What Does a Career as a Registered Nurse Look Like?

Registered nurses contribute significantly to the patient experience, providing care, coordinating with doctors, and educating patients about health conditions.

But what does a career as a registered nurse (RN) look like? RNs often specialize in areas like emergency care, acute care, obstetrics, critical care, or pediatrics. Nurses can advance their careers through education and experience.

Our guide explains how to become an RN. It also covers RN licensing requirements, common job titles and duties, typical employment settings, and necessary skills for a successful career in nursing.

RNs coordinate with physicians and healthcare professionals to care for patients. They take patient histories, administer treatments, and operate medical equipment. Depending on their specialty, nurses may work in hospitals, caring for surgical or injured patients, or in doctors’ offices, offering primary care services. Nurses may work with patients of all ages, from premature newborns in neonatal intensive care units to elderly patients in hospice care.

RN job duties vary depending on the specialty. Oncology nurses work with cancer patients, while cardiac care unit nurses care for patients receiving treatment for heart conditions. Pediatric nurses treat children in hospitals and doctors’ offices, while emergency room nurses treat patients with a variety of urgent conditions and injuries. Within emergency rooms, triage nurses are often the first providers to meet with patients, assessing their needs and recommending medical treatments.

Some nursing specialties do not involve direct contact with patients. For example, RNs who work as nurse educators train other nurses rather than treat patients. RNs can also work as hospital administrators, public health advisors, and healthcare consultants. These roles often require an active RN license.

Nurses draw on critical thinking skills to assess changes in a patient’s status and rely on organizational skills to treat multiple patients at a time. RNs also need strong communication skills to provide medical information to patients and communicate with physicians. Additionally, nurses must bring empathy and compassion to their jobs.

Nurses work in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, and long-term care facilities. In 2019, 60% of nurses worked in hospitals. A smaller number of nurses work for government agencies and in educational settings. For example, public health nurses who work for the government may work in schools or community centers.

The setting affects a nurse’s job duties and schedule. Nurses in a hospital setting often work in shifts, which typically means irregular hours and schedules that include night and weekend shifts. Some nurses work on call. Those with jobs in doctor’s offices or non-clinical settings usually work traditional business hours.

Communication abilities, compassion, and interpersonal skills are all necessary to help nurses interact with patients and work with other healthcare professionals. Nurses also draw on critical thinking skills to assess patients’ medical needs and take appropriate actions. Organizational abilities help nurses manage multiple patients and coordinate their treatment. Nursing also requires physical stamina; nurses can spend hours on their feet during a shift.

A nursing program builds the knowledge and skills required for RN careers. This is especially true during clinical hours, when nursing students strengthen their patient care skills and learn how to manage their patient load.

Registered nurses benefit from an above-average salary and strong projected job growth. RNs also work in a variety of settings, including outpatient care, doctor’s offices, and hospitals. This section covers jobs for registered nurses, including salary and career data, plus specialty job titles for experienced nurses.

Before pursuing jobs for registered nurses, prospective nurses must complete educational and licensing requirements. Candidates can qualify for an RN license with a nursing diploma, an associate degree in nursing, or a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN exam and apply for a state license to practice, though exact requirements vary by state. Nurses can also pursue specialty certifications to advance their career.

This section walks you through the process of becoming an RN, including taking the NCLEX-RN exam and earning licensure.

Aspiring nurses must first complete a nursing diploma or degree. A nursing diploma or an associate degree in nursing fulfills the minimum requirement for an RN license, though many nurses pursue a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). A BSN qualifies nurses for specialized roles and leadership positions. It also meets the requirements to apply to graduate programs in nursing.

During a nursing diploma or associate degree in nursing (ADN) program, students build the clinical skills and nursing knowledge required for entry-level RN jobs. These programs train students to conduct health assessments, understand human anatomy, and evaluate pharmacological therapies. Many programs also incorporate coursework in pediatric nursing, community health nursing, and population health.

Accredited nursing programs require clinical hours to build patient care skills. Early in a nursing program, clinical hours may include simulations or skills labs. In the second year and beyond, nurses complete clinical rotations to strengthen their training in specialty areas, like acute care, pediatrics, or oncology. Completing an ADN typically takes two years.

A BSN program covers similar skills, but in more depth. They also include courses on nursing leadership, clinical nursing skills, and evidence-based practice. Working RNs can enroll in an RN-to-BSN program to complete a bachelor’s degree more quickly. After earning a BSN, nurses qualify for graduate programs, where they can train to become an advanced practice RN, like a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or nurse administrator.

After completing educational requirements, nurses must apply for licensure and certification, which starts with passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Many programs incorporate the exam into their final term of nursing coursework, and it is required for licensure.

The NCLEX-RN is a computer-adaptive test that assesses candidates on several content areas, including safe and effective care environments, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. Candidates answer questions about safety and infection control, basic care and comfort, pharmacological therapies, and risk reduction. With a passing score on the NCLEX-RN exam, nurses can apply for an RN license.

The state licensure process varies depending on the state. Candidates for a license typically need to submit official transcripts, especially if they attended an out-of-state program. All states require the NCLEX-RN exam, and many conduct a criminal background check. Licensed registered nurses must regularly renew their licenses by meeting continuing education requirements.

RNs can also pursue professional certification to move into specialized careers. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers board certification for ambulatory care nurses, gerontological nurses, and informatics nurses. Other organizations, like the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, also offer specialty certifications. Nurses typically need to pass an examination to earn certification, and then they must maintain that credential through continuing education requirements.

Prospective RNs should carefully research nursing programs before submitting an application. The best nursing programs hold programmatic accreditation and include the NCLEX-RN exam as part of their curricula, meeting requirements for an RN license.

Aspiring nursing students should also look into program structure and curriculum, including looking for online programs. In online programs, nurses can often complete clinical requirements through hospitals and clinics that are local to them.

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