As a registered nurse, you’re part of a medical team made up of doctors, healthcare professionals, and other nurses. Your duties will vary, depending on what type of medical facility you’re employed by.

A Typical RN Job Description Can Include

  • Assessing your patient’s condition
  • Recording your patient’s symptoms and his or her medical history
  • Making notes based on your patient observations
  • Giving your patients their treatments and/or medicine
  • Setting up or contributing to a patient care plan
  • Working with the medical team
  • Explaining your patient’s condition to his or her family, how to manage it, along with how to best treat it at home

The type of patients you work with will depend on the type of registered nurse you are. As an RN, you can specialize in areas like oncology, pediatrics, geriatrics, neonatology, and any others of practice.

Requirements for Becoming an RN

There are three different ways you can become a registered nurse. You can go through a nursing program, get an associate’s degree, or get a bachelor’s degree. Whichever route you complete, you will be required to become licensed in your state.

  • Complete an accredited nursing certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree program.
  • You must graduate from an approved program in order to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam.
  • Take and pass the NCLEX-RN and receive your license.
  • Get licensed through your state.
  • Find a job.

Many RN’s continue their education and climb the ranks within the nursing and medical administration field.

Annual Salary for RNs

RN Salary: in 2023 the mean annual wage for registered nurses was $94,480. The bottom 10% earned close to $63,720, and the top 10% made $132,680 or more. This salary information was updated in April of 2024.

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