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Nursing�A brief overview of the various positions within the field

Health Professions Workshop (HPW)

UCSF Fresno LaCMER Doctors Academy

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What is Nursing?

Definition: "encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings. It includes the promotion of health, the prevention of illness, and the care of ill, disabled and dying people.¹."

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What is a Nurse?

Definition: "a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health ²."
They hold a variety of degrees which can be at the certificate level up to a doctorate level.
Common nurse degrees you see are CNA, LVN/LPN, RN, BSN, MSN & NP/DNP

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Different Types of Nurses

Video: (8 Minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMRO0cOoA_A

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Different Types of Nurses Review

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Level of Nursing	Types of Nursing Careers
Entry Level (Non-Degree Nursing)	Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
Mid-Level (Degree Nursing)	Registered Nurse (RN/ASN or ADN/BSN)
Advanced Practice (Additional Degrees and Training)	Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) Nurse Practitioner (NP/DNP) Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)

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Examples of Nursing Specialties

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Nurses in Highest Demand?

According to a study done in 2018, nursing careers are on the rise and the following lists the nursing careers that are the Top 10 highest in demand:
10	Clinical Nurse Specialist: An advanced practice that diagnose and treat illness (MSN or PHD)	5	Emergency Room Nurse Treat those with a variety of serious conditions and stabilize patients with traumatic injuries (ADN or BSN)
9	Post-anesthesia care unit nurse: PACU nurse works with patients regaining consciousness (ADN or BSN)	4	Medical-Surgical Nurse Considered the foundation of healthcare. They work in hospital with acutely ill adult patients. (ADN or BSN)
8	Nurse Case Manager Coordinate long-term care for patients (BSN or MSN)	3	Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse Complex care to patients with very serious illnesses or injuries (BSN preferred)
7	Home Health Nurse Care for patients in home. May be geriatric or have issues with mobility. (ADN or BSN)	2	Nurse Practitioner Diagnose diseases, prescribes medication and initiate treatment plans (requires MSN or DNP)
6	Operating Room (OR) Nurse Before, during, and after surgery care (ADN or BSN)	1	Travel Nurse Work temporary jobs nationally and internationally. Perform RN duties for short-staffed facilities. (ADN or BSN)

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What Do Registered Nurses Do?

Video: (2 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffcrgAZbfN0

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What Kind of Training Do Nurses Have?

Step 1: Select the type of nursing field you would like to go into (entry level, mid-level)
Step 2: Complete the training or degree needed (CNA, RN, BSN, NP, etc.)
Step 3: Complete the nursing licensure exam needed (NCLEX)
Step 4: Complete additional training or education to become more specialized

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One Nursing Speciality on the Rise = Travel Nurses

What is a travel nurse?

Quite simply, a travel nurse is a registered nurse who accepts short-term positions at healthcare facilities across the country.
Licensed nurses seeking short-term travel nursing assignments contact a travel nursing agency.
Once a nurse selects an agency to work for, they’ll choose assignments from a database.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country submit these job openings to travel nursing agencies when they need to address short-term staffing gaps.
A travel nursing assignment may last just a couple of months or up to about half a year.

(Click link to play video)

What Does a Travel Nurse Do? | Travel Nurse Academy

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Salary and Location:

How much does a Nurse make in the U.S.?

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics³, entry level nurses make about $33,000 and advanced degree nurses (like DNP & CRNA) can make over $200,000⁶with those specializing making more
Salary can vary widely depending on many important factors, including:

Specialty
Certifications and additional skills
Number of years you have spent in the profession
Location of practice

Where do they work?

Clinics, hospitals, schools, homes, institutions (jails, army bases, etc.), skilled nursing facilities, etc.

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Looking at the map, note the darkest colored state is California which indicates the highest paid nurses in the nation.

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Registered Nurse Salary Statistics By Specialty 2023

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Evaluation

Link: https://tiny.ucsf.edu/DASpeaker2324

Health Professions Workshop (HPW)

Topic: Nursing

Speaker:

Date:

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Optional Activity:

Considering becoming a nurse? Let’s do a deeper dive and provide our classmates with additional information. Working individually or in small groups:
Using the Nursing Specialties slide (#7) or exploring your own field, create a presentation that does a deep dive into a nursing career (i.e. – NICU or PICU nurse, pediatric nurse practitioner, nursing home CNA, emergency room nurse, surgical nurse, etc.)

Define and explain your chosen position. Where do they work, what are their job duties, who are they under/whom do they report to?
What is the job opportunity projection?
What is their salary

Add any additional information about your chosen career and provide interesting or little-known facts if available.
Be colorful and creative and have fun! Use good pictures to represent your field and create a few questions to ask throughout your presentation for class engagement.

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Resources