Can I Work With an Associate of Arts in Nursing?

Roles for Nurses with an Associate Degree

If you're pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), you're probably thinking well-nigh all of the coursework ahead. But the about exciting role might be deciding what kind of registered nurse (RN) you'll desire to exist and where you'll want to piece of work. Y'all tin await many choices.

Many Jobs to Choose From

Co-ordinate to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RN jobs are expected to grow by 9% from 2020 to 2030, close to the aforementioned rate for all jobs combined.

Moreover, according to Joseph Dunmire, a lath fellow member of the National Association of Healthcare Recruitment, the U.S. will face a nursing shortage of nearly 1 million by 2024—from entry-level positions suitable for newly-minted grads to senior nursing jobs commonly held by highly experienced and skilled specialists.

What Kind of Work Does a Nurse with an ADN Exercise?

According to the American Nursing Association, RNs are the courage of healthcare. In virtually every healthcare setting, a nurse is present.

Nurses with ADNs and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degrees (BSNs) both qualify to be an RN and practice like piece of work when they start their careers. "Really, ADNs are only as likely to work in the same medical settings as BSN-educated RNs," Dunmire says. "Primarily, if not about exclusively, new BSNs and ADNs both work in less intense areas" of healthcare such equally "medical, surgical, rehab, orthopedics, or psych/behavioral health."

RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a broad range of basic tasks such every bit taking health histories, giving medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, and assisting doctors with exams.

And while some hospitals may adopt registered nurses with BSNs, they volition be hiring nurses with ADNs too to fill many roles, Dunmire says.

New RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a wide range of basic just critical tasks, such equally taking health histories, administering medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, helping patients prepare for procedures, and assisting doctors with patient exams.

With some experience, they may also get specialists in key health areas like women'south health, pediatrics, and gerontology. They may besides supervise less-skilled coworkers, including certified nursing administration (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

Common Career Paths and Workplaces

There are a wide variety of jobs and workplaces for nurses with ADNs. Hither'due south a sampling.

Travel Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Those who require new places and new faces, similar to travel, and prefer the variety of curt-term assignments in different locations
What You'll Do: Work wherever assigned as a staff nurse or specialty nurse—at dwelling or abroad—to assistance encompass during staff shortages, peak needs, crises, or emergency events
Where You'll Piece of work: Hospitals, regional medical centers, long-term intendance facilities, and rural medical clinics

Customs Health Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: Nurses with a potent desire to give back to the community and come across the needs of underserved populations
What You'll Do: Work with an entire customs or individuals—from infants to seniors—to provide health education, basic care, inoculations, nutrition counseling, and other services
Where You'll Piece of work: Public health centers, campus clinics, neighborhood outreach programs, and volunteer organizations

Psychiatric Nurse

Who this Task Is All-time For: Unflappable, empathetic, no-nonsense nurses who know when and when not to nudge patients forward
What You'll Do: Care for patients of all ages with a range of symptoms—from balmy panic attacks to severe incapacitation
Where you'll Work: General hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and private practise

Long-Term Intendance Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: Those with a gentle merely house hand who are practiced at multi-tasking and prefer established routines
What You'll Do: Provide care for patients of all ages—from babies to seniors—who are living with serious conditions, recovering from major surgery, and fighting major illnesses like pneumonia
Where You'll Work: Nursing homes and long-term care facilities

Hospital Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Flexible nurses open to rotating assignments in unlike hospital units
What You'll Do: Care for medical or surgical patients who are stable but recovering from serious surgeries or illnesses
Where You'll Work: Hospitals, urgent care clinics, emergency rooms, student clinics

Rehab Nurse

Who this Job Is All-time For: Those who are patient and even-tempered, and who radiate hopefulness and possibility
What You'll Do: Treat those who struggle with addiction and are working to recover
Where You'll Work: Substance corruption clinics, recovery centers, hospitals, and public health clinics

Occupational Health Nurse

Who this Job Is All-time For: Nurses with an interest in and knowledge of physiology, physical therapy, and sports medicine
What You'll Do: Care for patients working to regain motion later serious injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions—or who demand to learn new movements after constituent surgical procedures
Where You'll Work: Occupational recovery clinics, physical therapy clinics, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and big health organizations

Outpatient Care Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: RNs comfy with a range of tasks, from albeit new patients to assisting in surgery and monitoring patients in post-op recovery
What Y'all'll Do: Care for patients who undergo outpatient diagnostic procedures and surgeries
Where Yous'll Piece of work: Ambulatory surgical centers, orthopedic clinics, hospitals, diagnostic centers, and large health networks

Hospice Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: Nurses with a large dose of empathy, a generous centre, and deep respect for the cease-of-life journey
What You lot'll Do: Provide comfort and care to patients and their families through the terminal months and days
Where You'll Piece of work: Hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes

How Do RNs Compare to Other Entry-Level Nursing Careers?

Trained to handle more circuitous nursing tasks, including initial wellness assessments and triage
Work under the supervision of a doctor and order tests, administrate medications, provide treatments, and counsel patients on discharge instructions
May supervise CNAs and LPNs

Perform a range of nursing tasks under the supervision of an RN or doctor
Ofttimes responsible for the comfort of patients. (LPNs change bandages and insert catheters, for example.)
In many states, LPNs also administer medication, start IV drips, and may supervise CNAs

Assistance nursing teams with the basic care of patients, performing both medical and nonmedical tasks
Supervised by an LPN or RN
Duties might include taking vital signs, recording wellness concerns, and helping patients breast-stroke or wearing apparel

What Can I Expect to Earn?

Salaries vary widely nationally and depend on many factors, including:

Pedagogy
Experience
Where you alive
Where you piece of work
Your position

How Can I Accelerate My Career?

In addition to gaining clinical experience, you tin can advance your career past earning a BSN and by specializing.

"ADN programs more often than not focus more on nursing fundamentals and clinical skills, whereas BSN programs focus on the clinical skills plus pedagogy related to evidenced-based research, leadership, and management," says Dunmire. "Ultimately, an RN with a BSN has more opportunities to advance in clinical leadership and by pursuing more diversified career opportunities in areas such as management, administration, research, and computer science."

Notwithstanding, says Dunmire, many nursing students "find beginning with the ADN more financially feasible, as ADNs are usually secured through the community college system, which is much more than affordable than the university organization. From there, an ADN tin secure initial employment while pursuing a BSN via online education."

Specializing every bit a Nurse

Specialty certification can help advance your career and boost your income. It can also aid you stand out when you employ for jobs.

While you tin can focus on a specialty as soon equally y'all start your career, to earn a certification you'll need to meet specific requirements.

Specialty certification tin can help advance your career and boost your income. Information technology can as well assistance you stand out when you lot apply for jobs.

For example, according to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to qualify to accept the examination to become board certified in medical-surgical nurse (RN-BC), y'all'll need:

A current, active RN license
Experience equivalent to ii years full fourth dimension equally a registered nurse
A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in medical-surgical nursing within the concluding three years
30 hours of continuing educational activity in medical-surgical nursing inside the last three years

Elevation Specialties for RNs with ADNs

ADN graduates can earn specialty certifications for roles in a variety of healthcare settings. They include:

Specialty	Certification
Disquisitional Care	Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)
Dialysis	Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN)
Elderliness	Gerontological Nursing certification (RN-BC)
Medical-Surgical	Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Oncology	Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
Pain Direction	Pain Management Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Pediatrics	Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
Psychiatric Health	Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Trauma	Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN)

You might have a lot of decisions and choices alee, only no affair which path you choose, there volition be jobs to pursue.

With professional insight from:

Joseph Dunmire

Board Member, National Clan for Health Intendance Recruitment (NAHCR); and Vice President—Workforce Solutions, Qualivis

cronineader1959.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.allnursingschools.com/adn/career-paths/