Nursing holds many opportunities for women and men with a desire to work for the greater good in one of the most rewarding fields. .

What is an RN?

An RN is a registered professional nurse. An RN helps you regain or maintain good health. An RN is involved in the following: diagnosing and treating responses to health problems; informing, teaching and counseling on health issues; performing assessments of an individuals health; and executing one or more medical regimens as have been prescribed by licensed dentists, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and others.

What is a nurse practitioner?

An RN who had moved beyond and earned a designated certification via additional experience and education can become a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are allowed to diagnose, treat and prescribe as needed within their area, their specialty area of practice. This is collaboration with a licensed physician who is qualified to collaborate in the specialty area involved, in accordance with a written practice agreement which has been approved, along with the appropriate protocols.

Among the areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are acute care, adult health, community health, holistic nursing, community health, pediatrics, family health, perinatology, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, school health, women's health and more.

What is an LPN?

An LPN (licensed practical nurse) provides nursing care as directed by a physician, an RN or another authorized health care provider.

LPNs administer medications as directed; observe, measure, record the information and report these indications of the patients health status; provide beside care, including services requiring sterilization techniques; with additional training, administer blood and blood products; and also, they perform specialized tasks, like IV therapy, with additional training.

Among other specialties are cardiac care nurses. These nurses work primarily with patients as they recover from heart attacks, congestive heart failure that no longer require intensive care, and patients as they recover from open heart surgery. Here you will monitor cardiac telemetry and care for those who are experiencing angina pain or who may have undergone cardiac catheterizations and other cardiac interventional procedures.

Another specialty is the critical care nurse. As one, you will likely be caring for patients having scheduled procedures such as open heart, thoracotomy, vascular or extensive abdominal surgeries. Also, you will serve patients for whom routine surgery is considered high risk. Also, care would be likely to be given to neuro/trauma patients, including those who have experienced neurosurgery, neurotrauma or multiple trauma.

You would also assist physicians in a number of ways, such as assisting with inserting a variety of chest tubes and catheters and with performing procedures such as intubations, thoracentesises and tracheostomies.
Also, you would likely use a variety of equipment and instruments such as hemodynamic modules, multiple-line infusion pumps, blood pressure monitors, cardiac monitors, flexibly laryngoscopes, defibrillators, and external pacemakers.

Other specialties are cardiac rehabilitation nurses, home care/hospice nurses, pediatric nurses, rehabilitation nurses, surgical nurses, women's health and infant's health nurses, pain management nurses who would work with those involved in psychiatry, orthopedics, rehab medicine and services, neurology and neurosurgery. Pain management oriented nurses treat patients from a variety of illnesses and diseases including cancer pain, chronic pain and acute pain.

University of Phoenix

Kaplan University

Walden University