The House of Usher

Running Head: EXPLANATORY

Becoming a Registered Nurse

February 7, 2011

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation. In order to be a nurse, you should be caring, responsible, and detail oriented. As a nurse you must be able to deal, emotionally, with human suffering and other stressors. You, as a nurse are going to encounter a number of different situations that you are going to have to be strong to deal with. In the nursing field you do not pick and choose who are going to be your patients. One day you may have a child for your patient, and you are going to have to be able to deal, emotionally with that. Registered nurses treat patients and provide support to patient’s family members. Registered nurses will record medical histories, help with patient follow up, and assist with patient rehabilitation. Registered nurses teach their patients how to manage their illness or injury.

There are three educational paths to your nursing degree. A bachelor’s degree, an associate’s degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program. A nurse practitioner and a midwife both require at least a master level degree. There are a number of different types of nurses. There are nurses that specialize in one or more areas of patient care. For example; a perioperative nurse is one who works in an operating room and assists the surgeon. A dermatology nurse is one that works with patients who have a skin disorders. A pediatric oncology nurse would work closely with children who have cancer. Some of the nursing jobs that require little or no direct patient care, but still require an active RN license, include forensic nurses, infection control nurses, and nurse educator. A forensic nurse participates in the investigation of abuse victims. An infection control nurse identifies and controls infectious out breaks in healthcare. A nurse educator is one who plans and evaluates educational programs. There are three paths...