Nursing is a vast field of opportunities for those who are interested in helping others. It offers many different work environments and responsibilities to fit an individual’s interests and personality. From direct care nursing jobs in hospitals to non-typical nursing jobs, the field is wide open.
Basic nursing jobs are the ones people think of when hearing the word nurse. These jobs are usually located in a healthcare setting and have a diverse range of skills needed. Nursing jobs in hospitals include:
- Staff nurse – these nurses take care of the patients on the floor. These nurses can work in areas and take care of patients with cancer, patients with psychiatric illnesses, surgical patients, mothers and babies, emergency room patients, children, critically ill patients, and the standard, medically ill patient.
- Surgical nurse – these nurses prepare patients for surgery, assist the doctors in surgery, and take care of patients immediately following surgery.
- Nurse Supervisor – These nurses oversee the staff nurses on the floor. They do the scheduling and sometimes hiring and firing of staff nurses.
- House supervisor nurses – these nurses cover all areas of the hospital and help ensure the staff nurses have the help needed to do their jobs.
Other healthcare nursing jobs include nursing home nurses. These nurses take care of patients in nursing homes, assisted living situations, and other long-term care facilities. They usually specialize in the care and treatment of older patients. These facilities have staff nurses that work with the patients in the facility. They will also have a Director of Nursing that oversees the entire nursing staff and some facilities use nurses as quality assurance coordinators and staff training coordinators also.
One may also work as a prison nurse, working with prisoners when they become ill or as a school nurse, working with children and teachers.
Non-typical nursing jobs cover a completely different aspect of nursing most people don’t realize is available. These nurses rarely deal directly with patients. They may work with governmental agencies to ensure the quality of care in healthcare facilities. They may work with insurance companies assessing potential clients or helping with job related injuries. They also help with developing and implementing governmental guidelines for the standards of practice used in nursing.
One other nursing job available is teaching. Nursing is a profession in great need of good instructors. These jobs require patience and a good foundation in basic nursing skills. Most universities require a master’s degree in nursing to become an instructor.
There are many other opportunities available for nurses. These listed are a few of the more common nursing jobs. Nurses are hard to come by in the United States and valued for their compassion and knowledge. Once you become a nurse, you are always a nurse, no matter what else you do.