Nurse Career
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Nurse Job Description
Nurses are an integral part of a hospital set up. They are known for their capacity to handle several assignments simultaneously. They record patient information, administer drugs, collect blood samples, help patients and also assist with various other medical practices.
Nurses also have long work-hours, frequently at nights. A career as a nurse may mean a lot of stress, but, the vocation has fascinated a lot of people, since the earnings and benefits are quite liberal.
Nurses have also to provide help for most of the medical and surgical procedures. A nurse provides healthcare, first aid, immunizations and assistance during recuperation and rehabilitation at hospitals, healthcare centers, nursing homes and schools.
Nurse Skills/Duties
A nurse’s job is packed with innumerable challenges. A nurse could be providing assistance in a surgery one minute, and examining and monitoring patients the next minute. Whatever needs to be done in the hospital is most likely to be carried out by a nurse.
The duties of a nurse depend greatly on what they are actually allocated.
They assess a patient’s health problems and requirements, put in to practice nursing-care plans, and maintain medical records. They administer nursing care to the injured, ill, convalescent, recuperating or disabled patients. A nurse monitors all the aspects of patient-care, including diet and physical activity.
A nurse has to maintain precise, meticulous and detailed reports and records.
They have to supervise, register and report symptoms and changes in the patient’s condition. Importantly, they record the patient’s medical data and vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, etc.).
They also alter the patient’s treatment plans depending on his responses and conditions. A nurse consults and coordinates with physicians to appraise, design, implement and assess patient-care plans.
A critical-care nurse is assigned job in the I.C.U., where she supervises and cares for the patients, while an infusion nurse deals with blood administration, administering of I.V. medications and injections, and a psychiatric nurse works with psychiatrists in managing patients who have psychological/mental disorders.
Nurses prepare rooms, make instruments sterile, and take care of equipment and supplies.
They deliver babies and make available pre-natal and post-partum care under the obstetrician's direction. They administer local, intravenous, and other anesthetics.
Nurses also guide and oversee less skilled nursing / healthcare workers, or manage a specific unit / shift.
The job necessitates hectic work and very long hours, thus, a nurse needs to be patient, tolerant, and should be able to stay calm, despite stress and strain.
Nurse Education and Training
• There are 3 characteristic routes to Registered Nursing: a Bachelor's Of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN), an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), and a Diploma.
• BSN takes 4 years to complete. ADN programs take about 2 to 3 years to complete. Diploma programs take about 3 years.
• By and large, qualified graduates from any of these 3 educational programs are eligible for entry level nurse jobs.
• However, a Bachelor's degree grants greater experience/expertise in non-hospital settings. It is necessary for managerial / executive jobs, consulting, teaching and research.
• Accelerated Master's Degree in Nursing Programs also is available. They take 3-4 years to complete.
• Accelerated BSN programs take 12 - 18 months and provide the quickest path to a BSN for those who already hold a degree. MSN programs also are obtainable for those who have a Bachelor's degree or a higher degree in another field; Master’s degree takes 2 years.
• All the courses provide classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other healthcare set-ups. You have to take courses in physiology, anatomy, microbiology, nutrition, chemistry, psychology and nursing.
• Clinical know-how is provided in hospital departments such as psychiatry, pediatrics, maternity, and surgery.
• In all States, students must graduate from an accredited Nursing Program and must appear for a National Licensing Examination, known as the National Council Licensure Examination.
Nurse Job Outlook
The job and employment opportunity for nurses is growing tremendously. Job prospects through 2016 are anticipated to be brilliant.
Nurse Salary
On an average, nurses earn about $62,480 to $72,000, per year
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