Career Options For Registered Nurses (RNs)

by JLGerardo
In a corporate world, fresh graduate hirees begin at the bottom of the hierarchal ladder in the company. They settle with entry-level jobs. As these recruits gain experiences, they get promoted and rise from the ranks. Then with dedication and hard work, they become department heads, managers, rising all the way to being top-level executive officers of the company.
Not so with registered nurses. But this does not mean that RNs have no career options. The fact is, they do. Today, hospital nurses like you can choose from a wide variety of jobs that suit your lifestyles.
Here are some exciting career choices:

1.) NURSE-PRACTITIONER
As a nurse-practitioner, you perform some doctors’ tasks. You examine patients and make prescriptions. As N.P. you deal with illnesses and offer health-related advices. But you’ve got to have advance training for this job—too often a master’s degree, and work under the supervision of a competent doctor.

2.) TRAUMA NURSE
As a trauma nurse, you work closely with doctors in dealing with patients under life-threatening conditions in emergency rooms or intensive care units. The job demands the highest degree of professionalism and skills honed through years of training. As such, trauma nursing involves a lot of stress. But there’s some distinct perks, too. You enjoy excellent pay, as well as personal satisfaction of having contributed to the recovery of patients.

3.) OB-GYN NURSE
As the term suggests, ob-gyn nursing focuses only on conditions and illness that afflict female reproductive system. This includes pregnancy, childbirth, menopausal aberrations, and a host of other issues.

4.) PEDIATRIC NURSING
As a pediatric nurse, your patients are mostly babies and children. You will provide nursing care for these youngsters who are confined in private rooms or in pediatric wards of the hospital.

5.) NURSE ANESTHESIOLOGIST
Basically, you will administer anesthesia to patients about to undergo surgical procedures. You need a master’s degree and some advance training for this one. It’s a specialized job. And it offers the highest paying salary in the nursing career.

6.) CARDIAC CARE NURSE
As the term suggests, you will provide nursing care to patients suffering from heart attack, stroke, and other ailments. Usually, you will work and assist doctors as they perform delicate surgical operations like angioplasty, heart bypass, etc…

7.) EMERGENCY NURSE
The job demands that you work with patients ushered into emergency rooms. From a woman who gives birth while in a taxi to a victim of stabbing incident then to patient run over by a vehicle. These life threatening cases become your day-to-day routine. You need to be alert, cool, and quick.

8.) PSYCHIATRIC NURSING
You will deal with patients who have unbalanced emotional and mental issues. It needs thorough understanding of the subject matter. Only a handful RNs select this career option because of the great amount of stress involved.

9.) RADIOLOGY NURSING
As a radiology nurse, you will take perform medical imaging duties like conducting X-ray test, ultrasound, and other related technical work. Only a few RNs go for this job.

10.) RESPIRATORY NURSING
Respiratory nurses work with patients having breathing difficulties and lung problems. You should know how to operate breathing machines for this work.

11.) ONCOLOGY NURSING
Cancer remains as the most deadly disease, and medical science is implementing the necessary steps to deal with this problem. Your primary duty as an oncology nurse is to administer chemotherapy sessions to cancer patients. At the supervision of a doctor, you will also provide counsel and conduct information-dissemination campaigns on cancer treatment and prevention.

12.) CASE-MANAGER NURSE
You have to manage the schedule, the dosage and frequency of prescribed medicines as well as the medical appointments of a particular patient undergoing long-term, multiple treatment. As a case manager nurse, you will usually work with only one patient in your entire shift. You will keep track of his or her condition.

These are just a few of nursing-related career options for RNs. As mentioned earlier, you decide what works best for you. Consider your talents, skills and your lifestyle so you can choose the career option that best fit your long-term goals.