Perhaps you already wear a nursing uniform as an RN, and LPN, or a Certified Nursing Assistant, but you are looking for more professional challenges and responsibility as well as the increased potential earnings of such a position.
You need to know what the additional educational requirements you will need in order to reach higher levels of the nursing profession are and whether the investment required by further schooling will actually pay off in the end? The fact is that due to health care reform and an aging population, the supply of nurses at the present time is considerably less than the demand of medical institutions to fill their available positions and the demand for nursing professionals will continue to grow and grow in the next decades.
The insurance industry has shifted the medical career landscape by making nurses, rather than doctors, primary medical care providers for most Americans.
It is now normal for patients to seek out primary care nurses for routine checkups, examinations, referrals, and even their emergency care.
There has never been a more opportune time to evaluate your current skill level and position yourself strategically in a high-specialty nursing career through advanced training.
At the present time many top nursing schools are expanding accelerated nursing bachelor's and master's degree programs in order to train existing workers in nurses uniforms for advanced careers or medical specialties.
There are convenient night and weekend classes available from some of these schools, and others provide online programs.
Advanced Practice Nurses (APN's) are in special demand, and this career option is popular since it brings a higher level of responsibility, autonomy, and patient contact than other nursing specialties.
APN's can work either independently or as part of a health care team.
APN's require either a master's degree or a combination of bachelor's degree with specific work experience; state or national certification are also required.
There are four principal areas of advanced practical nursing uniforms: Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) provide consultations and care directly to patients.
They usually focus on a specific area of medical health care, such as geriatrics, women's health, or stress management.
CNS salaries can exceed $50,000 a year.
Nurse Practitioners (NP) focus on preventative medicine, health maintenance, and patient education.
NP specialties include family practice, pediatrics, mental health, and gerontology.
There is a high demand for NP's at the present time - particular bilingual nurse practitioners - and their salaries can top $70,000.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) focus upon women's healthcare issues such as family planning, pregnancy and childbirth, neonatal care; and gynecological and obstetrical conditions.
Annual CNM salaries can be as high as $90,000.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) administer anesthesia and take responsibility for related care before, during, and following surgeries.
CRNA salaries can easily top $110,000 per year.