeping records.

Education & Training
Though a bachelor's degree in nursing is required for career advancement and multiple job opportunities, a 2-year hospital or community college program is the basic requirement to acquire entry level job positions in nursing. Candidates who aspire to become nurse practitioners or nurse anesthetist should obtain a master's degree in nursing. There are a number of community colleges that offer two year associate of science degree programs, which help candidate kick start their career in the field of nursing. T acquire nursing license, students need to graduate from an approved nursing program and then sit for the national licensing examination in their state.

Work Environment & Job/Employment Opportunities
Mostly, nurses work in the well-lit and comfortable environment of healthcare facilities. While working as home health nurses or public health nurses, they would need to travel to patients' homes and community centers among others. Hospital nurses would be working even at weekends, on holidays and during nights, as hospitals and nursing facilities provide patient care round the clock. Occupational health nurses usually work for the standard business hours.

Depending on where they take up the job, registered nurses can be classified into multiple categories. Besides becoming hospital nurses, these professionals can work as office nurses (at physician's office), home health nurses, nursing care facility nurses, public health nurses, occupational health nurses, head nurses and nurse practitioners among others. Employment growth rate for the job of registered nurses is quite good and expected to grow even more through to the year 2012. Requirement for registered nurses in nursing healthcare facilities and home healthcare is continuously increasing. Nurses with advance education can avail of greater job and career opportunities.

Annual Salary
Registered nurses can earn an annual salary ranging between $54,500 and $76,100. As nurses grow in experience and skill, they can also choose to specialize in a specific field and earn a higher salary. Nurses carrying experience of eight years or more earn a median annual salary of around $60,200.