RN - Registered Nurse
A RN is nurse that has completed a course of study and passed the proper examinations to become licensed and registered. As the most qualified of all of the nurses, they are able to provide the greatest level of care for the patient.
Duties and job descriptions may vary for an RN depending on the setting in which he or she chooses to work. They can choose specialty fields from triage to prenatal nursing. Their duties include everything from include everything from taking a patient's temperature to dressing a wound or administering an IV.
To become a registered nurse, you must pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for RNs. In some states, nursing students are able to do this with a 2-year degree although many states are moving towards requiring a 4-yr degree and a diploma from an approved nursing program.
Registered Nurse Specialties
- Certain Part of Population RNs
- Certain Work Settings or Treatment RNs
- Human Organs or Body System RNs
- Non-Patient Related RNs
- Specific Health Condition RNs
Salaries
Median annual earnings of registered nurses were $57,280 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $47,710 and $69,850. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,250, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $83,440. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of registered nurses in May 2006 were:
Employment services |
$64,260 |
General medical and surgical hospitals |
58,550 |
Home health care services |
54,190 |
Offices of physicians |
53,800 |
Nursing care facilities |
52,490 |
Many employers offer flexible work schedules, childcare, educational benefits, and bonuses
