REGISTERED NURSE (RN)

Shahara Wooten

West L.A. College

Shahara WootenWest L.A. College

The World of an RN

Registered Nurses have an important role in the medical setting.

To ensure quality of that role, one must possess: Concern for Others,

Integrity, Dependability, Stress Tolerance, Self Control, Attention to

Detail, Cooperation, Adaptability/Flexibility, Initiative, and

Independence

Job DescriptionRegistered Nurses care for patients in a variety of settings; hospitals, nursing homes and home care

agencies all employ RNs for patient care. RNs have a very important role and are often the sole individual in

charge during a shift in the facility. Some nurses also are heads of departments, such as skin care, infection

control and general health, in medical facilities. These professionals also work in offices and schools, doing

casework and providing health training and care to the public. Many nurses work in public health clinics and

perform routine procedures such as vaccinations, saving patients the hassle of paying a fee to see a doctor for the

same work. Nurses show caring and compassion to people; patience, kindness and a gentle touch are

necessary attributes to have.

Dutie

s/Tasks

• Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.

• Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.

• Record patients' medical information and vital signs.

• Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.

• Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.

• Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.

• Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.

• Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.

• Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.

• Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.

Work EnvironmentMost RNs work in well-lit, comfortable healthcare facilities. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients' homes, schools, community

centers, and other sites. RNs may spend considerable time walking, bending, stretching, and

standing. Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require 24-hour care; consequently, nurses in these institutions may work nights, weekends, and holidays. RNs also may be on call—available to work on short notice. Nurses who work in offices, schools, and other settings that do not provide 24-hour care

are more likely to work regular business hours.Nurses wear uniforms. This is a fact of life. Some patient care facilities use various colored scrubs to denote nursing staff, while others give you carte blanche to mix and match scrubs or other nursing uniforms.

• Type and style of jewelry—usually very minimal• Hairstyle – usually at the collar or secured; no crazy dye jobs allowed• Shoes and hosiery – comfortable shoes accordion to style and color codes; same with hose if worn• Colognes and perfumes – may not be allowed in clinical or hospital settings• Personal grooming – students may have rules regarding fingernails and facial hair• Display of tattoos and body piercing – most hospitals have rules regarding body adornment

Uniform

Required Education & TrainingThere are three typical educational paths to

registered nursing

bachelor's of science degree in nursing (BSN),

an associate degree in nursing (ADN),

and a diploma.

BSN programs, offered by colleges and universities, take about 4 years to complete. ADN programs, offered by community and junior colleges, take about 2 to 3 years to complete. Such programs are offered at West Los Angeles College.

Diploma programs, administered in hospitals, last about 3 years. Generally, licensed graduates of any of the three types of educational programs qualify for entry-level positions as a staff nurse. There are hundreds of registered nursing programs that result in an ADN or BSN; however, there are relatively few diploma programs.In all States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the National Council Licensure Examination, or NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Other eligibility requirements for licensure vary by State. Contact your State’s board of nursing for details.

Tech

nica

l Skills

Calculating drug dosages,

Medication administration

Nasogastric tube insertion

Urinary catheterization

Nursing students must demonstrate technical skill proficiency during clinical training as part of nursing school to become licensed.

Tools & Equipment Acute care fetal or maternal monitoring units or accessories —

Bilimeters; Fetal monitors; Fetal scalp electrodes

Electrosurgical or electrocautery equipment or accessories or related products — Electrosurgical devices; Grounding pads; Loop electrosurgical excision procedure LEEP equipment

Flexible endoscopes or accessories or related products — Colonoscopy equipment; Flexible sigmoidoscopes; Gastrointestinal GI endoscopes

Floor grade forceps or hemostats — Curved hemostats; Hemostats; Straight hemostats

Peripheral intravenous catheters for general use — Double lumen catheters; Peripheral angiocaths; Single lumen catheters; Triple lumen catheters

Technology used in this occupation:

Data base user interface and query software — IDX Systems software

Medical software — Eclipsys Sunrise Clinical Manager; Misys Healthcare Systems software; QuadraMed Affinity Healthcare Information System; Siemens SIENET Sky

Office suite software — Microsoft Office software Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel Time accounting software — Kronos Workforce Timekeeper

Employment

As the largest healthcare occupation, registered nurses held about 2.6 million jobs in 2008. Hospitals employed the majority of RNs, with 60 percent of such jobs. About 8 percent of jobs were in offices of physicians5 percent in home healthcare services5 percent in nursing care facilities3 percent in employment services. The remainder worked mostly in government agencies, social assistance agencies, and educational services.

Wages & GrowthMedian annual wages of registered nurses were $62,450 in May 2008.Employment services- $68,160General medical and surgical hospitals- $63,880Offices of physicians- $59,210Home health care services- $58,740Nursing care facilities- $57,060

Registered Nurse2008 Employment- 2,618,7002018 Projected Employment-

3,200,200Change from 2008-2018- 22%

(581,500)So many areas to expand to

with being a certified RN including: Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary,

Chiropractors, Surgeons, Podiatrists, Psychiatric Aides,

and many more fields!

Sourc

es

&

Ass

oci

ati

onsNational League for Nursing, 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New

York, NY 10006. Internet: http://www.nln.org

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 1 Dupont Circle NW., Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036. Internet:

http://www.aacn.nche.edu

American Nurses Association, 8515 Georgia Ave., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Internet:

http://nursingworld.org

Registered nurses . Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook,

2010-11 Edition.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) , 1 Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036.

Phone: (202) 463-6930. Fax: (202) 785-8320.

American Nurses Association (ANA) , 8515 Georgia Ave., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Phone: (800) 274-4262.

National League for Nursing (NLN) , 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Phone: (212) 363-5555.

Registered Nursing

A Career you can build on!

The End