Guide 2 Careers: Nursing Jobs

In conjunction to our Employment Guide to Careers and the help of the Department of Labor Career Guide, I'll be doing a blog post series on different careers that are popular on EmploymentGuide.com. This hopefully will give you insight as to what a particular job will entail, the types of qualifications and skills that you'll need to get the job and any other relevant information. Please feel free to comment or email suggestions as to what you'd like to see in this series.

Healthcare Jobs: Nurses, CNA, LPN and RN

On the Job
CNA - Certified Nurse Aide/Assistant. There are variety of different programs for CNAs and varying requirements for different establishments. Normally, it seems that a CNA only requries a CNA training program after high school degree. You are qualified (after a competency exam given either by your program or the state agency) to give bed baths, make beds, give physical care (assist out of bed to chair, chair to toilet, assist to ambulate iow walk, do passive range of motion exercise), take vital signs, weigh and measure patients and other such things as is outlined in your scope of practice from your employer and the state from pediatrics to geriatrics. Many CNA's are employed in hospitals, nursing homes/rehab centers, and as home care attendants. CNA's usually report to/work under the supervision of both the LPN and the RN. They do not normally administer medications in a hospital or nursing home setting or insert IV's or hang IV medications. They also don't document patient progress on progress notes.

LPN - Licensed Practical Nurse. An LPN usually has at least 1 year of education devoted to patient care, pathophysiology, basic nutrition, and care of the psychiatric/geriatric/medical/surgical/obstetric/pediatric patient, basic pharmacology and medication dosage, calculation and medication administration, as well as basic education on the scope of practice of the licensed practical nurse including the legal implications of these actions. LPN's report to/work under the supervision of RN's. They can administer medications, document patient's progress in the chart. They can perform complex dressing changes, suction patients, insert nasogastric tubes, foley catheters, receive telephone orders from a physician (this may have changed from my days as an LPN) and have limited supervision of personnel on a unit (there must be an RN in the building for the LPN to report to). They are not usually supervisors of entire units. They do not usually work in critical care areas as CVICU, SICU etc. (note I said not usually, I have seen some in the ED and in ICU)

RN - Registered Nurse. There are different pathways to becoming an RN. You could go to a diploma school. There are very few, if any of these schools remaining in the U.S. They are usually affiliated with a hospital and almost from day 1 you are on the hospital floors caring for patients. Classroom work is interspersed with your clinical training. You work shifts and complete training in 3 years. The other option would be an associates degree, usually at a 2 year community, technical or junior college. Students are required to take anatomy and physiology, microbiology, math, various courses in psychology, in addition to liberal arts (English, foreign language, sociology) and take nursing courses right along with those. Or you can get a BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This is a 4 year degree program where your liberal arts courses and program prerequisites are taken in the first 2 years of the program and the last 2 years are devoted to the nursing curriculum. RN's can do all of the above that a CNA or LPN can do plus supervise units and the whole nursing staff of a hospital (small community hospitals sometimes have 1 or 2 RN's supervising the hospital on the night shifts).

Benefits and Salary
Salaries for nurses obviously vary depending on the level of education and training you have received. In general, the range according to the Department of Labor is from $40,250 to $69,850. Many employers offer flexible work schedules, child care, educational benefits, and bonuses.

Personality
Those who would enjoy nursing are those who enjoy caring for people. Those who are meticulous with even the smallest tasks are also a good fit, as even the slightest difference in medications can make a big difference in healthcare. Other good qualities for this jobs are high energy to keep moving from patient to patient and a positive attitude when dealing with those who are ill.


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