Registered Nurse

Registered Nurses (RNs) Provide And Coordinate Patient Care, Educate Patients And The Public About Various Health Conditions, And Provide Advice And Emotional Support To Patients And Their Family Members.

Most Registered Nurses Work As Part Of A Team With Physicians And Other Healthcare Specialists. Some Registered Nurses Oversee Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants, And Home Health Aides.

Registered Nurses' Duties And Titles Often Depend On Where They Work And The Patients They Work With. They Can Focus In The Following Areas:

• A Specific Part Of The Body, Such As A Dermatology Nurse Working With Patients Who Have Skin Problems
• A Specific Group Of People, Such As A Geriatric Nurse Who Works With The Elderly Or A Pediatric Nurse Who Works With Children And Teens
• A Specific Health Condition, Such As A Diabetes Management Nurse Who Helps Patients With Diabetes Or An Oncology Nurse Who Helps Cancer Patients
• A Specific Workplace, Such As An Emergency Or Trauma Nurse Who Works In A Hospital Or Stand-alone Emergency Department Or A School Nurse Working In An Elementary, Middle, Or High School

Some Registered Nurses Combine One Or More Of These Specific Areas. For Example, A Pediatric Oncology Nurse Works With Children And Teens Who Have Cancer.

Some Nurses Have Jobs In Which They Do Not Work Directly With Patients, But They Must Still Have An Active Registered Nurse License. For Example, They May Work As Nurse Educators, Healthcare Consultants, Public Policy Advisors, Researchers, Hospital Administrators, Salespeople For Pharmaceutical And Medical Supply Companies, Or As Medical Writers And Editors.

Registered Nurses May Work To Promote General Health, By Educating The Public On Warning Signs And Symptoms Of Disease. They May Also Run General Health Screenings Or Immunization Clinics, Blood Drives, Or Other Outreach Programs.