Aspiring Nurses Should Consider these Nursing Specialties
Overview of Nursing Specialties
Specialty care is the best way to progress in a career beyond traditional nursing. This does not merely mean learning special skills, but taking career paths that lead you to a focused aspect of nursing. Of course, certification is the best way to ensure a higher salary and better employment opportunities. However, by going after these special sub-fields, you may be able to find a job faster, and reach greater career peaks.
Geriatric Care
Geriatric care concerns the medical care of seniors, and a whole new generation of seniors is rising — the baby-boomer generation. The good news is that seniors are living longer now, thanks to advancements in medical care. However, this only puts geriatric care in demand. Seniors have special needs and nurses are oftentimes the most readily involved staff members when it comes to educating patients and helping them prevent or treat illness. Some of your work will be in rehabilitation therapy, or treating common ailments like osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, and other conditions. Much of this work involves comforting patients who are having difficulty adjusting. This career path usually requires two years of experience, two thousand work hours, and thirty hours of higher education. Certification is in the subject of Gerontological Nursing.
Cardiac Care Nursing
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, and there is always a need for cardiac nurses to help patients in emergency care or in surgery. This job may involve working with patients of all ages and doing heart-related diagnostic work, such as stress tests, cardiovascular and electrocardiogram monitoring, and educating patients as regards to upcoming procedures. This career path takes about two thousands hours of work experience, thirty hours of training, followed by official certification.
Nurse Anesthetist
Anesthetists help doctors with anesthesia and also take care of patients all throughout the procedure; from before, during and after surgery. While some of the work is autonomous, it is often fast-paced and you must learn to act fast and take on the unexpected. You may be working in an emergency room care, or pain management facilities, or even in maternity clinics for expectant women. This requires in-depth training, starting with a bachelor’s degree as well as experience in a major facility. After training, you can pass the Nurse Anesthetist National Certification exam and become certified in this nursing field.
Emergency Room Care
ER nurses must adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment. This job will require some comfort and educational work, but mainly conveying information quickly and in times of high duress. You will be doing excellent, and rewarding work, by saving the lives of patients, stabilizing them, minimizing pain, and helping doctors discover medical conditions. This job requires two years of nursing experience and in a critical care environment before seeking certification. You can also specialize in sub-fields like emergency transportation, pediatrics, geriatrics, and more.
Oncology Nursing
Cancer is on the rise and is predicted to grow in the number of cases; about a 75% increase within 17 years. Registered nurses can work towards a certification in oncology and can work almost exclusively in preventive care, treating cancer patients, and monitoring their progress. You will be able to administer pain medications and even chemotherapy treatment, though you will work under the supervision of an oncologist. This position will require one year of experience with one thousand hours in a fast-paced environment.
You have a great opportunity to increase your pay and your value as a nurse by specializing in one of these specialties. Certification always helps in the hiring process, so start planning your career goals now!
