Different Types of Nursing Jobs
Nursing careers provide so many options for people who want to enter the health career field.
There are many different paths for nurses to take as they develop in their careers, and each position is unique and utilizes the skills that nurses have gained in school and on the field in various ways. Nursing specializations also provide individual career paths for nurses.
Nursing Specializations
Registered nurses can work in emergency rooms and hospitals. In these positions, the ER nurse will help to keep patients alive after a fatal accident or prepare patients for emergency surgery. They will assist doctors in performing life-saving procedures, as well as handling long-term care for emergency room patients, including blood work and IVs, administering medication, and more.
Nurses who specialize in the maternity ward will care for both mothers and infants. This might include bathing babies or feeding formula or milk. Caring for premature babies is also part of the job description. Pediatric nurses will work in the children’s ward at a hospital and take care of the children who have come to the hospital for healthcare.
Geriatric nurses will work in hospitals, nursing homes, home health care, and senior living centers. These nurses will work with elderly and disabled patients with a focus on preventative care. They assist with pain management, help to rehabilitate patients after an injury, provide bathing and bedsore prevention, and do routine checkups on their patients.
Case management nurses help to provide long-term care for patients, such as those with HIV/AIDS or other chronic illnesses. These nurses often work in hospitals and clinics. Coordinating doctor appointments and scheduling surgeries is a part of this particular nursing job. Case management nurses care for patients in and out of the hospital with the goal of helping their patients be as healthy as possible.
Endless Opportunities
Your opportunities are endless once you become a nurse. Higher-level nursing positions, such as family nurse practitioner or certified nurse practitioner, require a BSN and MSN in nursing, and qualify nurses to diagnose ailments and prescribe medication. You can begin your career as a nurse with an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN).
