Nursing specialties
Nursing is a broad profession with many specialties. Depending on your individual interests, you may find that one of these careers suits you better than the rest. It’s important to know the ins and outs of each nursing specialty before making a decision, and the pros and cons of each in relation to your current career path. That way, there will be no second guessing once you’ve committed to one!
Focusing on specialty areas such as psychiatry or intensive care might not have been something most people thought about when they went into nursing school. However, these are just some examples of what might interest an individual student within our profession. There are still more specialties to chose from! Here’s a list of the top nursing specialties.
Anesthesia nursing is the act of administering anesthetics to patients in order to make them comfortable during medical procedures. The nurse works closely with the surgical team, providing pain relief and making sure the patient’s airways are clear and lungs are properly ventilated throughout surgery. You may also act as a consultant for other medical professionals in order to ensure proper treatment plans have been made.
OPPORTUNITIES: In addition to general surgery, anesthesia nurses can work in intensive care units and emergency rooms.
PROS: The ability to work with patients who are in pain, and the chance to see a patient through from start to finish.
PROTIPS: Make sure you are comfortable in your knowledge of anatomy and physiology. Also, be sure you have a passion for working with surgical teams.
RESOURCES: The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
Though it’s been reported that there were over 80,000 nurse anesthetists in the U.S. alone in 2011, don’t let this information intimidate you! Becoming an anesthetist is as simple as undertaking certification training and then making sure you find a good place of employment.
Anesthesiology, or the study of anesthesia, is often a liberal arts degree. If you’re interested in this field, keep an open mind. Some anesthesiologists work in education (for example, teaching hospital residents). Others choose to work in private practice, where they may cater to an individual patient while they are under general anesthesia. Some even choose to teach at nursing schools!
OPPORTUNITIES: Anesthesiologists can work with a variety of specialties including surgery and pediatric care.
PROS: The chance to learn about areas such as the nervous system and respiratory system which might give you a deeper understanding of your medical field.
PROTIPS: Have an open mind when it comes to working with other patients. Without anesthesia, some procedures would simply be too painful to perform.
RESOURCES: The American Society of Anesthesiologists
At face value, emergency room nursing might seem like the most difficult field of nursing. However, there are many opportunities that come with this type of job description. Emergency room nurses must be able to react quickly to emergency situations, so keep your wits about you! You’ll be privy to a range of medical conditions as well as specialties. For example, if you work at an emergency room in a large city, your patients and their conditions might vary widely. In smaller towns, however, the population might be more homogenous and similar to one another.
OPPORTUNITIES: Emergency rooms offer nurses a variety of specialties within the nursing field. Some may choose to work with only adults, while others may choose to work with children.
PROS: The chance to deal with urgent situations in order to help save lives.
PROTIPS: Be sure you have a strong stomach and are able to handle stressful situations that may arise during your shift.
RESOURCES: The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
The first in the field of emergency medicine, emergency nurses are the ones that make sure the health care system is running smoothly when there is an emergency. Here, you can make a difference in the world. Additionally, since you deal with patients on a daily basis, there are opportunities for advancement which may make this an attractive career for some.
OPPORTUNITIES: Emergency nurses can work in a variety of areas including pediatrics, obstetrics and neonatal intensive care units. They may also work in labor and delivery units or even as a medical assistant.
PROS: The chance to make a difference when it comes to patient care.
PROTIPS: Be ready to be part of a team, but also be able to work on your own when necessary.
RESOURCES: The National Association of Emergency Nurses
Obstetrics is a very broad field that is comprised of many specialties. Though there are many possible specialties within this field, the general specialty that most nurses expect to go into is obstetrics and gynecology. This area includes pregnancy, labor and delivery, menopause and chronic pelvic pain especially in postmenopausal women. For some, the rotation includes oncology, infection control and emergency medicine as well as general care.
OPPORTUNITIES: You can choose to work with a variety of specialties including pediatrics, neonatology and emergency medicine.
PROS: The chance to get involved with a very important area of health care in the U.S.
PROTIPS: Make sure if you’re planning on becoming an obstetrician that your interests in the field are strong enough and that you have a passion for it! Obstetrics is very important, especially during pregnancy and labor.
RESOURCES: The National Institute of Child Health and Development
In the field of surgery, you have a variety of specialties to choose from. Many of which are highly technical. However, there are less technical specialties as well such as surgical technologists and public health nurses. Surgery is a very broad field, as nurses can work with a variety of medical professionals such as anesthesiologists or nurses-midwives. The key to success in the field of surgery is in having the knowledge and technical skills that are required for your specialty. As an example, take the two most common surgeries for women—breast cancer and uterine surgeries. In the case of breast cancer, a surgical nurse needs to be knowledgeable about mammograms and how they are used. A successful uterine surgery requires a highly-trained professional who has knowledge not only of the uterus, but also of gynecological anatomy as well.
OPPORTUNITIES: Nurses can work in a variety of specialties such as pediatrics, neonatal intensive care and primary care—just to name a few.
PROS: The chance to change and impact lives in an immediate way by working with patients on a daily basis.
PROTIPS: Be sure you have good communication skills that you can use in order to educate patients about their own health care.
Conclusion
Hopefully the information above and in the article on nursing, have provided you with all the necessary tools to become a successful nurse. Just remember: Be patient, be kind and be supportive of other nurses. Above all, leave your heart in your work!
Nursing shortage chart (2014): https://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/portal/Home/Careers-and-Admissions/Nursing-Shortage-Chart
Source: http://www.nursesunlimited.com
The Salaries of All States by 2011: http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pubs/p60-239.
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Nursing specialties