Hospital Nurses form the largest group of nurses.
Most are staff nurses, who provide bedside nursing care and
carry out medical regimens. They also may supervise licensed
practical nurses and nursing aides. Hospital nurses usually
are assigned to one department, such as surgery, maternity,
pediatrics, the emergency room, intensive care, or the treatment
of cancer patients. Some may rotate among departments.
· Office nurses care for outpatients in physicians’
offices, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and emergency
medical centers. They prepare patients for, and assist with,
examinations; administer injections and medications; dress
wounds and incisions; assist with minor surgery; and maintain
records. Some also perform routine laboratory and office work.
· Nursing care facility nurses manage care for residents
with conditions ranging from a fracture to Alzheimer’s
disease. Although they often spend much of their time on administrative
and supervisory tasks, RNs also assess residents’ health,
develop treatment plans, supervise licensed practical nurses
and nursing aides, and perform invasive procedures, such as
starting intravenous fluids. They also work in specialty-care
departments, such as long-term rehabilitation units for patients
with strokes and head injuries.
· Home health nurses provide nursing services to patients
at home. RNs assess patients’ home environments and
instruct patients and their families. Home health nurses care
for a broad range of patients, such as those recovering from
illnesses and accidents, cancer, and childbirth. They must
be able to work independently and may supervise home health
aides.
· Public health nurses work in government and private
agencies, including clinics, schools, retirement communities,
and other community settings. They focus on populations, working
with individuals, groups, and families to improve the overall
health of communities. They also work with communities to
help plan and implement programs. Public health nurses instruct
individuals, families, and other groups regarding health issues
such as preventive care, nutrition, and childcare. They arrange
for immunizations, blood pressure testing, and other health
screening. These nurses also work with community leaders,
teachers, parents, and physicians in community health education.
· Occupational health nurses, also called industrial
nurses, provide nursing care at worksites to employees, customers,
and others with injuries and illnesses. They give emergency
care, prepare accident reports, and arrange for further care
if necessary. They also offer health counseling, conduct health
examinations and inoculations, and assess work environments
to identify potential or actual health problems.
· Head nurses or nurse supervisors direct nursing activities,
primarily in hospitals. They plan work schedules and assign
duties to nurses and aides, provide or arrange for training,
and visit patients to observe nurses and to ensure that the
patients receive proper care. They also may ensure that records
are maintained and equipment and supplies are ordered.
· At the advanced level, nurse practitioners provide
basic, primary healthcare. They diagnose and treat common
acute illnesses and injuries. Nurse practitioners also can
prescribe medications—but certification and licensing
requirements vary by State. Other advanced practice nurses
include clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse
anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives. Advanced practice
nurses must meet educational and clinical practice requirements
beyond the basic nursing education and licensing required
of all RNs.
· Clinical Nurse Specialists are advanced practice
nurses who provide expert clinical care to patients, facilitate
research to improve patient outcomes and are often responsible
for staff nurse education.
· Hospice Nurses are nurses who care for dying clients
and families whose loved ones are diagnosed with a terminal
illness.
· Nurse Anesthetists is a nurse with an advanced degree
who administer anesthesia to patients during procedures.
· Nurse Executives are members of senior leadership
teams.
· Forensic Nurses assist the police with evidence recovery.
They work in ED or are contracted by law enforcement.
· Legal Nurse Consultants are nurses who assist attorneys
in gathering evidence in law suits.
· Case Managers work as consultants or for insurance
companies, workers compensation companies, or large organizations
to organize and manage healthcare needs of customer.
· Wound Care Ostomy Nurses are specially trained to
consult on difficult to manage wounds and to provide ostomy
training for clients.
· Nurse Educator works in schools of nursing to mentor
student nurses.
Employment
Information
·
Nursing constitutes the largest healthcare occupation with 2.3
million jobs in 2002 (US Department of Labor, 2004).
· Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations
reports that over 126,000 nursing positions are unfilled in
hospitals (NLN 2004).
· Nurse shortages are even greater in acute long term
car organizations and home healthcare agencies nationwide.
· More new jobs are expected to be created for nurses
than for any other occupation. Through 2012.
· Employment in hospitals, the largest sector, is expected
to grow more slowly than in most other healthcare sectors.
· An increasing proportion of sophisticated procedures,
which once were performed only in hospitals, are being performed
in physicians’ offices and in outpatient care centers,
such as freestanding ambulatory surgical and emergency centers.
Accordingly, employment is expected to grow faster than average
in these places as healthcare in general expands.
· Employment in nursing care facilities is expected to
grow faster than average due to increases in the number of elderly,
many of whom require long-term care.
· Employment in home healthcare is expected to increase
rapidly in response to the growing number of older persons with
functional disabilities, consumer preference for care in the
home, and technological advances that make it possible to bring
increasingly complex treatments into the home.
