By Ann Acka’a BSN, RN, CM/DN
The Nursing profession was founded on the idea that professional achievement is deserving of recognition, exposure and reward. As a meeting place for the top minds in nursing.
The Nursing profession offers unlimited opportunities to further your success and embrace your role as a vital member of the medical community.
Nursing is the fastest growing network of Nurses from around the globe and takes pride in delivering its members the platform and competitive edge needed to survive in this ever-changing and complex environment.
As a well experienced nurse, my goal is to bring together outstanding nurses from all specialties and backgrounds. It is my belief that by establishing an integrated network of top-notch Nursing professionals, we can together create new possibilities in the treatment and diagnosis of disease, and improve the quality of lives across the borders of humanity and countries throughout the world.
If you are thinking to join the Nursing profession as a career, you need to know what it entails! It is not an easy job or easy money.
According to the American Nurses Association (ANA), Nursing is defined as:
“Nursing is the profession of protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.”
Nurses make up one of the largest workforces in the clinical healthcare industry. There are different types of nurses and nursing has a variety of roles and responsibilities.
Nurses are a very important part of the healthcare industry, working in close association with physicians, nurse practitioners, respiratory and a variety of other professionals who make up a multidisciplinary team.
The responsibility of the nurse to administer care and medication, suggested by the doctor, for the care of the patient. Since they may spend more time with the patient than a doctor, they have to be very adept at interacting with the patient, helping them to recuperate fast.
Education, training and certification
There are three academic programs to become a nurse – a diploma from an accredited nursing program or hospital, a two year program in Associate’s degree in Nursing (ADN), or a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN). ADN and BSN are more popular than the diploma because of the variety and functionality of the course.
One has to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), or for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) to become a licensed and practicing nurse. One can also become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), also known as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), by doing one year of course work after high school. LPN or LVN is not a Registered nurse.
To become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), one has to fulfil the requirements of a general RN and then continue their education at Master’s or beyond, specializing in any one of the fields like Oncology, Anesthesiology, or Pediatrics. APRN includes Clinical Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA), the most advanced of all nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) and Nurse Practitioners (NP).
Responsibilities
Nurses work in close association with the Physician and other Specialists involve in different aspects of patient care, including administering injections, maintaining medical records, performing minor therapeutic and diagnostic procedures and processes, as well as taking care of the hygiene and comfort of the patient.
The work schedule and the duties depend on the Specialty and level of Nursing. For example, Surgical Nurses help in the preparation for a surgical procedure and also in post-operative care of the patient. There are a number of specialties available in this career, such as Pediatric, Cardiac, Neonatology, Oncology, or any other medical specialty; in which Nurses can have additional certifications or a Master’s degree.
According to ANA, irrespective of the specialty of Nursing, each Nurse has the primary responsibility of ‘Nursing process’. This refers to the five steps in patient interaction — assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
What to expect
This career has job stability,and also offers a variety of options like schedules, locations and responsibilities. It is one of the most rewarding professions, where one is able to really make a difference in the life of another person and family when it is needed the most. Specialized roles may be lucrative and one can move up with different roles in leadership and management.
But one needs to be ready to take in more stressful hours when needed, especially when there is a shortage of manpower. Working at nights and weekends also may be on card and one must be ready to accept the fact that you may not be able to see family much, especially if the timings are different. Moreover, one should have the mindset to deal with stress with a smile.
If you love serving others in society, and are passionate about it, you can really make a difference in the lives of hundreds by taking up this career. So, go for it if you have attention to detail, can analyze data and have human spirit burning, come be a Nurse!
Ann is a Critical Care Registered Nurse, Care Manager/ Delegation Nurse. An adjunct Professor of Nursing and Legal Nurse Consultant. https://www.facebook.com/AckaaAnnRn/
