Nursing has always been a lucrative career option, now even more so than before. The nursing career provides one with a wide range of options to choose from and also a path for rapid career growth. Nurses work along with doctors shoulder to shoulder and play a crucial role in reviving the health of the patients. Since nurses have a lot more face time with the patients, they develop a strong bond with them. The patients rely on them, and the nurses in turn help to keep them at ease and assist in every possible way to make them better.
Prerequisites for a career in nursing
If you are looking for a career in nursing, firstly you need to do any three of these certification courses.
· An associate degree in nursing
· A Bachelor’s Degree in nursing
· Diploma from a hospital. Most of the diploma courses however have now been discontinued.
Finally one needs to take an exam to become a registered nurse.
· This is the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) in the US
· The RN (Registered Nurse) examination in Canada etc.
Once you take this test, after completion of your associate or bachelor’s degree, you become a registered nurse.
Where a Nurse can work
Contrary to general perception, a nurse does not only work at a hospital. They can work practically anywhere there is a doctor like in
· Government Agencies, Big Corporations, Clinics.
· Mental Health Institutes, Emergency Rooms, a Doctor’s Private Chambers and so on.
One can even opt for studying at a master’s level for a definite specialization like oncology, pediatrics etc. and then become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)They are highly valued and is one of the most respected professions in the HealthCare business, second only to doctors.
Various Career Paths available for a Nurse
One can opt for one out of many alternate career paths as a nurse. One can aspire to be a cardiac care nurse, while someone else can go for the role of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. There are countless roles to pick from
· Certified Nurse Midwife: Responsible for delivering babies and for the care of the mother before, during, and through the process of child birth.
· Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist: Responsible for easing the patient, leading up to the operation and for administering the correct dose of anesthetic to the patient.
· Clinic/Office Nurse: Responsible for preliminary examination of the patient, addressing the wounds, administering injections and clerical duties.
· Critical Care Nurse: Responsible for taking care of patients in critical conditions and for constantly monitoring their health.
· Dialysis Nurse: This career path requires additional training and certification. A Dialysis Nurse is responsible for a patient with chronic Renal Failure and other Kidney related issues.
· Flight Nurse: They are responsible for providing the patients with continuous on-flight care during their transportation to a medical facility during emergencies.
· Forensic Nurse: This again requires additional training and it seeks to combine the skill-set of a nurse with keen investigative abilities and adept knowledge of the law enforcement agencies.
· Oncology Nurse: Responsible for a patient diagnosed with cancer. It includes administering chemotherapy and monitoring its side-effects among other functions.
These are only but to name a few of the wide array of Nursing Roles available. If a patient is not a resident of the country but has a valid EHIC card( European Health Insurance a Card), the concerned nurse can note down the patient details along with the card number and the process for the required treatment can be started without further ado.
