Fresh Profile: Nursing Jobs

Published on 2008-05-16

While doctors offer diagnoses and immediate treatment of injuries and acute conditions, nurses are the day-to-day administrators of the medications and techniques that maintain and improve the quality of life for patients. Beyond the pastel hospital uniforms and the knowing smiles, nurses must equip themselves with extensive knowledge, hands-on technical experience and people skills in order to flourish in their profession. Whether it's stitching a five-year-old's knee or sorting medications for the elderly patient in bed #542, a nurse has to have passion and patience to flourish in a dynamic and stressful environment.

If you elect to pursue career opportunities in nursing, then a number of areas of specialization are available to you. In general, nursing specializations coalesce around the physical location of the healthcare being sought. Hospitals offer high-paid nursing jobs and medical careers in areas such as family and general medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery and pharmacy, and a host of other specializations. Psychiatric and mental health nursing careers are rapidly becoming available in less institutional settings such as doctors' offices and clinics. And as the movement to keep healthcare costs low and treat patients in more familiar settings gains momentum, the field of home health nursing is rapidly becoming a top choice.

There are various educational paths available to people interested in nursing jobs. Nurses can graduate from an accredited hospital with a diploma or pursue a two-year associate's degree in nursing in order to enter the less lucrative field of mental health nursing and home health tending. However, a four-year bachelor's of science degree in nursing is the norm, as it provides greater flexibility in the job market.

Licensing exams are required to become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN, which only requires one year of study) or a registered nurse (RNs require a bachelor's and more study for certification). Clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and clinical registered nurse anesthetists represent the most advanced levels of certified education and experience possible within the nursing profession.

Overall, the job outlook for the nursing field is excellent. Due to the rapid aging of the U.S. population and the developing emphasis on home care, many hospital jobs and home health positions are going unfilled. Changes in healthcare policy have left hospitals scrambling for qualified candidates to fill everything from emergency room attendant positions to physician assistant jobs.

If you consider yourself the kind of person who can offer patients a strong, steady arm to take while on the road to recovery, then the field of nursing might be exactly the right fit for you. Difficulties which a nurse may face include very long hours, the need to work holidays and weekends, extreme physical demands, and the challenge of dealing with patients and families under a lot of emotional stress. However, the ability to make a lasting and very tangible difference in the lives of patients ensures that nursing will always be a highly rewarding career choice.

At Fresho.com, our fast, free and effective search tools make it easy to find all the latest listings for nurses, home health aides and other healthcare jobs. Browse the Fresho Nursing section for your state or city to see what opportunities the field of nursing can offer you today.