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Nursing covers a wide area of practice. It includes

- Childcare
- Elderly care
- Services for pregnant women
- Services for newborn infants
- Specialty area – injury nursing
- Specialty area – cancer nursing
- Specialty area – forensic nursing

2. Choose Your Nursing Program

The first step to be a nurse is to graduate from a nursing program. This would enable you to take a state licensure examination. In the US, more than 1500 nursing programs are offered. Three of these programs prepare you in assuming different tasks once you graduate.

A. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
This is a four-year curriculum offered in colleges and universities. A graduate of this course has the advantage of learning health care settings that includes leadership and management. A degree in BSN is preferred and often required in many fields of nursing.

B. Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
This is a 2 to 3 year program offered in community college as well as in junior collages. This program prepares the student in handling direct patient care.

C. Hospital Diploma
This is a 2 to 3 year program that is based in hospitals.

3. Nursing Positions

Now that you’ve covered the basics, let’s take a closer look on some of the nursing positions you can occupy. These positions are based on your experience and education.

A. Entry-level nursing position
This is the Staff Nurse Position. The nurse takes on making judgments based on scientific knowledge. You have to rely on procedures and standardized care plans.

B. Certified Mid-wife
This is a specialty nurse position where the nurse aids childbearing women. It starts during the preconception stage and goes through the prenatal, labor and delivery. Postpartum period care is also included in her duties. The nurse also provides family planning counseling as well as gynecological care for women.

C. Case Manager
Over time, a nurse can become a nurse case manager. In this position, the nurse will be involved in the process of organizing as well as coordinating the resources and services of an entire group of nurses, such as an entire hospital.

D. Nurse Educator
This is also a position a nurse could get involved with. Educating people about proper health care needs and procedures would be the basic tasks for this position. A Nurse Practitioner on the other hand conducts physical exams on patients, conducts diagnoses and provides treatments. A nurse practitioner could also write prescriptions and could also manage patients with chronic conditions such as diabetics and those with hypertension.

E. Nurse Anesthetist
A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist assists during operations. They give anesthesia to the patients before and after the operation.

There are also various specialty nursing programs that would help you specialize in a specific area. Radiology Nursing, Rehabilitation Nursing, AIDS Care Nursing, and Forensic Nursing are few of these specialty areas. Radiology Nurses are concerned with patients that undergo diagnosis in radiology imaging environments. It also includes Ultrasonography, magnetic resonance and radiation oncology. Rehabilitation Nurses or Psychiatric Nurses takes on providing physical and emotional support both to the patient and their families. They deal with patients having mental incapacities. An AIDS Care Nurse manages the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of a patient suffering with AIDS. A Forensic Nurse works in a different environment with other nurses. They work with the law enforcement officials to help in the investigation of crimes like sexual assault and accidental death. They also help in the treatment of the victims of these crimes.

The field of nursing is full of great opportunities, and these following top 10 nursing careers have the best job outlook in the field. If you are in the process of completing nursing school or have recently graduated and received your license, you should definitely consider looking into these top 10 nursing careers and what they require.  

1.    Travel nursing

2.    Military nursing

3.    Forensic nursing

4.    Legal nurse consultant

5.    Surgical nursing

6.    Certified RN anesthetist

7.    Nurse practitioner

8.    Clinical nurse specialist

9.    Staff nurse

10.    Flight nurse

Travel nursing tops this list of the top 10 nursing careers because there are many towns and cities in the country and the world that are in desperate need of qualified nurses. Military nursing is another great opportunity that allows you to travel, and opportunities for further education and career enhancement will also be available to you. Forensic nursing is one of the top 10 nursing careers that deal with the law.  Forensic nurses work with law enforcement to collect evidence at crime and accident scenes. Legal nurse consultants also work in the field of law, typically with private attorneys and corporate lawyers.

Other top 10 nursing careers in this list deal with specific specialties, such as surgical nursing, which involves providing assistance to doctors during serious procedures like organ transplants and neurosurgery. Certified RN Anesthetists provide the same anesthesia services as an anesthesiologist.  Nurse practitioners have the opportunities to blend nursing and other healthcare services to provide primary and specialty in areas such as family practice, adult practice, women’s health, pediatrics, acute care, geriatrics, neonatology and mental health. All of these jobs require specialized schooling beyond the Bachelor of Science.

Flight nursing is involved in both emergency and non-emergency transportation of patients rather than long-term travel. Clinical Nurse Specialists are responsible for organizing and coordinating services and resources while controlling costs and they serve as clinical experts in diagnosing and treating illness.  And finally, there is the job of the staff nurse, which deals with making decisions based on scientific knowledge, health care procedures and standardized care plants.

In the United States, a PA, or a Physician’s Assistant, is a non-physician therapist, who is licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. In many cases, this supervision does not have to be direct and many Physician’s Assistants practice in distant and remote locations like satellite clinics.

Physician Assistants prescribe medicine and treat patients and in some places in the United States, they are given a DEA number that gives them the power to prescribe specific controlled medicines, such as narcotics. In surgical procedures, Physician Assistants act as first assists during a surgery. They also offer medical services, which are compensated by a third party insurance company or by Medicare.

How They Fare

In the year 2005, PA’s held around 64,000 jobs. The number of jobs available is greater in proportion with the number of practicing Physician Assistants, since some PA’s hold more than two jobs. For instance, many Physician Assistants work under a supervising physician and they also work in other clinics, hospitals or practice independently. According to the AAPA or the American Academy of Physician Assistants, in January 2006, there were almost 60,000 certified Physician Assistants practicing in clinics.

In 2005, over 50% of Physician Assistants were found to work in clinics and offices of physicians, either in osteopathic or allopathic practice. Almost 40% were hired by hospitals and the remaining few were engaged in nursing homes, prisons, The United States Department of Veterans Affairs, public health clinics, schools and home health care agencies. In addition, the AAPA states that almost 20% of all the Physician Assistants were found to provide health care to many rural communities.

Accredited Programs

In 2006, almost 150 accredited Physician Assistants Programs exist. One governing body, the ARC-PA or the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, accredits all these programs. Most of these programs are Master’s Degree programs, however, a few of them do provide undergraduate majors and graduate level training.

One governing body, the NCCPA or the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, grants the certification of a Physician Assistant.

Other Innovative Medical Careers

Physician Assistants and the Nurse Practitioners provide similar services. The only dissimilarity would be that Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses and have to undergo extensive training, more than the PA’s, and they have to obtain a Master’s Degree in nursing. They are also known as APC’s or Advanced Practice Clinicians or MLP’s or Mid-Level Practitioners.

Medical Assistants perform routine clerical and clinical tasks at any physician’s clinic. A Medical Assistant is a multifaceted healthcare practitioner, who is capable of performing a variety of laboratory and clinical procedures, along with certain administrative responsibilities. They are multi-skilled and versatile professionals. Their formal education takes place in community colleges, junior colleges, vocational or technical institutes or proprietary schools. The curriculum has to be accredited, if graduates plan on getting registered or certified. Accreditation requires that the school curriculum should offer classroom lectures and well equipped laboratories.

Today, many of the health care placements focus on healthcare services and almost 15% of all healthcare jobs available have increased. The factors that contribute towards the growth of jobs in this industry include the growing and aging population that demands additional medical services and of course the use of innovative medical technology for treatment and intensive diagnosis.

More and more people are interested in certified medical assistant training that can provide them the healthcare career they want. A certified medical assistant is a respected member of the community and is the perfect job if you want to help people. A medical assistant has the advantage of returning from work with a smile even after a busy and tiring day. After you complete a certified medical assistant training you will be able to give your help to others which the most significant aspect.     If you apply for a certified medical assistant training you can be assured that your career will only have more opportunities to improve. If you are a certified medical assistant you have more chances than otherwise to be selected by medical offices or hospitals. All the health care establishments want for the most qualified individuals to work for them so it is essential for your career to complete a certified medical assistant training. Certification is usually voluntary but you have to know that your career has only to gain if you are a certified medical assistant. You will be preferred by anyone if you would have passed the certification exam. If you completed a certified medical assistant training you demonstrate that you have the knowledge and the experience needed to succeed in this occupation.

If you finish with a certified medical assistant training you will be seen as professional because you made a bigger effort than others to improve your education. Many people have the opinion that being medical assistant is a very easy task. That is false because administrating the front office is by far not the only thing that a certified medical assistant does.

You conclude with success a certified medical assistant training to gain skills in administrative procedures but also in the clinical aspect. A certified medical assistant is capable to solve a diverse range of tasks. The clinical duties of a certified medical assistant are various: he takes medical histories and gets the patient ready for the consult. After you accomplish a certified medical assistant training you will be also able to assist the physician during the consult of the patient and to explain the medical procedures. As a certified medical assistant there will be no problem for you to administer drugs or perform lab tests. The certified medical assistant training should provide you diverse and quality information that connects with the healthcare area.

If you become a certified medical assistant you will often work with doctors and you have to be capable to manage with different tasks. One moment you could remove some stitches and the next moment you could draw blood or take an EKG. It is very important once you made the choice to be a certified medical assistant to have patience and always be very careful with your duties. And this is exactly what a certified medical assistant training should prepare you for.

In the United States, Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physician’s supervision. This supervision, in most cases, need not be direct or on site and many PAs practice in remote or underserved areas in satellite clinics. PAs can treat patients and, in most states, prescribe medicine, and in some states in the US they carry a DEA number that gives them authority to prescribe controlled medications like narcotics. PAs in surgical practices also serve as first assists in surgery. PAs provide medical services that are reimbursed under Medicare and third party insurances.

Physician Assistants held about 65,000 jobs in 2005. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because some hold two or more jobs. For example, some PAs work with a supervising physician, but also work in another practice, clinic, or hospital. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there were about 58,665 certified PAs in clinical practice as of January 2006.

Just over 56 percent of PAs worked in the offices and clinics of physicians in 2005, either allopathic or osteopathic. About 36 percent were employed by hospitals. The rest were mostly in public health clinics, nursing homes, schools, prisons, home health care agencies, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, about 17 percent of all PAs provide health care to rural communities and those with fewer than 20,000 residents, in which physicians may be in limited supply.

In 2006, there are more than 130 accredited PA programs in existence in the United States. They are all accredited by one body — the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). A majority of them are master’s degree programs (requiring GRE for entry), but some are available as an undergraduate major. A number of these undergraduate programs are making a transition to graduate level training.

A Physician Assistant may use the post-nominal initials PA, RPA, PA-C or RPA-C, where the R indicates Registered and the C indicates “Certified.” The “R” designation is unique to only a couple of states; most Physician Assistants use the PA-C. The certification is granted by one certifying body, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners both provide similar services in most states, the major distinction being that nurse practitioners are registered nurses by trade. Nurse Practitioners require more training than physicians assistants, such as a Masters Degree in nursing. Both are also known as Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) or mid-level practitioners (MLPs).

PAs should not be confused with Medical Assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks in a physician’s office. A Medical Assistant (MA) is a multi-skilled allied healthcare practitioner who is competent in both a wide variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, as well as many administrative roles. Medical assistants have been described as healthcare’s most versatile, multifaceted professionals. Medical Assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures.

Formal education of medical assistants usually occurs in vocational or technical institutes, community colleges, proprietary schools, or junior colleges. The course length usually ranges from 1 to 2 year programs, complete with externships. The curriculum presented must always be accredited if its graduates plan to become either certified or registered. In 2002, there were 495 medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and about 170 accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education School (ABHES). Accreditation by either CAAHEP or ABHES usually requires that the schools curriculum provide sufficient classroom, lecture, and laboratory time (if applicable) to each of the courses below.

Administrative Courses

Computer Applications

Manual Recording of Patients’ Data

Scheduling Appointments

Maintaining medical Records

Word Processing/Typewriting/Keyboarding

Coding/Insurance

Telephone Triage

Personnel Management

General Courses

Anatomy and Physiology

Behavioral Psychology

Pathophysiology

Medical Terminology

AIDS/HIV

Patient Education

Medical Law and Ethics

Clinical Courses

Phlebotomy

l Medical Asepsis/Infection Control

Pharmacology/Administration of Medications

Assisting Techniques/Physical Examination

Assisting with Minor Surgery

Basic Laboratory Procedures/Routine Blood and Urine Testing

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

X-Ray Theory and Positioning

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

Certification is a voluntary process which is strongly backed by the AAMA and a number of other well respected certification bodies in the USA as a way to guarantee competency of a medical assistant at a job-entry level. However, in order to be eligible for certification one must attend a school which has been accredited by either CAAHEP or ABHES.

Certification is usually achieved by taking a test issued by the National Board of Medical Examiners and AAMA, or AMT, or NHA and is offered twice yearly, simultaneously, at over 200 different test sites across the United States.

Successful completion of the rather intense exam earns the taker the proper credentials to become a Certified Medical Assistant, or CMA. National certification is legally required in order for any medical assistant to adhere to CMA status. The title CMA then follows postnominally.

Recertification must occur every 5 years in order for one to maintain their credentials. There are two ways to do this; one may either continually earn continuing education hours by attending CMA meetings, conventions and seminars, or by completely retaking the initial exam to prove they still possess a certain level of knowledge.

A medical assistant may choose another possible credential over CMA, and become a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) instead. Again, credentialing is completely voluntary. The American Technologists (AMT) agency is responsible for certifying MAs who choose this course.

AMT first began offering this certification in 1972 on the months of June and November, through a computerized exam, much like the one offered by the AAMA. AMT therefore has its own conventions and committees, bylaws, state chapters, officers, registrations and revalidation examinations.

To become eligible to hold the title of RMA a student must be at least 18-years-old, pass a medical assisting curriculum at a school accredited by either ABHES or CAAHEP and possess a minimum of 5 years experience. The initials RMA then follow the individual’s name.

RMAs have historically been very active in legislation, seeking protection for medical assistants, as well as continuously encouraging improved educational curriculums.

Health care industry is fast growing and the demand for professionals in the industry is increasing everyday. Many diseases affect people in the modern world and the whole medicine industry is busy finding medicines and treating affected patients. Just like doctors, nurses are very important in the medical field.

Only if a nurse is able to follow the instructions provided by the doctor, the treatment can be successful. Sick patients need utmost care that can be provided only by trained nurses. This demand increases STNA career opportunities for trained nurses. Once you obtain STNA education and become a certified STNA, you can take up jobs of nurse assistant in leading hospitals.

Unlike other types of profession, you will not find it difficult to get the job of nursing assistant, as there are many STNA careers. Several hospitals and leading health care institutions need qualified nurse assistants. If you like helping other people and patience is your unique character, then nursing assistant job is perfectly suitable for you. The training course will not cost you more and the course can be completed in a few days.

After completion of training, attend STNA certification exams to get started for STNA. Certification ensures that you are properly trained and capable of carrying out all responsibilities of a nursing assistant. Several schools providing training also offer job placements for successful nurse assistants.

Nursing assistant has to help patients as well as the nursing staff. Apart from providing medical support, nursing assistant has to provide emotional support for the patients and their family. Also, you need to assist the nursing staff to carry out their responsibilities. Setting up of medical equipments required for treatment and moving patients are important tasks of a nursing assistant. You must be able to work without getting nervous during stressful times, as you may have to attend to patients who are struggling for life. Whatever happens, you must maintain patience and confidence while assisting nursing staff.

There are people who think that STNA careers are low level jobs that are not recognized. The truth is that everyone including doctors and others appreciate the hard work of nursing assistants. You may also get attractive salaries depending on your experience and expertise in the field. You will not get bored, as you have to face new and changing things in your life everyday. You need to face many more challenges and tasks everyday in STNA careers.

You should be ready to put hard work and dedicate yourself for your profession if you wish to pursue STNA careers. You cannot always return home at exact times and you may have to face tough situations while facing the patients. However, you can make good living working as a nurse assistant. By taking training courses in the future, you can move high up in the ladder. Even if you don’t want to work as a nurse assistant, there are several health care opportunities for STNA. All you have to do is take up the training and obtain certification to have a bright future.

When you are a newly registered nurse, you have to start at the entry-level, usually as a nursing staff wearing your landau scrubs free shipping. Once you’ve gained experience, you can get promoted to a higher position and receive a significant increase in compensation. You can also choose to specialize on the field of your choice and take up further studies. Below are some of the most lucrative nursing positions to set your sights on for advanced practice.

Nurse Case Manager

A nurse case manager organizes and coordinates services and resources for a group of patients, responding to the needs or illness particular to that group. Case management is typically targeted or directed towards a client population such as elderly clients or transplant patients, and the models may vary depending on the context, setting, and type of client. The goals of the nurse care manager include fostering patient self-managed care, centering services on the patient, and maximizing healthcare resources. The nurse care manager must focus on the quality of the patient care at the same time being cost-efficient. He or she is also responsible for utilizing clinical pathways in monitoring and assessing clients as well as healthcare delivery. To be a good nurse case manager, one must have adequate financial management skills, as well as effective skills in negotiating, managing, delegating, and teaching. A good background in the clinical aspects of care and clinical resources is invaluable. One must also be able to collaborate with multidisciplinary groups.

Certified Nurse Midwife

A certified nurse midwife cares for childbearing women during labor and delivery, as well as during preconception and until postpartum periods. A nurse midwife provides counseling in family-planning, reproductive education, and gynecological care. For low-risk and uncomplicated patients, the nurse midwife may provide a more natural alternative to childbearing. Part of the job is also to encourage active participation of the family during pregnancy and childbirth. Lastly, a midwife nurse also provides continuous care and even primary care for the heath needs or women. A good midwife nurse is sensitive, compassionate, flexible, committed to holistic practice, has excellent assessment skills and sound clinical judgment.

Nurse Director

A nurse director, administrator, or CEO carries an executive position and is responsible for establishing department strategies and directions. The director also plans programs and budgets, making sure that the facility’s or institution’s overall goals are met. In addition, the director has to develop structures and set policies for operating units and assume an organizational perspective, representing the organization to the constituents. This role is attractive to those who desire the power, prestige, recognition, and economic gain. It requires strong leadership, management and people skills, acute decision-making skills, and excellent communication skills, as well as being able to deal with multidisciplinary networks.

Clinical Nurse Specialist

A clinical nurse specialist has advanced expertise and knowledge in a specific practice area of nursing. Some examples of practice areas include rehabilitation, critical care, psychiatric, geriatric, pediatric, and emergency/trauma. The role of the nurse specialist is to observe, analyze, and diagnose complex health problems that may be clinical or nonclinical. The specialist has to consider various theories to understand the complications and determine options for treatment. In addition, it also includes research, education, consultation, and clinical practice. The needed skills for this position include technical and conceptual skills, critical thinking, and problem solving.