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Source: Source: Virginia Health Careers
manual.
Below are some nursing careers you may want to look into:
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse Practitioners are advanced practice registered nurses.
They work in collaboration with physicians and other health
professionals. With the increased need for primary care providers,
there is a particularly high demand for nurse practitioners
nationally and across the commonwealth of Virginia.
Nurse practitioners:
• take detailed health histories and perform complete physical
exams.
• Diagnose patients and decide treatment plans.
• Treat common acute conditions, illnesses or minor injuries.
• Provide health management of chronic conditions, such
as diabetes.
• Prescribe medications.
• Counsel patients and their families on preventive care,
health problems and treatment alternatives.
Depending on their interests, nurse practitioners may work in
private medical offices, clinics, schools, health maintenance
organizations, health departments or hospitals. Some have their
own private practices.
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Nurse Midwife
Certified nurse midwives provide personal, family-centered care
for those with uncomplicated pregnancies and refer to affiliated
physicians when the need arises.
Nurse midwives:
• educate women regarding contraception, conception, personal
care, nutrition, exercise, childbirth methods and other reproductive
health issues.
• Conduct pelvic and breast exams and Pap smears.
• Monitor the patient and fetus during pregnancy.
• Assist women with labor and childbirth.
• Examine newborns and provide information in infant care
and nutrition.
• Consult and refer to physicians when pregnancy or labor
is not normal.
They usually work in hospitals, health maintenance organizations,
public health departments, clinics and private practices.
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Nurse Anesthetists
They work in collaboration with physicians or dentists, combining
professional nursing skills with the science of anesthesia.
Nurse anesthetists are an important part of the surgical team.
Nurse anesthetists:
• Explain upcoming medical procedures and anesthesia to
patients.
• Assemble and test medical equipment needed to administer
anesthetics.
• Prepare prescribed solutions and start intravenous injections.
• Administer prescribed anesthetics and medications.
• Observe patients to ensure that anesthesia is maintained.
• Monitor patients for warning signs during anesthesia
and assist attending physicians with emergency procedures, if
necessary.
• Record each patients' condition (as well as all anesthetics
and medications administered) before, during and after surgery.
Nurse anesthetists may work in hospitals, emergency rooms, dental
offices and outpatient surgery facilities.
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Clinical Nurse Specialists
Clinical nurse specialist work in collaboration with physicians
and other health care providers.
Clinical Nurse Specialists:
• perform physical and psychosocial assessments of patients
and families.
• Diagnose not only health problems of individuals but
those of groups of patients.
• Manage chronic conditions and illnesses.
• Educate and counsel patients on health care needs and
preventive health care.
• Develop educational programs for nurses and other health
care providers.
• Collaborate and conduct research.
Clinical nurse specialists focus on one or more areas, such
as pediatrics, mental health, perinatal care, oncology or gerontology.
They may work in hospitals, clinics, health maintenance organizations
or in private practice.
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Registered Nurses (RNs)
RNs work closely with patients' physicians and other health
professionals as part of the health care team. Depending on
their area of specialization and work setting, RNs perform some
or all of the following:
• develop and implement individualized plans for a patient's
care.
• Monitor and record patient's needs and changing conditions.
• Administer prescribed medications and treatments.
• Educate individuals on self-care, including maintaining
health and preventing illness/injury.
• Conduct health screening tests and procedures.
• Direct and supervise other nursing personnel.
RNs are in demand in a wide variety of work settings: hospitals,
physicians offices, industrial and corporation sites, clinics,
government or community health agencies, nursing homes, hospices
or patients' homes. RNs also may choose to pursue careers in
health administration, teaching, utilization review, consulting,
research and many other specialties.
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Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
LPNs provide routine nursing care for patients. They work under
the direction of registered nurses, or physicians.
Licensed practical nurses:
• take and record patients' vital signs, such as blood
pressure and temperature.
• Perform some diagnostic tests and treatments.
• Assist patients with daily activities, such as feeding,
bathing and exercising, which may involve lifting and turning
patients.
• Observe patients and report any reactions to treatments
or medications.
• Care for patients ranging from newborns to adults, from
labor and delivery to post-mortem.
LPNs may work in hospitals, clinics, physicians offices, private
homes, nursing homes and other medical institutions.
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Nursing Assistants/Aides
Nursing assistants also known as nurse aides, home health aides
or orderlies.
Nursing assistants:
• take and record patients' temperature, blood pressure,
and pulse.
• Set up medical equipment and perform simple treatments.
• Assist patients in and out of bed.
• Move patients to and from treatment rooms.
• Bathe, dress, undress and otherwise assist with patients'
hygiene needs.
• Serve meals and feed patients.
• Clean, sterilize and assemble supplies and instruments
used in surgery.
Make beds and perform other housekeeping activities to maintain
cleanliness in patients' room, nurseries and operating rooms.
Nursing assistants usually work in hospitals or in nursing homes
under the supervision of licensed health care professionals.
They also may work in private homes or psychiatric care settings.
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