Registered Nurses are in high demand throughout theUnited States. Salaries vary from state to state and so do job opportunities. In states with a high percentage of older people, likeFlorida, there is a shortage of qualified Registered Nurses to fill job opportunities. In these states you can expect to command a higher salary. As a Registered Nurse you will be in charge of a patient’s day to day care, administer medications, supervise other nurses and caregivers, teach, work at a school, hospital, nursing home or doctor’s office. Many nurses go on to earn advanced degrees or specialize. Nurse Practitioners are an upcoming career path. Nurse Practitioners earn an advanced degree and can perform many of the same duties as a physician.
Nursing Pin
If you’re considering entering the nursing field, you may want to know where the jobs are as well as how much you can expect to make. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing jobs are expected to be in demand throughout 2018. The medical field as a whole is expected to grow at a greater than average rate for the same time period. Over 2.6 million nurses work in the United Statesand in May 2010 the median salary was $67,720.
Top Employers for Registered Nurses
Hospitals
Doctor’s Offices
Home Health Care Services
Nursing Care Facilities
Outpatient Care Centers
States with the Most Jobs for Registered Nurses
California
Texas
New York
Florida
Pennsylvania
Top Paying States for Registered Nurses
California – $87,480
Massachusetts – $84,990
Hawaii – $82,130
Alaska – $79,350
Maryland – $76,450
Traveling Nurses
Traveling nurses work all over the country.
Another career option for Registered Nurses is as a traveling nurse. According to the Traveling Nurse Databank, you can expect to make $80,000 to $90,000 annually. This would be a good career choice if you don’t like to be tied down and want to see the country. Most traveling nurse assignments last from three months to a year. As a traveling nurse you would work for an agency and get your assignments from them. Many nurses who choose this career path enjoy free housing, reimbursement for travel expenses, and free healthcare.
As a nurse you will have the chance to care for the ill and elderly. You may even go on to teach and share your knowledge. A career as a Registered Nurse will not only give you a very decent salary, but rewards that money can’t cover. It is an interesting and very rewarding career.
Palliative care is a fairly new concept. It is a holistic approach to patient care provided when a person is facing a long term or life threatening illness. The patient’s family is involved in the care plan and the palliative team not only keeps the patient as comfortable as possible, but the needs and feelings of the patient’s loved ones are also a primary concern. Caregivers include a team of nurses, social workers, medical assistants, a Chaplin, volunteers and medical doctors. These caregivers and nurses work together to assess and deliver personalized care to the patient and their loved ones.
It takes a special type of person to be involved with palliative care. In order to be a palliative nurse you must have excellent assessment skills, be able to handle working with gravely ill patients, and understand the grief and pain loved ones are going through. A strong sense of compassion is necessary to work in palliative care. Many palliative care nurses find this career path very rewarding and fulfilling. In 1986 the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA) was formed to help establish a network of support for palliative and hospice nurses. HPNA offers certification and scholarships for nurses specializing in this area. Membership is also open to student nurses to help them get started in this important field of nursing.
From a personal viewpoint I know how special this type of nurse is. My husband was under palliative care as was my mother at the end of their lives. Not only did my loved ones receive excellent and compassionate care, but I was included in all of the decisions and care plans for both of them. I do believe that this type of care is important and makes a huge difference in the care of the gravely ill. The care and compassion the nurses and the rest of the teams showed my loved ones and myself will always be remembered.
Palliative nurses are RNs and generally have specialized training. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports RNs can expect to make over $59,000 per year. This may be higher or lower depending on the area of the country you work in and the level of education you have. Nursing is a noble profession and if you choose to dedicate your life to the care of others, you will be rewarded with the knowledge that you made a difference in a person’s life at their more vulnerable time. Nurses and caregivers can add to the quality of life and help the family deal with the reality of a life ending and life threatening illness of a loved one.
My mother is a retired RN, my mother’s best friend was an RN, my aunt was an RN and back in their day there were almost no male nurses. A male nurse was a rarity only a decade ago. When my late husband was a CNA he faced subtle discrimination because he was a man. Thankfully those days are almost behind us. Now there are many more men working as nurses and caregivers. Once thought only to be a job for a woman, male nurses and caregivers are making a mark on the medical world, and it is a caring and talented mark.
Speaking from personal experience I was a bit uncomfortable with the first male nurse I had when I was in the hospital a few years ago, but I found him to be gentle, caring and a really great caregiver. It is good to see the stereotypes being broken down so more men can enter the medical field as nurses and caregivers. There are 20% more men entering nursing school this decade than the last one, and this number is expected to increase according to Minority Nurse. The American Assembly of Men in Nursing (AAMN) Award has been granted to these schools since 2004:
DukeUniversity
LouisianaStateUniversityScience Program
SamuelMerrittUniversity
UniversityofPennsylvania
MontereyPeninsulaCollege
ExcelsiorCollege
UniversityofPortland
OhioStateUniversity
UniversityofTexasatAustin
EastCarolinaUniversity
The AAMN is dedicated to help increase the men in this important career field by sponsoring nursing scholarships for men who want to become a Registered Nurse. In 2010 the awarded two $500 scholarships for nursing school to winners of their essay competition. Since 2004 the AAMN has awarded over $1,000 in scholarships.
In an independent study done by the Bernard Hodes Group, the top two reasons men became nurses in 2005 were to help people and to make a difference in society. In this study 44% of the respondents went into nursing after another career. Many of the men who enter nursing school are in their mid-30’s and 40’s. Nursing is not just for women anymore. It is a field that is slowly welcoming men and the caring and experience they can bring to patient care. If you want to make a positive impact on someone’s life and have a rewarding career, you may want to consider becoming a nurse or caretaker.
Careers in the medical field give you an opportunity to care for and help people in their time of need. A career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is one of the hot careers in high demand. With the aging population the demand for qualified CNA’s will increase in the next 10 years. As a CNA you will have hands on care with patients in hospitals and residents in nursing homes. Many CNA’s do home health care and enjoy caring for people in their own home. No matter which career path you take, a career as a CNA will be rewarding and well paying.
Education
Certified Nursing Assistant courses vary in length according to the state you live in. Some states offer medical scholarships for qualified students that may pay for your entire training program. For example inFloridayou can complete your CNA training in just two weeks. InIllinoiseach school has a different hourly requirement for training. How long you have to go to school depends on the state you live in, but it is generally a very short time. After you complete your classroom training you will be required to go through a clinical period working in a health care facility. If you want to take online classes to become a CNA, your classroom training will be online and the clinical portion in a healthcare facility.
Job Description and Salary
As a CNA you will be responsible for patient care and hygiene. A typical day will include helping patients with the baths, going to the bathroom, changing their sheets, helping them dress and tending to their basic needs. On a personal note, my late husband was a CNA for many years and he really enjoyed taking care of his residents in a local nursing home. My daughter went through CNA training and loved her clinicals. It is very rewarding to help someone do things they can no longer do, or are having difficulty with while they recuperate. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics you can expect to make between $8.50 and $14.00 an hour. Many jobs offer you benefits such as health insurance and retirement. If you’re looking for a career that really makes a difference, consider becoming a CNA.
Doctors are usually thought of as the primary source of patient care, but caregivers and nurses provide the day to day, hands on care that patients need. The doctor may see a patient for a few minutes each day, look over their chart and give orders on the care the person is to receive, but it is the nurses and other caregivers who carry out these orders. They also listen to a patient who is upset, hold the person’s hand, cheer them up, talk to the relatives, and give the all important human and personal touch people need to become well.
Much More Than a Job
I know from personal experience since my mother is a retired RN that the nurses who make the most difference are caring people who put the patient’s needs first. My husband was a Certified Nurses Assistant for many years and he really cared for his residents and patients he cared for. He rejoiced when they went home well and grieved when they passed away. The decision to become a nurse or caregiver is one that will provide you with more than a job. You will have a career that makes a difference in people’s lives. It is this caring heart that is one of the prerequisites for nursing and care giving.
For example I was in the hospital a few years ago for a massive infection. While there they found out I was seriously anemic. The doctors came and went, but it was my nurses and aides that held my hand as I cried because I was scared. I had never received a blood transfusion before and the papers they gave me to sign listed all sorts of horrible things that could go wrong. They took the time to really listen to me and care about how I felt and answered all of my questions and concerns. All of them made me feel like I was their only patient although I knew they had an entire floor of sick people to care for. I will never forget their kindness and care they gave me.
Make a Real Difference
Nurses and caregivers in hospitals, nursing homes, hospice facilities and home health care can make a real difference in a person’s life. The hours may be long and the pay in some parts of the country is lacking, but the satisfaction you will get from caring for people in their time of need will outweigh any negative aspects of the job. If you want to have this kind of impact on lives, you may consider a career as a nurse or caregiver.
