Profession Of A Registered Nurse
To be a registered nurse is a tough profession, but also one of the noblest one. Perhaps that’s why the level of job satisfaction has been reported to be higher among nurses. And if you think that being a nurse is just looking after patients with no real moolah, you are wrong!
Salary Wizard reports suggest that a registered nurse draws an average median salary of about $59,061 annually! This is the best package one can get with just a bachelor’s degree as well as a state certification test grade in hand. However, the salary of a nurse depends on the type of facility and the firm for which he or she works. For a fresher, it’s easy to earn $43,000 for a start.
Hard Work That Pays Well
As a registered nurse, you must know everything, right from the knowledge of IV to different drug interactions in patients and symptoms of a large number of diseases. If you opt for holistic nursing, then be prepared for a long shift. An average hospital floor nurse has to look after every need of 6 patients in a shift. This explains the hurried nature of nurses!
But all this pays well at the end. If you know how to negotiate well, as a registered nurse, you can take home a slew of bonuses along with your salary. Nurses are at an advantage in America. Due to a shortage of such professionals, hospitals are ready to offer bonuses ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 for commitment for one year. For committing to three years, you can avail $5,000. And this we are talking about bonus!
In addition to this, hospitals willingly give registered nurse a raise, if they opt for a weekend shift. In case you have worked during a scheduled off day, you receive a “premium pay.” See how well off the nurses are!
How To Become A Registered Nurse?
For this, you need to enroll for an Associate’s degree in Nursing, which is of two years duration. After that, you need to take an exam, called National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), to obtain license for practice. This exam tests your knowledge and skill for this profession and prepares you to enter the field of nursing. You can get a license to practice in more than one state. In order to keep your license valid, you need to take several continuing education classes.
During the degree program, you are given lessons in major areas like Nursing theory, human growth and development, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biology, nutrition, chemistry, pharmacology, medication administration, ethics, psychology, and legal issues. Besides this, you will also be allowed to assist working nurses so that you get hands-on experience of dealing with patients. This is included in the clinical part of the degree program.
So, if you think you are made to save lives and have an empathizing heart for patients, registered nurse is the profession for you.