An Overview - Present and Future

Exciting and rewarding career opportunities exist for men and women entering the profession. As healthcare access continues to be on the forefront of America's agenda, nursing will be increasingly called upon to help provide a broader range of services due to a variety of factors.

• As healthcare delivery shifts from an illness focus to a health promotion focus, nurses will be providing care across the entire health continuum.
• As healthcare technology advances, more individuals will be living with chronic conditions that require nursing care.
• Hospitals and outpatient settings will have increasingly complex patient care demands that require RNs prepared with strong clinical judgment skills.
• Expanding healthcare technology and scientific breakthrough will require increased patient care monitoring by RNs in diverse settings.
• The explosion of healthcare knowledge brings specialization to the nursing role. There are over 50 specialties in which RNs can become certified.
• A growing complexity of environmental and social problems creates an increased need for nursing services.
• As life spans increase, more health services will be needed. It is projected 12% of the U.S. population will be over age 85 by the year 2030. The population age 65 years and older will double between 2000 and 2030. Average life expectancy has reached 75.5 years.

NURSING'S FOCUS

• Nurses care for individuals who are healthy and ill, of all ages and cultural backgrounds, and who have physical, emotional, psychological, intellectual, social, and spiritual needs.
• Nursing is a profession that combines physical science, social science, nursing theory, and technology in the care of others.
• Nurses provide complex patient care monitoring and evaluation.
• Nurses are the coordinators of patient care.
• Nurses provide patient education.
• Nurses apply research in practice.

NURSING'S PROFILE

• Nursing is the nation's largest health care profession with 2.7 million nurses, 83% are employed in nursing.
• The current RN workforce is aging. Retirements are expected to peak in the next decade adding to the demand for RNs.
• Nursing students account for 52% of all health profession students in the United States.
• Nurses comprise the largest single component of hospital staff, are the primary providers of hospital care, and deliver most of the nation's long-term care.

American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2006 Nursing Shortage Resource. www.aacn.nche.edu
Health Resources and Services Administration. (February 2007). The Registered Nurse Population: Findings from the March 2004 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2007, May). Occupational Employment and Wages for 2006.

CAREER PATHS

Clinician

• Clinical Staff Nurse - Provides scientific, psychological, and technological knowledge in the care of patients and families. (Starting Range: $40,000-50,000/yr)
• Advanced Practice Nurse - Provides primary care and specialized advanced nursing services to patients and families. Includes: Clinical Specialist, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwife (Starting Range: $60,000-88,000/yr); Nurse Anesthetist (Starting Range: $90,000-113,000/yr+)

Educator - Utilizes educational methodologies to present current information in patient care settings, universities, and communities. (Starting Range: $40,000-90,000/yr) Positions may include: instructor, professor, university or college administrator, chair or dean.

Researcher - Utilizes statistical methodologies to discover or establish facts, principles or relationships. (Starting Range: $60,000-90,000/yr+)

Administrator - Coordinates the use of human, financial, and technological resources to provide patient care services. Positions may include facilitator, manager, director, chief nurse executive, or vice president. Salary is commiserate with scope of responsibility. (Starting Range: $60,000-120,000/yr+)

CAREER DIVERSITY
Nurses may follow their personal and professional interests by working with any group of people, in any setting, at any time. The settings in which nurses work are reflective of the specialties in nursing. There is no profession which offers as many opportunities for diversified roles as does nursing.

ROLES:

• Clinician
  • Clinical Staff Nurse
  • Advanced Practice Nurse
    • Clinical Specialist
    • Nurse Practitioner
    • Nurse Anesthetist
    • Nurse Midwife
• Educator
  • Clinical Instructor
  • College/University Professor
  • Staff Development Specialist
  • Patient Education Specialist
• Manager/Administrator
• Researcher

HOSPITAL SETTINGS:

• Critical Care
• Emergency
• Maternal/Child Care
• Medical:
  • Cardiology, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Gerontology, Nephrology, Neurology, Oncology, Pulmonary, Rehabilitation, Renal, Rheumatology, Urology
• Operating Room/Recovery Room
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatric/Mental Health
• Surgical:
  • Burn, Cardiovascular, Ear/Nose/Throat, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, Plastic/Reconstructive, Transplant

NON-HOSPITAL SETTINGS:

• Public/Community Health
• Mental Health Agencies
• Home Health Care
• Physician's Office
• Insurance
• Occupational Health
• Research Centers
• Extended Care Facilities
• Clinics/Health Centers
• Outpatient Surgery Centers
• Hospices
• Community Schools, Day Care Centers
• Military Branches
• Independent Practice, Consultants
• Schools of Nursing
• Senior Centers, Shelters, Churches

*In addition, some nurses have combined two careers (i.e. nurse attorney). Others have served as consultants to businesses, schools, and health care institutions. Some are combining the field of Nursing and computer technology (informatics specialist).

JOB MARKET

• RN positions are open for new graduates and experienced nurses in a variety of settings and specialties.
• Increasing inpatient days and ambulatory care delivery demand RN expertise.
• Heightened recognition of the RN role leads to expanding opportunities.

SALARIES/WORK ENVIRONMENT - Salaries are competitive with other professions and attracting more men and women into nursing. In the central Indiana area, a new graduate starts out at approximately $40,000-50,000 per year. Nationally, the average annual earnings of RNs employed full-time is $59,730. The nurse who works evenings, nights or weekends receives added compensation. Nurses choosing careers in advanced practice, administration, education and research may earn more, depending on the amount of responsibility associated with their role.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Knowledgeable, articulate, competent, caring and compassionate
• Problem-solver, critical thinker, decision maker
• Responsible, accountable, and adaptable

PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEMANDS

• Good health and stamina
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Developed coping skills, ability to work well under pressure and adaptable to change

WORKING CONDITIONS - Working conditions have changed significantly in recent years. A variety of scheduling options are offered that are compatible in meeting the personal needs of the nurse and are dependent on the role and setting.

• Flexible work schedules; health, education, and retirement benefits
• Progressive health care environments
• State-of-the-art technology
• Potential exposure to hazards, i.e. drugs, physical injuries, infectious diseases, environmental

HIGH SCHOOL COURSES REQUIRED BY MOST SCHOOLS OF NURSING

PREPARATION - Students who are thinking about Nursing as a career should plan a college prep curriculum:

English - 4 years (verbal and written communication skills essential)
Math - 2 to 4 years (algebra necessary for success in chemistry and medication administration; geometry)
Science - 2 to 4 years (biology and chemistry essential; physics recommended; computer science; )
Social Studies - 3 to 4 years (psychology; sociology; history; government; economics are all recommended)
Foreign Language - 2 years (highly recommended: some variation among individual Nursing Schools)

Visit www.nsna.org, www.aacn.nche.edu, or www.nln.org for a nationwide listing of Colleges and Universities offering Nursing degrees.