Posts Tagged ‘critical care nurses’

January 3rd, 2012  Posted at   Career Advice

In general, the highest paying nursing jobs will belong to those who have chosen to specialize in a particular type of nursing and will often require education in addition to the usual Bachelor Degree in nursing which is required for an RN.

The top paying nursing jobs are those of the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, the Nurse Researcher, the Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, and the Certified Nurse Midwife. The CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) pays on average $135,000 a year. However, there are rigorous training requirements including an RN degree from a four-year school, a year in acute care setting experience and then the program itself, which can last from 2 to 3 years.

The lowest paid of the highest paying nursing jobs is that of a certified nurse midwife, which on average pays around $86,000 a year. Entry into this demanding program requires the applicant to hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited school. The nurse midwifery program will award the successful graduate with a Master of Science in Nursing and after passing a state exam, they are qualified to practice as midwives.

The nursing situation is tight in the US as well as all over the globe. That means that sometimes hospitals or other facilities may end up short staffed for greater or shorter periods. This brings in the possibility of working as a travel nurse.

The highest paying travel nursing jobs are much like regular nursing jobs and the highest pays go to the nurse who specializes. Critical care nurses are in high demand among travel nursing companies. Nurses often work through a travel nursing service. In order to command the highest salaries it may be necessary for a nurse to sign up with several companies. In demand, nursing specialties may also negotiate salaries, and benefits with the nursing service.

It is an inescapable conclusion that even in the high demand field of nursing, the more education and specialization, the higher paid the position usually is. Not all specializations will necessarily require a commitment to a Master Nursing Degree program, an RN with 1750 hours of acute or critical bedside care experience and a current license may be eligible to take the Critical Care RN examination, which can give the nurse a higher salary potential and put them in demand as travel nurses.

Many nurses will begin with an associate degree in Nursing, which is 2 years, but for the highest paying nursing jobs a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and some certification and advanced education will be required. (more…)

December 25th, 2011  Posted at   Nursing

There are numerous specializations that nurses can go into once they finish school and begin working in the field. These nursing specializations can be categorized based on the setting that the nurse works in and the type of care they provide. Following are the best five nursing specializations categorized by work setting and type of care:

1.Ambulatory Care Nurses: After getting a BSN degree, you can choose to become an ambulatory care nurse. This involves treating patients with a variety of illnesses, conditions and injuries in any outpatient care setting.

2.Critical Care Nurses: These are the nurses who work in intensive care units, critical care units and even in helicopters en route to nearby facilities. They specialize in treating patients with serious issues such as cardiovascular, pulmonary or respiratory failure, including heart attacks and strokes.

3.Home Health Care Nurses: Many patients require specialized nursing services at home after they are recovering from extreme or complicated accidents, child births or surgeries. People with acute illnesses may also require home health care nurses who administer blood, fluids and medications while monitoring the patient’s health on a daily basis. Sometimes this might be a short-term job, and other times it might be very long term, if the patient has a very serious condition requiring around the clock care.

4.Ob/Gyn Nurses: These are the RNs who work in maternity units and gynecologist’s offices alongside doctors who care for women in their family planning and birthing processes.

5.Psychiatric Nurses: Many nurses in training are going to school to become psychiatric nurses because this is such a growing field. These nurses help treat patients who are suffering from mental conditions either in out-patient or in-patient settings. Their duties involve assisting psychiatric doctors, administering medications, and providing patient care.

Other top nursing specializations include radiologic nurses who provide care to patients undergoing diagnostic radiation procedures, holistic nurses who work with alternative medicines, rehabilitation nurses who work with patients who have temporary and permanent disabilities, and surgical nurses who work with surgeons during operations. These are all great fields to go into after you get your degree. (more…)

November 23rd, 2011  Posted at   Careers Employment

There is a tremendous shortage of nurses in many communities today. Therefore, if you have bee thinking about a career as a nurse, you likely will have a number of different and significant options to choose from when it comes to nursing jobs. In order to assist you determining what type of nursing position will best meet your own goals and objectives, it will be helpful for you to have a general ideal and the different types of nursing positions and careers that are available today.

Critical Care Nursing – When it comes to different types of nursing positions and careers, critical care nurses are in significant demand. Critical care nurses provide assistance to patients (and their families, by extension) that are experiencing life threatening illnesses, injuries and diseases. Most critical care nurses are assigned to work in departments such as emergency rooms and various types of intensive care untits in medical centers and hospitals.

Nursing Informatics- This type of nursing career is for those men and women who both love to provide care and also have an aptitude with computers. When considering different types of nursing positions, this type of nurse plays an integral role in information management — which is crucial to the proper care and treatment of patients in the world today

Neonatal Nursing – Some people who are looking at different types of nursing positions and careers truly love the idea of neonatal nursing. In this area of the profession, a nurse is responsible for providing care for new born babies — including premature babies and babies who are ill or not thriving.

Oncology Nursing – The nurses who practice in the area of oncology are committed to providing health care for patients suffering from cancer. These nurses care for patients at all stages of treatment and remission and truly are the backbone of any treatment program for a person suffering from cancer.

Pediatric Nursing – In looking at the different types of nursing positions that are available today, pediatric nurses provide care for children of different ages. These nurses are charged with providing for all aspects of healthcare for children.

Psychiatric Nursing – One of the more challenging areas in which a nurse can practice is in the area of the psychiatric nurse. This nurse is involved in taking care of patients with mental and psychiatric illnesses. (more…)