As an art, nursing involves learning to deliver care with compassion, caring, and respect for each patient’s dignity and individuality.
As a science, nursing is based on a body of knowledge and evolving evidence-based practices.
Nursing is a profession that uses critical thinking skills to administer evidence-based patient-centered care in a safe, prudent, and knowledgeable manner.
Career opportunities in nursing include clinical practice, education, research, management, administration, and entrepreneurship.
Nurses must follow the professional standards of practice and nurses’ code of ethics.
The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice describe the duties all registered nurses (RNs) are expected to perform.
Providing autonomous care involves initiating independent nursing interventions.
Accountability is the professional and legal responsibility for the quality of nursing care.
As a caregiver, the nurse helps the patient and family set and meet outcomes.
As a patient, advocate nurses protect patients’ human and legal rights and provide help in asserting those rights.
As an educator, a nurse must be able to teach effectively to improve patients' knowledge, skills, and self-care activities.
Effective communication is central to the nurse-patient relationship and allows nurses to know patients' preferences, strengths, weaknesses, and needs.
The advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) has a master’s degree or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in nursing; advanced education in pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment; and certification and expertise in a specialized area of practice.
A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who is an expert clinician in a specialized area of practice. Can work in Geriatric care, Critical care, Rehabilitation. Does not do Midwifery or Anesthesiology.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are APRNs who provide primary, acute, and specialty health care to patients of all ages and in all types of health care settings.
A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is an APRN who provides comprehensive care for women from adolescence through menopause, including primary, gynecological, reproductive, and newborn care. Manage the delivery. Provide care for the newborn. Does not: Administer uterine relaxants, perform cesarean section surgery, provide physical presence until transfer to tertiatry care.
A certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is an APRN who practices autonomously and in collaboration with a variety of health care providers. In some states they can work independently. In Florida they require some level of physician supervision or collaboration.
A nurse educator is a faculty member who works primarily in nursing schools, staff development departments of health care agencies, and patient education departments.
A nurse administrator manages the nursing staff in a health care agency.
The nurse researcher conducts evidence-based practice, performance improvement, and research to improve nursing care and expand the scope of nursing practice.
An associate or bachelor's degree program is required to become a registered nurse (RN) in the United States.
Graduate education can be pursued leading to a master's or doctoral degree in a variety of fields, including advanced nursing, public health, epidemiology, and informatics.
Continuing education is offered by universities, hospitals, nursing associations, and professional organizations.
In-service education programs are instruction or training programs provided by a health care agency or institution.