The good thing about being a nurse is that there are so many unique career paths in front of you. Health practitioners can focus on administrative jobs, such as informatics nurses, or they can work in a highly dynamic environment, such as ER. In this article, we’ll break down the most popular specialties and what they entail.
1. Nurse Anesthetist
These medical professionals are in charge of paid drugs and anesthesia during surgeries and diagnostic procedures. A nurse anesthetist is also supposed to monitor patients' vital signs and recovery process and make treatment adjustments. Before the start of surgery, their job is to take patient information and explain what the process will look like.
2. Mental Health Nurse
A psychiatric nurse practitioner's job is to assist patients suffering from various mental issues. Besides providing treatment, their main task is to monitor the patient's progress and, if necessary, diagnose symptoms. Health professionals can help just about anyone who's struggling, whether we're talking about people with depression, phobias, dementia, or substance users.
3. Nurse Advocate
Becoming a nurse advocate is another enticing option at your disposal. Unlike other entries on this list, these professionals specialize in finances and, specifically, medical insurance. They can help patients whose rights are jeopardized and represent them in front of clinics and other medical institutions.
4. Family Nurse
The thing that makes family nurses so unique is that they work with a smaller number of the same users. They assist patients from the earliest age to their elderly days, fulfilling all their healthcare needs and requirements. Due to this case familiarity, family nurses are usually great for people with chronic conditions.
5. Nurse Midwife
Childbirth, prenatal, and pregnancy care are just a few things that a nurse midwife can do for its patients. By cooperating with ladies in labor, as well as those who have given birth, they can ensure that both mother and child are taken care of. Besides pregnancy care, these medical professionals can provide more general assistance that can include preventative and reproductive care.
6. Informatics Nurse
Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a large hospital or a healthcare system without an informatics nurse. By relying on expensive knowledge of computers and software, these professionals can manage communication between departments as well as manage patients’ data. Ultimately, nurses who specialize in informatics can boost the efficiency of the entire organization.
7. Nurse Educator
These medical professionals have completed specific courses that would allow them to teach students about basic and advanced medical concepts. Besides teaching students as they go to school, nurse educators also provide refresher courses and continuous education. They serve as advisory experts, ensuring that young practitioners know what they’re doing.
8. Travel Nurse
As the name implies, taking the job of a travel nurse implies lots of moving around. For the most part, these healthcare practitioners travel around the country, providing their expertise to anyone who needs them. Some of the best travel nurses even get offers from abroad, working as part of an agency or freelancer.
9. Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical nurse specialists are elite medical practitioners who have a doctorate or master's degree in a specific medical area. These experts excel at decision-making, which is why they're so invaluable during the diagnostics process. Clinical nurse specialists can focus on all sorts of medical areas, ranging from cardiovascular care to pediatrics, geriatrics, emergency care, and so on.
10. Prevention and Infection Control Nurse
Infection control and prevention nurse is responsible for identifying and managing various viruses, infections, and other externally-caused diseases. As you could presume, these experts shine bright during pandemics and other widespread crises. Besides managing and eliminating these medical issues, infection control and prevention nurses are also in charge of reporting.
11. Nurse Researcher
Similar to clinical nurse specialists, nurse researchers are top-tier experts within the medical profession. Their main focus is on conducting various studies, tracking data, and making subsequent reports. Many of them are part of medical colleges, but they can also work in other private and public institutions.
12. Acute Care Nurse
Nurses who focus on acute care have the task of assisting patients who need immediate help. They tackle dire cases, including heart attacks and strokes, but also patients who have experienced sudden complications during their treatments or drug use. For a person to become a true expert in this field, they need to be versatile and willing to learn about different conditions and treatments.
13. Oncology Nurse
The job of an oncology nurse can be rather stressful. Their main job is to take care of patients who are tackling various types of cancers. Besides being in charge of chemotherapy, these healthcare providers should also be able to identify symptoms and stay on top of patients' progress. On top of that, an oncology nurse should create a stable environment that would help patients heal faster.
14. Trauma Nurse
As a part of their daily routine, trauma nurses are supposed to take care of patients who come into critical care units and emergency rooms. They are a part of emergency response teams and focus on patients whose lives are threatened by various conditions and diseases. Trauma nurses can do all sorts of things, from emergency medication to wound care, blood transfusions, and such.
15. Dialysis Nurse
During dialysis, the medical practitioner is responsible for cleaning the patient's blood through the use of specialized equipment. They are the first and the last line of defense for people suffering from various kidney conditions, monitoring their vital signs during the process of dialysis. Dialysis nurses also teach patients how to use drugs and take care of themselves.
Conclusion
Being a nurse is usually hard work. These medical professionals are responsible for lives of so many, which can be mentally taxing even for the toughest-minded people. The good news is that you’d be helping so many people survive and get their lives on track.
