Registered Nurse

Education Requirements:
2-5 Years Bachelor or Associates Degree Required Click here for more information
Certifications:
State of Wisconsin Registered Nurse License - NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) Click here for more information
Salary Range:
$60K - $95K Annually
Educational Institutions:
Employment Outlook:
High Job Demand
Job Overview:
Nursing is among the highest paying and most flexible occupations the current employment world has to offer. There is an incredibly wide range of avenues open to RN's and in many areas of specializations, such as Clinical Nurse, Certified Nurse Midwife, Nurse Anesthetist, and Infection Control Nurse.
While the day-to-day life of a Registered Nurse can vary depending on their specialty, there are a few constants. First and foremost is that RN's deal with patients, whether they be young, old, or somewhere in between. They will be using some of the most advanced tools that the medical industry has to offer and will be required to have a certain degree of technological savvy.
- RNs help develop and carry out treatment plans for patients, bandage wounds, give medicine and injections.
- RNs monitor the results of treatments and make sure that patients are satisfied with the care they receive.
- RNs inform patients and patient’s families of their medical options and may educate them about health issues like diet and lifestyle choices.
Beyond the physical demands, RN's will need to be capable of relating to and diagnosing the men and women under their care. The hours can sometimes be long, but the end results are worth it. The opportunities exist in multiple facets and interest areas. Some of these include but are not limited to opportunities in critical care units or emergency departments, home health care, orthopedics, surgery centers, schools, and management roles, just to name a few. It is easy to see that there are many unique directions that you can take in your career as an RN.
Registered Nurses are the most well-known of the various type of nurses. They need more education than practical nurses. As a result, they often take on a wider range of tasks. Many RNs provide direct patient care, but their work can also include other duties such as educating individuals and groups about various medical conditions, performing urgent care procedures in emergency rooms, managing and instructing other nurses in hospitals and/or teaching and conducting research in colleges.
Job Tasks:
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
- Monitor, record and report symptoms and changes in patients’ conditions.
- Record patients’ medical information and vital signs.
- Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients’ responses and conditions.
- Consult and coordinate with health care team members to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient care plans.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient’s condition.
- Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
- Direct and supervise less skilled nursing or health care personnel or supervise a unit.
- Prepare patients for, and assist with, examinations and treatments.
- Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure nursing care.
- Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
Skills and Abilities Needed to Perform Job:
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases and deformities.
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services.
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance, individual differences in ability personality, and interests; learning and motivation, psychological research methods and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and effective disorders.
- Knowledge of use of Diagnostic and procedural coding software.
- Knowledge and use of data entry software.
- Knowledge and use of electronic mail software (Microsoft).
- Knowledge and use of information retrieval or search software (drug guides).
- Knowledge and use of medical software (Epic, MEDITECH, PointClickCare, Siemens, SIENET Sky).
- Knowledge and use of Microsoft software programs (Power Point, Excel, Word and Office).
- Oral Comprehension – Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Deductive Reasoning – Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Inductive Reasoning – Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusion (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
- Problem Sensitivity –Ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
- Written Comprehension – Ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Oral Expression – Ability to communicate information in speaking so that others will understand.
- Information Ordering – Ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules.
- Speech Clarity – Ability to speak clearly so others can understand.
Desired Work Style Attributes:
- Attention to details
- Integrity – Honest and ethical
- Cooperation – Pleasant with others
- Concern for Others – Sensitive to needs of others
- Dependability – Reliable and responsible
- Stress Tolerance – Accepting criticism and dealing calmly in stressful situations
- Self-Control – Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check
- Persistence
- Social Orientation – Preferring to work with others rather than alone
- Analytical Thinking – Analyzing a variety of information to solve problems