Education to Career

Ambulance sirens, helicopters arriving, doctors and nurses rushing towards the patients are sounds often heard. From the exciting birth of a baby in labor and delivery to keeping track of critical care patients is what my life awaits. Standing in the middle of all this action is a nurse, and what a nursing student's future holds.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics RN or Registered Nurse's job description, they are those who attend patients by recording their medical histories and symptoms. Nurses administer patient's treatments and medications while starting lines of fluid, medication or blood. Nurses hold the largest healthcare occupation with 2.6 million jobs, 60 percent being in hospitals in 2008.(web) The Guide to Nursing Education and Career states that most registered nurses establish care plans or add to existing ones and then bring them to action depending on the patients state of health(web). Nurses are those who provide care for patients while doctors are not around, being the doctor's right hand man. The only down fall for this occupation would be having to be emotionally stable for any kind of emergency, human suffrage or an extra amount of stresses.

Explore Health Careers states the job outlook is excellent (web). The Bureau of Labor and Statistics says that even if job offers may be excellent, it can also depend on employer and geographical setting. There might be higher opportunities in Austin then there would be in Midland Texas. Employment for RN's is growing faster than average.(web) According to the Guide of Nursing Education and Careers there will be a vast amount of job openings in this field starting from 2006 through 2016. Projecting up to 587,000 jobs, a 23 percent increase from the past. Nurses make an average salary of $65,000, starting salary varying from 42 to 46 thousand. (Web)

Working environments for those pursuing this career plan would be healthcare facilities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that home and public nurses travel to patients, including homes, schools, community centers and other places. RN's may be exposed to diseases and other toxic harmful hazards, anything a patient can expose in the environment. Working hours may vary from where you work. Patients in hospitals require 24 hour care. Therefore those who work in these facilities may be required to work nights, weekends or holidays. They also may have to be on call from time to time. Those who work in schools or offices are not always have the same work hour requirements because these patients do not need 24 hour care.(web) Some nursing shifts in hospitals may be 12 hour shifts, depending on the departments and employers. Examples of these shifts may be 7 in the morning to 7 in the afternoon or vise versa, all depending on the hospital hours and arrangements.

To be a registered nurse, students can go through three educational path of a choice. Students can get a Bachelor's