Registered Nurse (RN)

QUALIFICATIONS

A certificate, high school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma, or Associate’s degree in nursing involving 15 months to 2 years of clinical instruction-based “Registered Nursing and Healthcare” study and practice credit hours with credentials and certifications accredited by a nationally recognized certifying body, such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB), the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) , and must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) exams administered by them to become a Licenced Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC), AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) and so on; combined with Nursing – On the Job Training (OJT) programs, Apprenticeships, Nursing Healthcare Workforce Job Training or Experience; that include topics and nursing practice covering anatomy and physiology, microbiology, nutrition, patient-care, biochemistry, psychology, medical conditions, prescription drug administration, nursing skills, non-invasive procedures, and medical equipment etc.; reporting and documentation standards, professional ethics, and health information technology.

AVERAGE HOURLY PAY
(Credits: www.payscale.com)

PROJECTED GROWTH
(Credits: www.bls.gov)

Registered Nurse is an extremely fulfilling career, in which employment is projected to grow at a steady 7 percent from 2019 to 2029.

SKILLS/ TRAITS NEEDED

Besides good nursing skills, equipment/ body systems, and organ function knowledge, the Registered Nurse must be professional, ethical, “patient-centric”, proactive, agile, and alert with a high degree of patience, perseverance and have great listening, interpersonal, communication skills, compassion, caring, empathy, dexterity, time management & prioritization; and most importantly be extremely flexible and committed to performing the Registered Nurse duties and responsibilities. They are expected to be “patient-centered” and comforting, having a good working knowledge of medical terminology, expertise in Nursing, first aid, bandaging, injecting, chair-side, operation theater, and surgical assistance; with knowledge of medical devices, reading, interpreting, and reporting medical findings and progress, besides the administration of prescription drugs and procedures; be self-organized, and liaise & report effectively and efficiently with the Medical Team and the patient’s household taking necessary precautions, comforting, and following the health protocols for the good health, fitness, well being, and safety of the patients.

WORK FUNCTIONS

Registered Nurses assist and provide patients with the necessary treatment and care for various illnesses or medical conditions. Typically, Nursing involves, administering medication, bandaging, injecting, first aid, chair-side or bedside assistance, monitoring a patient’s recovery and progress, and keeping the doctor or physician informed about the patient’s health status, participating in medical emergencies, etc. Besides, Registered Nurses also educate patients and their families on disease prevention and provide post-hospital treatment. They examine, analyze, perform preliminary clinical assessments and prepare relevant medical reports providing operation-theater and surgical assistance, helping the doctor diagnose and treat various medical conditions. Allied responsibilities include explaining the diagnostic procedure to and comforting the patient, identifying, and interpreting normal and abnormal technical findings; maintaining the medical records, medical equipment, and supplies, addressing problems and inquiries from the patient, and managing the department. They work at hospitals, clinics, homes, schools, etc., and can be specializing in areas like cardiac care, midwifery, labor and delivery, geriatrics, pediatrics, emergency nursing, and family practice. They may be needed to work in shifts.