Facts About Becoming a Registered Nurse
Congratulations on finding your life’s calling!
Becoming a registered nurse, or RN, is a rewarding career in which you will be able to utilize your education in everyday situations and help to save lives. Registered nurses can be found in hospitals, private care clinics, nursing homes, outpatient centers, emergency rooms, schools, and more. The career possibilities for a registered nurse are endless! Check out these facts about becoming an RN:
The registered nursing field is expected to grow 16 percent from 2014 to 2024. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is also a much faster growth rate than the growth rate average for all other occupations. Talk about some great news! Nurses are in high demand, and the employment numbers continue to prove it.
Registered nurses can have an associate’s degree (ADN) or a bachelor’s degree (BSN). You can start a career as a registered nurse just by completing an associate’s degree and obtaining the license in the state in which you intend to work as a registered nurse. Education and training are very important when becoming a registered nurse, so you’ll want to keep up on your licensure requirements and perhaps even further your education over time.
Registered nurses can enhance their nursing credentials with healthcare specializations. As a registered nurse, you can specialize in cardiac nursing, ambulatory nursing, critical care nursing, forensic nursing, geriatric nursing, midwifery, and many more! Registered nurses with specialized training are in high demand in hospitals and medical centers.
Patients will often interact with more registered nurses than they do physicians . This is due to the fact that registered nurses outnumber physicians. From intake to release, registered nurses provide the majority of the face-to-face health care for patients in hospitals and clinics. Becoming a registered nurse is a vital service in the health industry and important for the patients who need care.
Registered nurses will work a variety of schedules. Some registered nurses work only on the weekends or two long days throughout the week, while other registered nurses will work a traditional five-day workweek. Registered nurses will also sometimes work on rotating schedules, especially in high-traffic hospital environments.
