What is an RN - What is a Registered Nurse? (2023)

A registered nurse is a health professional licensed by the state to provide and coordinate patient care after receiving specialized education and passing a national comprehensive test (NCLEX-RN). RNs work in a wide range of direct patient care roles and can specialize in any area of ​​healthcare today. They may also work in health education and consulting roles outside of the clinical setting.

For the past two decades, polling firm Gallup has been asking Americans which occupations they trust most as part of its annual Social Series poll. And once again, the most recent results showed that the same profession ranked first in each of these surveys: nursing.

Registered nurses receive high marks for their ethics and honesty from nearly 90% of Americans. This is a kind of consistency and kind of praise that says everything you need to know about the kind of respect registered nurses deserve.

Almost everyone has been under the care of a nurse or has seen a loved one cared for by a nurse at some point in their lives. So that respect was earned directly and personally. The level of individual attention, dedication and compassion that they offer to patients and families can really leave an impression on people.

With high salaries, enormous respect, and the wide availability of a huge and exciting variety of jobs, registered nursing is an exciting career choice.

If it's one you're considering, read on to see what a registered nurse does and what she does at work every day.

The RN Job Description: What Are Registered Nurse Jobs Really?

Understand the unique role of registered nurses compared to other types of nurses

How to become a registered nurse in 4 steps

• 1. Get the right education to become a registered nurse
• 2. Pass the NCLEX and get your registered nursing license
• 3. Get a job as a registered nurse
• 4. Keep your registered nurse license up to date

The RN Job Description: What Are Registered Nurse Jobs Really?

Registered nurses are best known for the vital work they do in direct patient care. As diverse and specialized as this type of work is, their experience doesn't stop there. As a fundamental part of all aspects of the American healthcare system, it is impossible to narrow down to a single job description that fits all the roles they play.

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You'll find RNs in roles you never imagined: legal nurse consultant, nurse information specialist, clinical administrator, nutrition and fitness nurse, or transplant coordinator, just to name a few.

The wide variety of jobs available in nursing can draw nurses from across the country into all specialty fields of healthcare, not to mention research and policy work.

But it is true that the vast majority of nurses work in direct patient care, even if it encompasses all kinds of specialized functions. In general, you can think of a typical job description for a nurse that includes responsibilities for:

• Evaluate and prioritize patient care needs
• Monitoring of patient status and vital signs
• Update of medical records.
• Preparation of daily care plans.
• Carry out treatment and administer medications in accordance with medical prescriptions.
• Communicate with families of patients.
• Coordinate care among specialists

Along the way, they offer care, support, confidentiality, and a holistic approach to health that no other doctor or medical specialty can offer.

What is the scope of practice of the registered nurse?

The scope of practice describes the professional and legal description of the types of services that a registered nurse can perform. These rules are implemented through a combination of state laws and more specific regulations set bystate boards of nursing. They draw clear lines between exactly what tasks and services are allowed for a doctor, nurse practitioner or advanced practice nurse. Who does it treat, how can it treat them and even when and where they are part of the RN's scope of action.

A scope of practice can be extremely detailed. You'll find them outlining your duty of care, obligations after treatment begins, and the qualifications you need to perform procedures like airway insertion or decompression of a tension pneumothorax.

Due to the way the scope of nursing practice is defined, it is not completely identical from state to state. You are expected to learn the rules of the state in which you are licensed and practicing.

What are some registered nursing jobs at home?

If you're just starting to explore the idea of ​​remote registered nurse jobs, you're definitely not alone. Considering all the different types of jobs RNs can fill, combined with the rapid shift to remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, you'll find plenty of options if you're looking for work-at-home jobs for RNs.

This can include many jobs that were traditionally done in person. RNs now handle intake screening over the phone in many locations and offer quick consultations that keep people out of ERs and urgent care centers, all without leaving the comfort of their living rooms.

RNs can also remotely monitor patient telemetry, whether for people who are also in their own homes and need special care, or for those in inpatient units who require constant care.

There are also a growing number of RN jobs in computer science, the specialty area that deals with organizing, storing, and analyzing medical information online. In a field that is already fully computerized, it's easy to find jobs that can be done from anywhere with Internet access.

Understand the unique role of registered nurses compared to other types of nurses

In fact, the term "nurse" is used as shorthand for any type of nurse, from licensed practical nurses to professional nurses. There is a wide range of different levels of education and responsibilities involved.

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Registered nurses are a specific type of nurse, however, with their own type of license and capabilities.

With several different nursing classifications, it can be helpful to understand what an RN is by clarifying which nursing professions are included in the RN designation:

What are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs)?

• LPN and LVN are NOT registered nurses. They typically work under the supervision of RNs as well as physicians and APRNs. They are qualified through LVN/LPH certification programs and by passing the NCLEX-PN exam. Only a few states offer LPN and LVN licenses, and while the scope of practice varies from state to state, it is always much more restrictive than the scope of practice for RNs.

What is a Certified Nursing Assistant/Assistant?

• CNAs are NOT registered nurses. They work under the supervision of RN and LPN/LVN. CNAs typically have a high school diploma, complete a CNA certification program, and pass a state proficiency exam. CNAs' scope of practice is generally limited to providing patients with the basic needs of care, transportation, and daily exercise routines.

What is an APRN?

• APRNs ARE registered nurses with specialized training and advanced skills that allow them to take cases independently of physicians and rely on their own medical judgment in diagnosis and treatment. They must have a master's degree or higher and have previously been licensed as an RN before becoming an APRN.

What are registered nursing specialties?

Modern healthcare technology has come a long way since Florence Nightingale began training nurses. All the different specializations in medicine come along with corresponding specializations in nursing. Everything from pediatrics to oncology, and even combinations like pediatric oncology. If you have an interest in a specific area of ​​patient care, you will find an RN role to fit: critical and intensive care, cardiology, emergency, endocrinology, forensics, palliative and hospice care, infection control, nephrology, orthopedics. , public health, perioperative, radiology, rehabilitation and the list goes on. Each of these roles requires nurses with specialized training and experience. This specialization allows us to offer the best possible service to the most complex cases, using the most modern investigations and techniques.

Skilled nursing can offer higher salaries than general nursing positions. However, it is also subject to higher standards of education and training. Specialties can also restrict the type of patients you'll work with... geriatric specialists will never end up working with children, for example.

How to become a registered nurse in 4 steps

Registered nursing is a popular and rewarding career, but it's not always easy to get started. This skill and trust that the public places in nurses must be learned and earned. And once you get it, you have to work hard to keep it. Healthcare is constantly evolving and nurses need to keep up with this evolution.

1. Get the right education to become a registered nurse

Your first step will be to get the specialized education you need to become a registered nurse. She not only needs this training to pass the important NCLEX-RN exam for licensure, but also to become a competent and well-rounded patient care provider.

Is it necessary to consider accreditation when obtaining a nursing degree?

Nursing is a highly specialized field that requires a carefully crafted curriculum and the right kind of instructors and educational support to assure licensing agencies and employers that you know what you're doing. To ensure you're enrolled in such a quality program, you'll need to choose one that has specialty accreditation from theAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)or theCollegiate Commission for Nursing Education (CCNE).

Most students applying to a university in the United States for the first time do not have to think much about accreditation. All the two-year and four-year colleges you've heard of probably have general accreditation from an accrediting agency recognized by the Department of Education, which means they have all the basic standards needed to offer legitimate degrees.

But these two organizations offer a more specialized and in-depth review of course types, instructor quality, and resource availability in nursing programs. That's why state boards of nursing often require you to graduate from an accredited program to qualify for licensure.

ACEN accredits all undergraduate nursing levels, while CCNE only offers accreditation for bachelor's and master's degrees.

What type of course do you study in nursing education programs?

All registered nurses need the same fundamental knowledge to start their careers. This means that no matter what type of program you apply to qualify as an RN, you will be taught classes on topics such as:

• Pathophysiology and diagnostics –A basic understanding of disease mechanisms and symptoms is crucial for all types of registered nurses. Your classes in these topics will include general anatomy, body systems, and human life cycle development. You will learn how they work together and how they break down in the event of injury or illness. Just as important, you'll learn basic diagnostic approaches to understanding what's going wrong, from taking a blood pressure reading to administering advanced lab tests.
• Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy –Many modern medical treatments revolve around the use of drugs. Although only doctors or advanced practitioners can prescribe these medications, nurses are often the ones who actually administer them. RNs serve as an important final safety check on drug therapies, so they must learn the dangers of interactions and the proper ways to inject or dispense pharmaceuticals to patients.
• Community and Population Health –One of the big differences between nurses and doctors in their approaches to health care is the holistic perspective nurses take when assessing and caring for patients. Understanding how health reflects what is happening in a given community is an important part of this. All RNs receive some level of instruction in vital public health issues, learn how social trends can influence diet and exercise, as well as spot the warning signs of emerging communicable diseases.
• Outpatient care -Nurses act as the transition point for patients moving between the inpatient and outpatient settings. They are also often asked to be the main point of contact and provide most services for outpatient procedures. You can expect any nursing degree to come with a course that teaches you how to communicate with patients, provide home care instruction, and manage the demands of outpatient care.
• Practical care skills -The meat and potatoes on your plates will be the basics: how to apply a bandage, take a temperature, draw blood. Little tips and tricks that help you tap a vein on the first try or open a package of nasal cannula without creating a hopeless tangle of tubes are the sorts of things he'll cover in these classes. They will also address the essentials of nursing, individual care and attention to detail, and the personal considerations that truly provide the nursing touch.

The more advanced your degree, the more you'll delve into the details of these topics and also study associated materials such as:

• psychosocial nursing
• health equity
• health informatics
• Health systems and policies
• interprofessional practice

Fully accredited programs are also required to include hands-on clinical experience as part of the degree courses. This results in hands-on internships in real healthcare settings where you will first observe current RNs at work. Eventually, you too will practice what you have seen and learned on real patients. It is an essential part of practical nursing education.

What education is required to become a registered nurse?

The degree level you choose to earn your nursing license will largely depend on where you see yourself taking your career. While you don't have to choose the right path when enrolling, you can get an idea of ​​what kind of education you'll eventually need by understanding how different types of nursing degrees affect your life in the short and long term. career prospects.

Bachelor's Degree in Registered Nursing/Bachelor's Degree in Registered Nurse Associate

An ADN (Bachelor's Degree in Nursing) offers a two-year fast track to earning your license. These degrees focus almost entirely on basic nursing skills and give you the knowledge you need to pass the NCLEX-RN. And not only is it two years faster than the next fastest option, it's also considerably cheaper. This makes the membership path accessible to many people who might not otherwise become an RN. And associate degrees are often transferable, so you can still come back and complete your BSN later.

How to become a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree

You can become an RN with just an associate's degree, but bachelor's degree programs are increasingly becoming the standard for registered nurses across the country. The BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, doubles the amount of education you receive. It also goes beyond the basics of nursing. You pass the same type of general college courses that any undergraduate program requires, giving you better communication skills, leadership, and cultural competency. More and more entry-level nursing positions are looking for BSN-prepared candidates. They are also faster and more likely to rise to managerial positions.

Becoming a Master's Specialist or Advanced Registered Nurse

A Master of Nursing, the mighty MSN, is most closely associated with advanced practice registered nursing, but is also an option for RNs who want to advance their careers to higher levels of practice or management. An MSN adds to expert-level research and instruction in a variety of nursing specialty areas.

Are you interested in becoming anurse administrator? An MSN can give you the kind of organizational and management skills you need to be very competitive in these types of jobs. You may want to pursue nursing informatics or public health nursing. These are complicated, highly technical jobs that really benefit from the type of advanced classes you'll take in a master's program.

of course onemaster's degree in nursing is a pathway to advanced practice licensure, further. MSN gives you the advanced practical care skills to make decisions normally reserved only for doctors and to independently care for patients and prescribe drugs in many states.

Should You Consider a PhD in Nursing as a Registered Nurse Entering Advanced Practice?

A practice-focused DNP is certainly worth considering as a path to advanced practice nursing, and for many it is an obvious choice over MSN. Several years ago, there was some momentum behind the idea that the DNP should become the new minimum standard for NPs and other advanced practice nurses. That momentum has been somewhat dampened by simply setting a fairly high entry standard at a time when the country is already struggling with a shortage of advanced professionals. A DNP is not required to become a registered nurse or other APRN, but it is still a powerful move to obtain one.

At the absolute level of the nursing profession, you will find nurses who are also physicians: Doctors of Nursing.

It's not as confusing as it seems. A doctorate, or PhD, is the most advanced degree awarded in any field. You'll also hear this called the terminal degree, as it represents the end of the line in education for the field. In nursing, it involves an additional three or more years of study, with more in-depth coursework and more independent research in a specialization of your choice.

PhDs in nursing come in two main varieties, and it's important to understand the difference.

• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) –DNP degrees are practice-focused degrees that omit much theory in favor of more practical clinical leadership skills. For this reason, they are intended entirely for advanced practice registered nurses and clinical leadership. The change in the field is to make the DNP the standard credential to qualify as a registered nurse. This means that you will find that DNPs focus on one of the specialty areas of advanced practice nursing and cover a lot of ground in practical clinical diagnosis and treatment, with less research and theory than the DNS or PhD.

Then you have the more traditional, theory-based, and research-intensive options:

• Doctor of Nursing Philosophy (PhD) –A doctorate is considered the standard level of preparation for nurses who want to enter academic or research positions in nursing. It is highly research-focused, with an emphasis on producing graduates who can become professional educators or develop original thinking and scientific evidence to support nursing practice.
• Doctor of Nursing Sciences/Doctor of Nursing Sciences (DNS/DSN) –The DNS or DSN PhD is much less common these days than a PhD or DNP. It is a professional degree, which means it is intended for senior nurses who want to further their education and credentials to take on management and leadership roles in healthcare. The program includes research and hands-on training, with the goal of solving real-world problems and developing leadership talent in graduates.

A PhD puts you in the upper echelon of registered nurses.

A PhD in nursing is a solid option if you want to become a professor, lead physician, or nurse executive in healthcare organizations.

Some nursing doctors also end up in government or non-profit organizations developing health policy at the highest levels of the country.

2. Pass the NCLEX and get your registered nursing license

Although all registered nursing licenses are issued by individual states, each state uses the same key test to determine your eligibility: the National Council Licensing Examination, or NCLEX. The NCLEX-RN is a standardized online test based on practical nursing skills and knowledge, divided into four main parts:

• Safe and effective care environment
  • care management
  • Safety and Infection Control
• Promotion and maintenance of health
• Psychosocial integrity
• physiological integrity
  • Basic Care and Comfort
  • Pharmacological and parental therapies
  • Reduced risk potential
  • physiological adaptation

As it is an adaptable online test, there is no fixed number of questions. You can get between 75 and 145 multiple choice questions depending on how you answer the questions above. The entire test must be completed in four hours.

After passing the NCLEX-RN, you will be able to apply to the state board of nursing for a license. You'll need to give them your mock exam, education test, and generally pass a criminal background check along the way.

3. Get a job as a registered nurse

Once you have your state registered nursing license in hand, you can really open up all the options that nursing allows. Even after going through nursing school, you probably won't understand how many different things you can do with a nursing license. And you may just have advice on how the job can be lucrative and fulfilling.

Nurses work wherever human beings live and work. Your practical and adaptable health skills will always be in demand. And the ways that they can use these skills means that there are thousands of different types of specializations and environments that you can work in as an RN.

Where do registered nurses work?

Because there are so many nursing specialties and so many industries that can use the professional knowledge of registered nurses, you can find them working in all sorts of unlikely places.

However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most nursing jobs are concentrated in these five industries:

• General Medicine and Surgical Hospitals
• medical consultants
• home health services
• Outpatient care centers
• nursing care facilities

RN Salary - What is the Salary of a Registered Nurse?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for registered nurses in 2020 was $75,330. Of course, this number is affected by many different factors, including:

• Education Level
• Years of experience
• Specialization
• Region
• Industry

The BLS also breaks down salary by industry. In 2020, the medians in the different sectors where NRs are commonly employed were:

• Government - $84,490
• State, local and private hospitals – $76,840
• Outpatient Health Services - $72,340
• Nursing and residential care facilities - $68,450
• Educational Services – $64,630

Senior level nurses are small but earn considerably more. In 2020, the top ten percent of the profession earned more than $116,230.

What is the job outlook of a registered nurse?

You've probably heard a lot about the shortage of qualified registered nurses in the United States over the past few decades. The reality is more complicated. In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services released a report estimating that at least seven states will have an RN shortfall of more than 10,000 positions, while at least four will have a nursing surplus of that number or more.

Therefore, your job prospects as a nurse may depend a lot on where you choose to practice after you graduate from college.

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According to the BLS, the projected rate of job growth for registered general nurses will reach 7% between 2019 and 2029, a faster rate than the average job increase nationwide.

4. Keep your registered nurse license up to date

Health in general and nursing in particular are areas in constant transformation. She may have learned all the fundamentals she needed in her undergraduate nursing program, but in a few years, those skills could be on par with leeching patients as a form of therapy.

This means that you must stay current to maintain the license. Each state requires that your RN license be renewed in a set period, usually two years.

During these two years, you are expected to take continuing education courses or undertake other activities that will keep your skills up to the level of modern scientific health. In California, for example, every RN must complete at least 30 continuing education contact hours to renew their license.

It can't be any old online course either. Most states require that you obtain your hours through a state-approved continuing education provider. But so will most, except for accredited college courses, with a certain number of semester credit units counting toward a specified number of contact hours.

You can also earn your CE through teaching once you reach a level where this is possible. In other cases, you may count conference presentations or research papers to which you contribute.

The real goal is to ensure that nurses are always up to date and equipped with the latest information to benefit their patients.

No matter what specialized training RNs have or add to their portfolio, the most important tool they bring to the job will always be their own empathy. Caring for patients on a deep individual level is something every nurse can offer and almost no one else in the medical field thinks about. Registered nurses are likely to be the most trusted profession in the country for decades to come, with their unique blend of empathy and expertise.

RNs can also remotely monitor patient telemetry, whether for individuals who are also in their own homes and need special care, or for those in inpatient units who require constant care." } },{ "@ type": "Question", " name": "What are Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs)?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", " text": "LPN and LVN are NOT registered nurses. They typically work under the supervision of RNs as well as physicians and APRNs. They are qualified through LVN/LPH certification programs and by passing the NCLEX-PN exam. Only a few states offer LPN and LVN licenses and while the scope of practice varies from state to state, it is always much more restrictive than the scope of practice for RNs." } },{ "@type": " Question" , " name": "What is a Certified Nursing Assistant/Assistant?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "CNAs are NOT registered nurses. They work under the supervision of RN and LPN/LVN. CNAs typically have a high school diploma, complete a CNA certification program, and pass a state proficiency exam. CNAs' scope of practice is generally limited to providing patients with the basic needs of care, transportation, and daily exercise routines." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is an APRN?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "APRNs ARE registered nurses with specialized training and advanced skills that allow them to take cases independently of doctors and trust their own judgment physician in diagnosis and treatment. They must have a master's degree or higher and already be licensed as an RN before becoming an APRN." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are registered nursing specializations?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "All the different medical specializations come along with corresponding nursing specializations. Everything from pediatrics to oncology, and even combinations like pediatric oncology. If you have an interest in a specific area of ​​patient care, you will find an RN role to fit: critical and intensive care, cardiology, emergency, endocrinology, forensics, palliative and hospice care, infection control, nephrology, orthopedics. , public health, perioperative, radiology, rehabilitation and the list goes on. Each of these roles requires nurses with specialized training and experience." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Should you consider accreditation when earning a nursing degree?", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Nursing is a highly specialized field that requires a carefully crafted curriculum and the right kind of instructors and educational support to ensure that licensing agencies and employers know what to do . To ensure you're enrolled in such a quality program, you'll need to choose one that has specialty accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Nursing Education (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). ." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What type of course do you study in nursing education programs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", " text ": "All registered nurses need the same basic knowledge to start their careers. This means that no matter what type of program you apply to qualify as an RN, you will be taught classes on topics such as:

• Pathophysiology and diagnosis • Pharmacology and pharmacotherapy • Community and population health • Ambulatory care • Practical care skills" } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Should consider a PhD in Nursing as a Nurse Practitioner Registered in Course In Advanced Practice?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A practice-focused NPD is absolutely worth considering as a path to advanced nursing practice and, for many, it's an obvious choice over MSN. Several years ago, there was some momentum behind the idea that the DNP should become the new minimum standard for NPs and other advanced practice nurses. That momentum has been somewhat dampened by simply setting a fairly high entry standard at a time when the country is already struggling with a shortage of advanced professionals. A DNP isn't required to become a registered nurse or other APRN, but it's still a powerful move to get one." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "Where do nurses work registered? ", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Because there are so many nursing specialties and industries that can use the professional knowledge of registered nurses, you can find them working in all kinds of unlikely places." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What are the most unusual nursing jobs?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text " : "Hyperbaric nurse specialists work with pressure-related injuries and treatments. They work with specialized equipment designed to operate in various atmospheres of pressure, sometimes with exotic gases. They may monitor or treat deep-sea divers who work and live in these environments and deal with emergencies that arise under the sea. It is definitely a unique setting for a healthcare practice!

Going in the other direction are the flight nurses. They specialize in caring for patients in flight, often in transit between facilities, or working with pilots or other airmen who have their own special needs and healthcare challenges.

Or, if a different kind of high piques your interest, there's always the emerging field of the cannabis nurse. With the emergence of medical marijuana as a legitimate treatment for a wide range of ailments, from chronic pain to anxiety, legitimate RNs are needed to consult and monitor this unique patient population." } },{ "@type ": "Question " , "name": "RN Salary - What is the salary of a Registered Nurse?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "According to the Bureau of Statistics Labor, Median Yearly Salary for Registered Nurses in 2020 was $75,330. The BLS also breaks down salary by industry. In 2020, the medians in the different sectors where NRs are commonly employed were:

• Government: $84,490 • State, local and private hospitals: $76,840 • Ambulatory health services: $72,340 • Nursing and residential facilities: $68,450 • Educational services: $64,630

Senior level nurses are small but earn considerably more. In 2020, the top ten percent of the profession earned more than $116,230." } },{ "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the job outlook for a registered nurse?", " acceptAnswer ": { " @type": "Answer", "text": "According to the BLS, the projected job growth rate for general RNs will reach 7% between 2019 and 2029, a faster rate than the average increase of jobs across the country." } } ]}