Registered Nurses

Career Description: Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required. Includes advance practice nurses such as: nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Advanced practice nursing is practiced by RNs who have specialized formal, post-basic education and who function in highly autonomous and specialized roles.

Industry: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Other Job Titles for Registered Nurses:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• 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.
• 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 particular unit.
• Prepare patients for, and assist with, examinations and treatments.
• Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care.
• Assess the needs of individuals, families or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments to identify potential health or safety problems.
• Instruct individuals, families and other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention and childbirth, and develop health improvement programs.
• Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment and supplies, and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.
• Inform physician of patient's condition during anesthesia.
• Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, and other anesthetics.
• Provide health care, first aid, immunizations and assistance in convalescence and rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, and industry.
• Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers.
• Conduct specified laboratory tests.
• Hand items to surgeons during operations.
• Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.
• Direct and coordinate infection control programs, advising and consulting with specified personnel about necessary precautions.
• Perform administrative and managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, and long-range goals.
• Provide or arrange for training or instruction of auxiliary personnel or students.
• Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance.
• Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues and concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing.
• Work with individuals, groups, and families to plan and implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities.
• Engage in research activities related to nursing.

Emerging Tasks

• Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
• Collect and maintain records of patients examined, examinations performed, patient medical histories, views taken, and technical factors used.
• Complete quality control activities, monitor equipment operation, and report malfunctioning equipment to supervisor.
• Perform general administrative tasks, such as answering phones, scheduling patient appointments, and pulling and filing films.
• Fit, dispense, and repair assistive devices, such as hearing aids.
• Perform administrative tasks such as photocopying, filing, and managing office finances (e.g., monitoring budget, handling accounting payable and receivable).
• Plan and conduct treatment programs for clients' hearing, speech, or vertigo problems, consulting with physicians, nurses, psychologists, and other health care personnel as necessary.
• Provide information to the public, and advise educators and other medical staff on speech or hearing topics.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer injections
• administer medications or treatments
• assist in examining or treating dental or medical patients
• care for mentally ill patients
• collect clinical data
• communicate technical information
• conduct patient assessments
• deliver babies
• explain testing procedures to patient
• follow clinical radiation safety procedures
• follow dental or medical office procedures
• follow infectious materials procedures
• follow institutional care procedures
• follow life support procedures
• follow patient observation procedures
• identify body response variations
• instruct on topics such as health education or disease prevention
• interpret medical laboratory test results
• inventory medical supplies or instruments
• lift or transport ill or injured patients
• maintain dental or medical records
• make presentations on health or medical issues
• monitor medical oxygen equipment
• obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
• order medical laboratory tests
• prepare medical treatment room
• prepare patient reports
• prepare patients for tests, therapy, or treatments
• prepare supplies or equipment for surgery
• recognize childhood diseases
• record medical history or data
• set up incubators in hospitals
• set up medical oxygen equipment
• set up patient care equipment
• take vital signs
• treat medical condition of patient
• understand properties or composition of drugs
• understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
• use behavior modification techniques
• use clinical problem solving techniques
• use counseling techniques
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use knowledge of nursing terminology
• use medical lab techniques
• use nursing practices or procedures
• use personal care procedures
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• weigh patients
• provide customer service
• refer patients to community resources
• sell merchandise
• store pharmaceutical supplies or filled prescriptions
• teach individuals work-related techniques or skills
• understand drug products
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• understand pharmaceutical formulas
• understand properties of gases or liquids
• understand properties or composition of drugs
• use chemical testing or analysis procedures
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use health or sanitation standards
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use knowledge of metric system
• use laboratory equipment
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use quality assurance techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• write technical health or medical documents

Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$28.85
• Average annual wage (2007) - $60,010.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 23.45%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 587,349
• Employment (2006): 2,504,664

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• Surgeons
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• Respiratory Therapists