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Nursing Jobs

As the population ages and health care options increase, the need for nursing professionals will continue to grow. There are many settings in which nursing skills and credentials are in demand beyond hospitals, including nursing homes and senior facilities, doctors offices, and clinics. Whether one chooses to become a registered nurse (RN), go even further as a nurse practitioner, or parlay nursing skills into a career as a legal nurse consultant, at the core, this career in caring has a healthy prognosis.

Some choose to get started in nursing by becoming a nursing aide. Nursing aides help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as assistance with cleaning, bathing, toileting, dressing, eating, and other activities of daily living. Nursing aides typically need a postsecondary certificate or award from their high school, community college, vocational/technical school, hospital, or nursing home. They must also pass a state competency exam.

Another option is to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN). LPNs and LVNs provide basic medical care such as monitoring patients health and administering basic patient care. LPNs and LVNs must complete a state-approved postsecondary certificate program through their high school, community college, technical school, or hospital, which usually takes a year. After earning a certificate, prospective LPNs and LVNs must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) to get a license to work as an LPN or LVN.

The most common and lucrative option is to become a registered nurse (RN). RNs provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and family members. You can become an RN by earning a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN), an associate degree in nursing (ADN), or a diploma from an approved nursing program. RNs must also become licensed by passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). With a master of science in nursing degree (MSN), RNs can become advanced practice registered nurses (clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, or nurse practitioners) to go even further in their career.