Congratulations on reading this article! It is a key indicator that you are somebody who has already started the amazing journey to becoming a nurse. As you might already know, the world of nursing is very diverse, and it covers absolutely every aspect of the care process. If this is something that you are interested in, then the good news is that you are in the right place as this guide has been created in order to give you the full overview when it comes to the different possibilities that you can take. Read on now in order to learn all about it today.
Registered Nurse
Simply put, being a registered nurse is one of the classic paths that you can take. It can otherwise be known as a general nurse. It’s likely to be a job that will rise in popularity due to the high level of turnover caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the high level of nurses who are quitting their jobs.
Healthcare Management Nurse
A healthcare management nurse is someone who takes a key leadership role in the world of nursing. They are responsible for a team of different nurses, and they are able to coordinate between them as to the best approaches for caring for patients. It’s a difficult role, but it’s more than compensated for by the high salaries it brings, the likes of which are on the rise.
Cardiac Nurse
When it comes to anything heart-related, a cardiac nurse is one of the first points of call. They are likely to coordinate directly with the heart surgeon as well as be able to take accurate measurements and readings of a patient’s heart rate.
Nurse Anaesthetist
When it comes to administering drugs such as anesthetics, the services of a nurse anesthetist are needed. People who work in this industry usually have extra qualifications when it comes to an understanding the properties of drugs and how they are used.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
When people require care within a clinical setting, the services of a clinical nurse specialist are called upon. This is usually a type of profession that requires a high level of specialization; the plus side of this role are the usually higher-than-normal salaries that can be commanded.
Midwife
A midwife is a type of nurse that assists with the birth of children. Midwifes, the likes of which have been popularized by the British TV show Call The Midwife, can either help in the hospital or be called in in order to help with a home birth.
Military Nurse
When it comes to helping people in the army, a military nurse is someone with the dual training of someone in the armed forces as well as holding the necessary nursing qualifications. If you’re interested in this job, especially as war is responsible for kicking the nursing profession off, then it helps to train as a reservist alongside your degree.
Gastroenterology Nursing
Gastroenterology refers to the study of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, bile ducts, liver, and other bodily functions. A gastroenterology nurse will have further qualifications that go into these topics in detail and will be able to help people with their diverse needs.
Forensic Nursing
When it comes to a crime scene, nurses are needed in order to be able to help doctors and forensic experts to collect information. Their work can often lead to the crime being solved.
Theatre Nurse
When surgery is taking place, they call it the theatre room. Therefore, a theatre nurse is someone who assists a doctor to engage in surgery to the best of their ability. As a result, this is a truly critical role.
Geriatric Nurse
As the name suggests, a geriatric nurse is someone who works with old people. They can understand the types of diseases and issues that affect people in old age, as well as coordinate with doctors in order to find the best possible kind of care.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Strictly speaking, FNPs have their own clinic that allows them to deal with the needs of a small community. They are given a higher level of autonomy than most nurses, meaning that they are actually able to prescribe medication. FNPs are particularly in demand because there is an increased need for leadership in nursing.
A&E Nurse
When it comes to the accidents and emergencies ward, an A&E nurse often works as one of the first ports of call in assisting trauma surgeons in doing their job in the best possible way. It’s worth considering that if you are interested in this job, it can be one of the more high-stress versions of nursing.
Critical Care Nurse
When people are in the critical care ward, for example, when they were overrun due to the coronavirus pandemic, then they will usually be attended to by a critical care nurse, the type of person who is absolutely suited to be in this kind of situation.
Diabetes Specialist Nurse
As the name of this job title denotes, a diabetes specialist nurse is someone who knows the ins and outs of diabetes and how best to provide care for people suffering from this disease. Considering that over 10% of Americans are currently suffering from diabetes, the importance of a diabetes specialist nurse cannot be overstated.
Dermatology Nurse
A dermatology nurse is somebody who is completely attuned to caring for patients with skin issues, such as burns or diseases. They help doctors perform operations and can collect data to better localize the level of care.
Mental Health Nurse
Many Americans suffer from mental health issues, the likes of which can be linked to substance abuse, the pressures of the pandemic, or even trauma. Mental health nurses are able to understand the diverse needs of their patients and to give them a high level of care.
Research Nurse
As the name might have suggested, a research nurse is someone who helps doctors in order to carry out their necessary research. This is an interdisciplinary role with a whole lot of different use cases.
Case Management Nurse
A case management nurse is somebody who develops and reviews healthcare plans for patients that are dealing with serious injuries or chronic illnesses. The advantages of being a case management nurse are, that if you like to go out and about, you can work within a hospital, or you can visit people where they are.
Prison Nurse
A prison nurse is a licensed professional who is authorized to carry out their work in a prison setting. Given the many different stresses involved in giving care to criminals, many of whom are actually mentally unwell, this can be a particularly challenging role.
Learning Disability Nurse
As you can probably guess from the name, a learning disability nurse helps people who have special needs. As people with special needs can have diverse and demanding issues, this is a job for people with a high degree of patience.
Adult Nurse
An adult nurse, as the name might give away, is a nurse that works with the needs of adults. This is a further specialization that can come after getting the necessary qualifications of a registered nurse.
Children’s Nurse
Otherwise known as a pediatric nurse, a children’s nurse works with people under the age of 18 on their needs. As children have less understanding of what is going on with their bodies than adults, children’s nurses must have a high level of patience in order to complete their job to a satisfactory level.
Neonatal Nurse
When people are preparing to have a baby, they need to make use of a neonatal nurse. They can help with monitoring vital signs as well as giving information if they need to terminate the pregnancy for any reason.
GP Nurse
A GP nurse is one that works in a general practitioner setting. They usually assist in local environments, catering to the direct needs of their community.
Nursing Associate
This is a generic nursing role that wears many hats within a clinical organization. They usually work to assist other nurses and doctors in order to do their work to the best of their ability.
Conclusion
This guide has hopefully shown you that when it comes to the world of nursing, there are a whole host of specializations that you can go into. Even considering the wide variety of different practices that have been listed in this guide, it’s also worth bearing in mind that this guide only scratches the surface when it comes to the many possibilities involved in nursing. This means that you need to do your own research when it comes to figuring out what you should be looking for in the world of nursing. With that said, you should definitely revisit this guide in the weeks and months to come before you make that final decision to become a nurse. Finally, good luck in your journey in order to become the best nurse possible.
