One of the many advantages of a career in nursing is that there’re many different paths you can select from. You can select a nursing education that fits into your time frame and your busy life, and after you’ve graduated you can select from many different settings where you can use your nursing degree. You can work in one of the many nursing jobs outside of the hospital, or you can find work in one of the many kinds of nursing jobs in a hospital. No matter which of these two choices you choose, there’re many opportunities within both arenas. Most recent nursing grads select to start by working in a hospital environment. Some nurses like this way and keep working in a definite hospital unit during their careers. However, others decide they need to try one of the many nursing specialties outside the hospital. There is no right or wrong answer here, it’s strictly about preference.
Here’re some of the common types of nursing jobs in a hospital:
Medical-Surgical Nurses
Medical-surgical nursing is one of the most common kinds of nursing. All nursing grads began as a medical-surgical nurse not so long ago. Now, the nursing specialty route is not straight forward. A medical-surgical nurse usually manages a patient load of 5 – 7 patients throughout their shift. They create treatment plans, administer medications, provide care, and document everything. This line of work is very demanding and can be challenging. However, the rewards are best. You get day-to-day patient interaction of all ages and from all backgrounds as a medical nurse.
Critical Care Nurse
A critical care nurse works with critically ill patients, usually in the intensive care unit (ICU). A critically ill patient refers to somebody with a life-threatening problem. These nurses work with patients. You’re not required to get an advanced nursing degree or additional certification, so long as you’re a licensed registered nurse. However, several nurses who want to stay in this field long term do get certified with the CCRN certification. This is the nursing field where the nursing staff is short, hence critical care nurses are in very high demand.
Post Anesthesia Care Nursing
This type of nurse works in the post-anesthesia care unit, where patients recover from anesthesia. They ensure that the patient gets up without problems and manage things like airway management, draining catheters, pain management, and handling wounds from surgery.
NICU or PICU Nursing
The NICU is a neonatal intensive care unit, and PICU is a pediatric intensive care unit. Both units care for critically ill Childs. NICU deals with newborn children, while the PICU patients are children up to the age of 17. If you enjoy working with and caring for ill children, this can be a good career path for you.
Oncology Nurse
This nurse operates with cancer patients and gives all the necessary care. An oncology nurse will also educate the patients, consults the doctor and the patents, and organizes the treatment. A basic nursing degree (preferably a BSN) is all that is required for this field. There’re many different specialties a nurse can have within oncology, many of which may need, or at least encourage, an advanced certification. Few of the specialties involve chemotherapy, radiation, breast oncology, GYN oncology, palliative care, and early detection and prevention.