Introduction
Nursing profession entails health practices. Apparently, it is the sole role of a nurse to protect the public at large from the looming of myriad ailments. Also, a nurse has a primary role of ensuring proper strategies invented to promote healthy living. Additionally, nursing profession endeavors to mitigate pain through the diagnosis and further treatment of human response. Above all, nurse immensely advocates better healthcare of individuals, families, communities and the population at large. As a matter of fact, devoid of nurses in the medical profession is beyond imagination. The paper focuses on nursing as a medical profession.
Job Description
Prevalently, Registered Nurses, abbreviated as RNs, are typically team players and invariably contribute greatly to the mission of the medical team. The place for registered nurses is in clinics, ambulatory care and intensive care. The mentioned places are in dire need of nurses since the services of the RN are vital and inevitable. Registered nurses have myriad roles to play in the medical profession. Registered nurses first job description is to evaluate and to keep accurate records of patient symptoms. For efficiency and effectiveness in the medical profession, all the records bearing the patient's symptoms must undergo recording (Schwab & Gelfman, 2005). Secondly, the nurses have a role of teaching or rather educate the patients about self-care and the required healthy habits. The mentioned knowledge greatly impact on the lives of the patients.
Registered nurses job description clearly elaborates their role of reviewing patient treatment procedures and measuring any progress. The said progress is an explicit indicator on whether the medication administered is effective. Assisting of doctors during exams and surgeries are requisite job description of a nurse. A notable fact is that blood test, urinal test, blood culture among others examinations takes place in the medical laboratory. Nurses incessantly conduct the mentioned tests or rather an examination in the laboratory. The nurses with considerable experience in the medical field offer supervisor duties to other incoming nurses. Nurses also have meager duties such as dressing wounds and incisions.
Education
As pointed out earlier, Registered nurses are health care professionals that primarily care for patients and train or educate them about their health conditions. For one to become an RN, and then he/she must complete a post secondary program and award with a license. As a matter of fact, proper training and learning are essential for one to become a registered nurse. Seemingly, an ambitious registered nurse can opt between diploma, an associate degree in nursing or bachelors of science in nursing degree (Callara, 2008). Notably, on-campus schools and online offer registered nurse training courses, thereby; nurses have to choose from either of the two. On the other hand, myriad registered nurses prefer an associate degree in nursing, abbreviated as ADN. The mentioned ADN courses are offered at vocational institutions together with community colleges. Interesting to note is that the programs undertaken elapse within a period of two to three years. Additionally, a combination of hand-on learning in hospitals coupled with classroom tutoring is enhanced. As a matter of fact, the combination efficiently equips the registered nurses with the vital know-how of performance and medical operations.
Registered nurses with an aspiring vision opt to advance their learning by acquiring Bachelor of Science in Nursing abbreviated as BSN. The said degree program is singularly essential to scholars who wish to excel in either administrative or clinical positions. Typically, the BSN program is offered at universities or colleges. The mentioned institutions provide a more comprehensive nursing methodology and clinical training. Notably, the BSN program takes approximately four years to accomplish (Halstead & Frank, 2011). However, students are pursuing the BSN course and previously licensed as registered nurses often incur lesser period.
Certification
Proficient nursing certifications is essential for career enrichment. Notably, by achieving nursing certification, nurses would acquire professional advancement, coupled with high competency level and superior compensation potential. Also, the certified registered nurses are more credible. The mandate of The American Nurses Credentialing Center abbreviated as ANCC is to award the certifications. Interestingly, ANCC authenticates the nurses’ professional skills and abilities. Additionally, the ANCC continuously provides certifications to not less than 25 specialties among the nursing practitioners (Millonig, 2013). Worth mentioning is that ANCC credential necessitates a qualifying examination coupled with its set of requirements, the registered nurses must meet the said conditions in order to take the credentialing examination.Employment Opportunities
Important to mention is that the accreditation of nursing schools constructs a gateway for nursing students to participate and engage in state entitled programs and also in federal funded activities. As a matter of fact, the nursing students who graduate from accredited nursing school programs are legible to attend other accredited institutions in order to pursue advanced studies. Such nurses may enroll for BSN courses; similarly, the nurses can pursue master programs. Typically, accredited degree schools impart nurses with sophisticated skills and knowledge which boost their competitiveness in the job market (Atkins, 2009). Interestingly, employers in the medical profession prefer to hire accredited practitioners, reason being, such nurses acquire training under nationally established standards for nursing education.
Conversely, the nurses who pursue the nursing education from unaccredited schools though are legible for jobs but face myriad challenges. Such nurses cannot enroll in accredited nursing institution in pursuance of extra education. Similarly, the said nurses are incapable of enrolling for a master degree programs. Obnoxiously, the mentioned disadvantages limit the nurses in the advancement of their professional career and competing job opportunities.Professional Activities
Once a nurse attains the required education combined with certification then he/she has considerable areas of professional specialization. RN who prefers to work in the hospitals enjoys the chance of supervising the progress of the patients. Also, the said nurse has an opportunity to care for a wide range of patients and a variety of ailments. Registered nurse can specialize in nursing homes (McConnell, 1993). Such nurses, access and examine the health progress of patients. Moreover, the said nurses formulate the treatment plans and times they work as a supervisor. Thirdly, a nurse may work in a physician office; here a nurse assists during exams, perform lab duties, dress wounds and administer injections.Conclusion
A nurse who is keen with the nursing profession and intend to progress in the nursing field may either pursue a diploma, associate degree or bachelor degrees. Advisedly, a nurse who intends soar to high career levels in nursing must opt for accredited schools. Importantly, a nursing profession invariably imparts the nurses with diversified areas of specialization.
References
Atkins, R. (2009). Getting the Most from Nursing School: A Guide to Becoming a Nurse. UK: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Callara, L. R. (2008). Nursing Education Challenges in the 21st Century. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Halstead, J. A., & Frank, B. (2011). Pathways to a Nursing Education Career. New York: Springer.
McConnell, C. R. (1993). Professional Nursing Management. Canada: Aspen Publishers.
Millonig, V. L. (2013). Adult Nurse Practitioner Certification Review Guide. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.
Schwab, N. C., &Gelfman, M. H. (2005). Legal Issues in School Health Services: A Resource for School Administrators, School Attorneys, School Nurses. USA: iUniverse.
