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In many ways, nurses serve as the backbone of the healthcare industry. They spend more time providing hands-on care than any other healthcare worker, and their skills extend beyond their technical knowledge.
Nurses play a vital role in ensuring that each patient is treated with compassion and quality care. They personally look out for the wellbeing of each patient, and they are well-versed in a variety of technical skills. If you’re a natural-born empath or have a strong desire to help others, then nursing might be the career for you.
Let’s take a look at what nurses are, what they do, and what it takes to become one.
What Is a Nurse? What They Are, What They Do, and Different Types of Nurses
Nurses are healthcare professionals that provide a variety of services to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of their patients. They work in many different clinical settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and even the homes of patients. Nurses take a patient-focused approach to healthcare, and they are vital to the healthcare industry.
They are healthcare providers, caregivers, and educators. It’s a multidisciplinary role that focuses on overall wellbeing of their patients. Nurses ensure each patient receives the resources and care they need to achieve the best quality of life.
Looking for a job as a nurse? Check out our Verde Valley Health Career Expo to discover how you can connect with your next employer.
What Does a Nurse Do?
Most nurses have several responsibilities in common. As healthcare providers, they monitor health, track patient’s progress, and perform a variety of healthcare procedures. Some of their responsibilities are administering medications, taking vitals, and drawing blood. Overall, they perform a variety of duties to help their patients achieve physical wellness.
Nurses are also seen as caregivers. Not only do they promote their patients physical health, but they help maintain their mental health too. Nurses listen to the needs of their patients, and make sure they’re comfortable while they’re being treated. This can involve giving disabled patients baths, making sure they’re eating, and lending an ear when the patient has concerns.
In addition to their clinical duties, nurses also serve as educators. They help their patients understand their treatment plans, and they often have to be prepared to answer any questions they have. Before a patient leaves their care, nurses ensure they receive the education needed to achieve long-term wellness.
Types of Nurses
Each type of nurse requires varying levels of education, and with each level comes increased responsibilities. When it comes to general medicine, there are four main types of nurses:
- Licensed practical nurse (LPN)
- Registered nurse (RN)
- Nurse practitioner (NP)
- Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)
Nurses also have the opportunity to specialize into specific fields of medicine. For example, nurse anesthetists (CRNA) can administer anesthesia for surgeries, and nurse midwives (CNM) assist women during childbirth. Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) provide expertise in specific fields such as pediatrics and oncology.
How to Become a Nurse—What it Requires, How Long it Takes, and How Much You Can Make
To become a nurse, you need to earn a certification or a degree in nursing. The first level of nurse is LPN, and it usually requires a certification. The second level is RN with an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, and then APRN with a master’s or doctorate degree. Specialized nurses require additional training and education after earning a required degree.
In addition to earning a certification or degree, you will also need to be proficient in a variety of soft skills. Hard skills are considered technical knowledge, and soft skills are considered people skills. Some important soft skills that can help you in nursing are empathy, communication, adaptability, and teamwork.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Nurse?
To become an LPN, you can usually earn a certification in a year. To become an RN, it typically takes two to four years to earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. However, some RN programs are accelerated, which means it’s more work but it takes less time. Becoming an APRN takes the longest amount of time, and it’s usually 6-8 years from start to finish.
Nurses can normally specialize once they can become an RN. Depending on the type of nurse you’d like to become, it can take anywhere from one to two years of additional education to earn a specialization. That being said, most nurses will get a couple years of experience as an RN before they specialize.
Explore Yavapai College’s nursing program to discover how you can get the education you need to kickstart your career as a nurse.
Nurse Salaries
A nurse’s salary usually increases as they earn additional certifications, degrees, and specializations. To give you a rough estimate on how much nurses can earn, here are the median salaries of nurses in the United States:
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) -$59,730
- Registered Nurse (RN) -$86,070
- Nurse Practitioner (NP) -$120,870
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) -$129,177
Salaries can vary greatly depending on location, experience, and healthcare practice. In general, nurses get paid above average when compared to other occupations in the United States.
REDC at Yavapai College – Helping You Become a Nurse
REDC has the tools and resources you need for a successful career as a nurse. From free career resources to networking opportunities, we can help you achieve your professional goals. We offer a variety of soft skill courses that are online and self-paced, allowing you to get the education you need without sacrificing your busy schedule.
If you’re looking for opportunities to get into nursing, check out our Health Science Job Fair today to see how you can meet your next employer.