Nursing Careers, Jobs & Salaries

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NurseThe nursing field, like many other healthcare fields, is expected to experience high growth over the next several years, as baby boomers age, life expectancy increases, and experienced nurses retire. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Services' most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook projected that the nursing field will add 587,000 jobs through 2016. This is a growth of 23% , much higher than the national average for other careers. Nurses will be in increasingly high demand.

Registered Nurses (RNs) treat patients and educate families about medical problems and treatment. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) (also known as licensed vocational nurses or LVNs) care for patients under the direction of RNs. A nurse's duties might include recording medical history and symptoms, taking vital signs, performing tests, running medical machinery, and administering medication.

Degree Programs

All aspiring RNs must complete an accredited nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN, which is the national licensing exam. LPNs must also graduate from a state-approved practical nursing program and pass the NCLEX-PN.

A typical nursing program for an RN lasts about two years and offers an associate's degree (ADN), while a practical nursing program can be completed in about a year. Bachelor's and other advanced degrees are often required for more senior-level management and administrative roles.

In fact, nurses with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) are expected to have the best job prospects. For nurses without a BSN, there are many opportunities to turn their RN into a BSN, and many employers will pay for the additional training. Online programs are particularly convenient for many RNs, since an online program more easily fits a typical nurses's schedule, but there are a variety of nursing programs, online and on-campus, that will help nurses further their nursing career.

Outlook

Nursing is the largest healthcare occupation. According to the latest available numbers, there are roughly 2.5 million RNs in the United States. Three out of five RNs work in hospitals, but as more sophisticated technologies are developed, more and more nurses are in demand outside the hospital, in places such as physician offices, outpatient care centers, home health care, employment services, or nursing facilities.

The employment forecast for nurses is excellent through 2016. Many job openings will be due to increased technology for patient care, and the rise of preventive care. The Health and Human Services Department also foresees a nursing shortage of one million within the next two years.

As the field becomes more advanced, nurses can treat more patients and more problems, allowing hospitals and other care facilities to expand their operations. The most rapid growth is expected to occur in outpatient facilities, nursing home facilities, home health care organizations, and rehabilitation centers. Hospitals will still continue to employ a large percentage of nurses, however, as they have a relatively high turnover rate.

Benefits & Salaries

Because nurses are in such high demand, many employers, particularly hospitals recruiting nurses for critical care or emergency room placement, offer recruiting incentives. These might include signing bonuses, flexible schedules, and tuition reimbursement. Many government organizations offer loan forgiveness programs in situations where a nursing shortage is felt state-wide.

The median annual salary for RNs nationally is $65,130. Hospital nurses in the U.S. make roughly $66,490, and those in nursing homes make $58,360. California is the top-paying state for nurses, paying on average $83,040 per year.

Another growing need in the nursing field is for qualified nursing faculty. Nurses are in incredibly high demand throughout the country, but a shortage of faculty at nursing schools often force many potential nursing students to be turned away. Experienced RNs and BSN holders are heavily recruited by schools of nursing to teach new nurses.