RN

RN, Registered Nursing

Registered Nursing (RN) Programs

At 2.6 million jobs, more people work as Registered Nurses (RNs) than as any other positions within the entire Healthcare Industry. There are another 750,000 LVNs, meaning that the Nursing population in America outnumbers the entire population of some very large cities.

Only about 60% of Nurses  work in a hospital setting, with the others carrying out their duties in both home and public health by traveling to patient’s homes, schools, or other community centers.

You can become a Registered Nurse by completing vocational training, earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN Degree), getting your Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN Degree), or by completing an advanced educational program and getting your Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN Degree). Choose which program works best for you based on how soon you want to start working in the field and on your desired career path.

Your Nursing career path will help determine which level of education works best for you, since ADN and diploma programs (focused on quickly getting you into the industry) will involve more hands-on training, but less knowledge about Nursing research and theory. On the other hand, BSN and MSN programs are much more academically based, which means they take longer, but are also minimum requirements for entry into many administrative or managerial positions.

The fastest Registered Nursing training programs can be completed in as few as 1-2 years, meaning that you could be working in the field by the same time next year, earning a sizable income and responding to people’s healthcare needs.

Salary Statistics

Registered Nursing salaries vary widely based on conditions like location (especially by state), experience, education, and certification levels, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of approximately $62,000 in 2008. Typically, Registered Nurses annual wages range from between $43,000 to $92,000.

Training and Qualifications

In addition to traditional RN Degree Programs, there are several educational paths available for becoming a Registered Nurse, some of which are now even available online:

Online RN Programs are one of the more popular programs these days, since they can be completed from the comfort and convenience of one’s own home. However, some people feel that traditional campus-based Nursing schools and universities are able to offer a level of education that an exclusively online-based program simply cannot match. Choose the type of program you want to complete based on your career goals and aspirations.

After graduating from an accredited Nursing training program, all future RN’s must also pass the NCLEX-RN exam. This is a national licensing examination required by all U.S. States and Territories, used to ensure that Nursing graduates have acquired the right skills and abilities needed to safely practice Nursing in an entry-level position.

Job Outlook

Demand for Registered Nurses is incredibly high and predicted to grow tremendously in upcoming years. Nursing employment retention rates are also excellent, even during times of economic strain. Projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics predict that around 581,500 new Nursing jobs will be created over the next decade, which is one of the largest growth rates for any industry in the entire United States. There are no indications that Nurses will have trouble finding jobs in upcoming years.

Advancement

Typically, RN’s begin their careers as practicing staff in hospitals or other clinics, with opportunities for advancement to managerial positions arising as they accumulate additional education and expertise. Advance practice Nurses require a Masters Degree, which can be acquired without having to leave work by earning it online through one of the many accredited Nursing Colleges now in existence. Nurses with advanced degrees and experience may move into more technical positions within the field, into Nursing education roles, or into research applications.