The career of a Registered Nurse (RN) is in the health care industry. I am interested in becoming an RN because I enjoy helping people and would like a career in the medical field. When I was younger, there was a time when I was very sick in the hospital. I was so frightened and scared. I vividly remember the nurse who cared for me, greeting me with a smile each day and bringing me ice cream. She definitely made my stay at the hospital much more enjoyable. I would like to give back and help care for sick and ill patients the same way that nurse cared for me. Ever since, I have been interested in the healthcare industry because I want to help people who are going through a difficult time, offering them both care and comfort. As there is never a shortage of jobs in the medical field, a career as an RN is an attractive option for me.
The primary responsible of an RN include caring for patients, coordinating patient care, educating the public regarding health concerns, and offering support and advice to patients and their families (College Grad). Specifically, RNs hold a wide range of tasks and have a number of responsibilities. RN’s tasks include administering treatments and medications, recording a patient’s symptoms and medical history, observing patients, monitoring and operating medical equipment, and educating patients and families about their injuries or illnesses and how to properly manage such conditions (College Grad).
In addition, RNs serve in a support role for physicians and other healthcare professionals. For instance, RNs frequently consult and coordinate with physicians and healthcare professionals. RNs will also assist in performing diagnostic tests and will help to examine the results from such tests (College Grad). The vast majority of RNs work with physicians and other healthcare professionals as part of a collective team. Some RNs also work as home health care providers or in a supervisory role overseeing other nurse practitioners (College Grad).
Furthermore, many RNs may choose to specialize, that is, work with a specific type of patients. There are RNs who work exclusively with patients who suffer from a certain medical condition, such as cancer patients or diabetic patients (College Grad). Other RNs choose to work with a specific group of people. Geriatric nurses specialize in providing healthcare to the elderly, whereas pediatric nurses provide care to children and adolescents (College Grad). There are many different areas than an RN could decide to specialize in.
Education and License Requirements
After successful completion of a nursing program, a candidate must obtain licensure. The licensing program involves several steps. First, the candidate must submit to a full background check (Nursing Licensure). Candidates will also be required to register with the company that administers the NCLEX-RN exam, Pearson (Nursing Licensure). This step of the process should be done as promptly as possible. Candidates will need to provide official transcripts showing proof of program completeness (Nursing Licensure). Candidates will also need to submit to fingerprinting as a condition of licensure (Nursing Licensure). RNs must renew their license every two years by January 21 (Nurse Journal).
Job Growth and Salary
For RNs nationwide, the expected rate of job growth from 2012-2022 is 19%, which is faster than most all other occupations (Nursing Journal). There are various reasons for this health growth in demand for RNs. First, there is increased attention and focus on preventative care (Nursing Journal). Second, due to the aging of the baby boom generation, there is increasing need and demand for healthcare providers and healthcare services (Nursing Journal). In addition, hospitals are under increasing institutional pressure to get patients out of the hospital and into outpatient care facilities as quickly as possible (Nursing Journal). Because of the rising population in these outpatient and long-term care facilities, there will be a demand for RNs to care for patients at such facilities.
Nationwide, the average salary for an RN was $64,000, which is 7% higher than all other occupations (Nursing Journal). In Georgia, the average salary for an RN is $75,000, which is 14% more than the national average salary for all RNs (Nursing Journal). Georgia as a state has a very high salary for RNs, being ranked fifth among the nation (Nursing Journal). Prospective RNs who are looking to practice in Georgia can therefore be confident that job demand will steadily increase and that RNs can rely on a consistently high salary.
Works Cited
Nurse Journal. “Become RN Nurse in Georgia + Requirements & Licensing.” Web. 16
Apr. 2016.
Nursing Licensure. “Nursing License Requirements in Georgia – A Faster Way to Locate
Licensure Information.” Web. 16 Apr. 2016.
