2. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nursing

3. Nurses Overview: Nurses Registered nurses (RNs), regardless of specialty or work setting, perform basic duties that include treating patients, educating patients and the public about various medical conditions, and providing advice and emotional support to patients' family members. RNs record patients' medical histories and symptoms, help to perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

4. Overview (continued): RNs teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, including post- treatment home care needs, diet and exercise programs, and self-administration of medication and physical therapy. Some RNs also are trained to provide grief counseling to family members of critically ill patients. RNs work to promote general health by educating the public on various warning signs and symptoms of disease and where to go for help. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

5. Preparation: In all States and the District of Columbia, students must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a national licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing license. Nurses may be licensed in more than one State, either by examination or by the endorsement of a license issued by another State. Currently 18 States participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact Agreement, which allows nurses to practice in member States without recertifying. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

6. Preparation (continued): All nursing education programs include classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other health care facilities. Students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology and other behavioral sciences, and nursing. Nurses should be caring, sympathetic, responsible, and detail oriented. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

7. Preparation (continued): In the United States, there are two nursing organizations that accredit bachelor level nursing degree programs: the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission (ASN, BSN, MSN) and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (BSN, MSN). In 2004, 674 nursing programs offered degrees at the bachelor's level. More details are on the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center website.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

8. Day in the Life: Most RNs work in well-lighted, comfortable health care facilities. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients' homes, schools, community centers, and other sites. RNs may spend considerable time walking and standing. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

9. Day in the Life (continued): Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require 24-hour care; consequently, nurses in these institutions may work nights, weekends, and holidays. RNs also may be on call -- available to work on short notice. Nurses who work in office settings are more likely to work regular business hours. About 23 percent of RNs worked part time in 2004, and 7 percent held more than one job. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

10. Earnings: Median annual earnings of registered nurses were $52,330 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $43,370 and $63,360. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of registered nurses in May 2004 were: Employment services: $63,170 General medical and surgical hospitals: $53,450 Home health care services: $48,990 Offices of physicians: $48,250 Nursing care facilities: $48,220 OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

11. Employment: As the largest health care occupation, registered nurses held about 2.4 million jobs in 2004. About 3 out of 5 jobs were in hospitals, in inpatient and outpatient departments. Others worked in offices of physicians, nursing care facilities, home health care services, employment services, government agencies, and outpatient care centers. The remainder worked mostly in social assistance agencies and educational services, public and private. About 1 in 4 RNs worked part time. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

12. Career Path Forecast: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for RNs in all specialties are expected to be excellent. Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014, and, because the occupation is very large, many new jobs will result. In fact, registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

13. Career Path Forecast (continued): Thousands of job openings also will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, especially as the median age of the registered nurse population continues to rise. Much faster-than-average growth will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit a greater number of medical problems to be treated, and by an increasing emphasis on preventive care. OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses

14. Resources: More information about Nurses is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, including accredited university programs, suggestions for precollege students, a free monthly careers newsletter, and a PDF summarizing the field.NursesSloan Career Cornerstone Centeraccredited university programsprecollege studentsnewsletterPDF summarizing the field Associations:  American Association of Colleges of NursingAmerican Association of Colleges of Nursing  American Nurses AssociationAmerican Nurses Association  Commission on Collegiate Nursing EducationCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education  National Association of Clinical Nurse SpecialistsNational Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists  National League for Nursing Accreditation CommissionNational League for Nursing Accreditation Commission OverviewOverview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – ResourcesPreparationDay in the LifeEarningsEmploymentCareer Path ForecastResources Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Nurses