Nursing
Nursing is one of the most popular professions in the health care line. In fact, there are over two million registered nurses in the United States of America alone today. For some people, nursing is an art, for others a vocation; however, for most it is first and foremost a profession.
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What does the job of nursing entail?
Basically, it can be said that nursing is providing health care assistance under the guidance of medical science and nursing ethics in accordance with the nursing methods, laws, and theories that are accepted and practiced today. The job of nursing or the nursing process entails solving the health problems of the patient. It is a continuous process of providing care with an aim towards recovery of the health of the patient. However, nursing does not only focus on patients’ physical needs, but also on their emotional and social requirements, as well.
Nursing involves both analyses of the patients’ needs and administration of care to them. Worldwide, the nursing process is taught and remembered with the acronym “ADPIE.” It is a very well charted out process of Analyses or Assessment of the patient’s condition; a Diagnosis of the existing problem; followed by careful Planning of what care to provide to the patient, after which there is Implementation of this care by the nurse and an ongoing process of Evaluation of the patient’s condition where a nurse will look for signs of improvement or regression indicative of the success of the treatment administered. The entire process is accurately recorded in a “care plan,” per the specified format to be followed in order to facilitate that all the nurses of the nursing team ensure that the correct care is given to the patient.
What are the educational qualifications required to become a nurse?
It is necessary to have at least a college degree or diploma in associate nursing or in nursing science in order to become a certified nurse. Getting a nursing degree can take any amount of time from two to four years; this, of course, varies depending on the nusring schools or colleges selected and the course specified. A diploma course can take time, from over a year to three years. Today, there are many such courses and schools that provide them all over the world, many of which are affiliated to their own hospitals and can thus provide hands on experience to their nursing students.
However, in order to practice nursing and get licensure, nurses will be required to register with nursing boards that usually have their own requirement standards and examinations that need to be passed, unless their school or college happens to be linked to the board and they register automatically on completion of their course.
Remunerations of nursing
A nurse’s pay depends on how qualified he or she is and also on work experience. A nurse at the initial level is only qualified with a bachelor’s degree or diploma in nursing, and the majority of them are usually employed as staff nurses in hospitals and provide the most basic and general forms of assistance. Some of these nurses, however, do get posted in managerial roles and specialised positions. This will, of course, be on the basis of work experience and availability of the position.
It is said that there exists a nursing shortage in many countries, and this, of course, increases the value of job opportunities and in many cases increases remuneration for nurses. Nurses who work on rosters and do shift work are better paid than those who do not. A nurse doing shift work often receives double the payment than a regular nurse doing the very same job. Those nurses who possess higher qualifications such as master’s degrees and also have many years of experience under their belt become eligible for teaching posts, specialist nursing, and so on. They receive superior payment as fitting their posts.
Registered Nurses
Registered nurses enjoy more benefits than the Licensed Practical Nurses and the Licensed Vocational Nurses. This is because the scope of their practice area is wider as granted by the nursing laws pertaining to whichever country they chose to practice in. For instance, in the United States of America, each state has its own set of rules and regulations about the administration of nursing care that are clearly stated in the Nurse Practice Act of the area in which the registered nurse is licensed.
Registered nurses are allowed to hold better positions than Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses. They are often employed in posts such as those of supervisors and matrons. It is the job of the registered nurse to oversee the nature and quality of the performance of the nurses under their authority. They also supervise the unlicensed nurses working under them such as the nursing assistants. They receive better salaries and often keep better hours than Licensed Practical Nurses and Licensed Vocational Nurses. Certainly, they receive better remuneration, but they are most accountable for the welfare of the patient.
However, RNs or registered nurses are not restricted to work in areas of the provision of bedside care alone; they are elgible for employment by physicians and lawyers, and they can also be employed by insurance companies as well as private industries. Many registered nurses work in school districts, not to mention in ambulatory and surgery centers as well as in fire departments and other areas. Some registered nurses choose to work for themselves and be independent, often setting up their own consultancies.
Licensed Vocational Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses
A Licensed Vocational Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse must possess at the very least a high school diploma, in addition to having passed the registration examination as required to acquire a licensure to practice. However, there are a few programs that do not demand a diploma and are willing to accept a state approved course that has provided training in nursing. Many vocational schools and institutions, as well as community and junior colleges, provide such courses. Licensed Vocational Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses can render only the basic care to patients, and this too only under the guidance of a registered nurse or physician.
Most of the Licensed Vocational Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses provide just the basic bedside care. They monitor the vital signs of the patient such as blood pressure, pulse, and temperature. They also assist with matters involving the personal hygiene of the patient. They are qualified to give injections and enemas, dress wounds, and so on. It is part of their duty to make care plans, perform general tests, and report negative reactions of patients to the prescribed medication. Some of these nurses work in residences providing private care to patients and some others work in the offices of physicians.
The remuneration for Licensed Vocational Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses varies depending upon the region of work as well as the terms of employment. In the United States, for instance, it is possible to earn up to 14 to 18 dollars per hour, making around 29 to 38 thousand dollars per year.
Specialist Nurses
Specialist Nurses are those nurses with a master’s degree or further education and training other than their bachelor’s degrees or diplomas. Specialist nurses also have many years of experience to their name and have often acquired their specialization by serving for a long period in a particular field of health care and medical science such as the Intensive Care Accident and Emergency Units.
Specialist nurses can take up employment in several fields such as health care, administration, and education. Nurse practitioners, for instance, are called upon to provide care at a superior and advanced practice level. Specialist nurses in these positions often perform tasks similar to those of doctors. Specialist nurses can also become Clinical Nurse Specialists and Nurse Consultants. These nurses perform the function of educating the nurses under them by serving as mentors as a result of their vast experience and specialization. Nurse Consultants are superior to Clinical Nurse Specialists as they train all those in their department and are often involved in research and publication activities. Some specialist nurses become lecturers teaching full time at universities; it is also possible to practice and teach part time, as well, in the position of nurse practitioner. A few of these nurses go into management and get involved in administration. The pay of specialist nurses is superior to other nurses and they enjoy most privileges.
Nursing abroad
Many of the nurses from third world countries and other developing nations choose to work outside their country in the hopes of earning better wages. Indeed, the living standards available with a nursing job in either the United Kingdom or the United States are not available to a nurse from a developing country. For instance, an Asian nurse from a country like India would not be paid even half as a much as a less qualified nurse in the United States would be paid. What’s more is that countries like the UK and United States are in great need of nursing staff as they face a nursing shortage. As a result, many of the nurses in developing countries receive their educational qualifications in their own country, but choose to look for employment abroad. This is because the cost of education in developing countries is less expensive in comparison with education abroad. Once a degree or diploma has been received, employment is sought abroad. Although it is necessary to be a registered nurse before one can practice nursing, many of these nurses receive employment in nursing homes and hospitals as nursing assistants and go abroad on work visas. These nursing homes are usually affiliated to nursing registration boards such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom and are recognized by them. The next step is registration, after which it is on to a better life for these nurses.
Nursing in the UK and the US
Anyone can become a nurse in the UK or US, provided they possess a degree or a diploma in nursing and are able to meet the required standards set by each country. According to the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council, there are over six hundred thousand registered nurses recorded on the register, as per 2005.
To be a practicing nurse in the UK, it is first necessary to be registered as a certified nurse and hold a current and validated registration as per the rules and regulations of the NMC or Nursing and Midwifery Council. The NMC aims to improve the midwifery and nursing conditions in the UK and thus improve the health conditions of the people.
In the United States, the registration and nursing standards require that nurses take the NCLEX-RN, a standardized examination administered by the National Council of State Nursing Boards. Only on successful completion of this examination can one be granted licensure as a registered nurse. However, in America, individual states have authority over the nursing practice and state laws set the boundaries or scope of practice.
In Conclusion
Nursing is indeed a noble profession as it provides health care and assistance to people in need. Its roots go back as one of the oldest known professions. Today, it is very popular, since countries like the US and UK are in shortage of nursing staff thus creating many job opportunities for countless nurses everywhere.
Nursing has long been one of the female dominated professions; however, today we find that the population of male nurses is on the rise. In the UK ten percent of the registered nurses are male and this percentage is on the rise.
The basic educational qualification required for a nurse is a degree or diploma from a reputable institution, after which registration is called for as per the nursing laws of that country. What’s more, nurses working on shifts or on the roster are paid far better than regular nurses. It is also possible for nurses to study and pursue higher education such as a master’s degree, which betters their employment opportunities and living standards even further.
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