Nursing in the United States
Options there include: pediatrics, neonatal, maternity, OBGYN, geriatrics, orthopedics, medical-surgical, operating room, ambulatory, and nurse anesthetists and informatics (eHealth).
Applicants are usually expected to have earned a high grade point average,[clarification needed] especially in anatomy, microbiology, chemistry and physiology.
[citation needed] Students take between 30 and 60 credit hours in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, nutrition, chemistry, and other subjects at a college or university, then focus on intensive nursing classes.
This involves two to three years of college level study with a strong emphasis on clinical knowledge and skills.
These programs have prerequisite and corequisite courses (which may include English, Math and Human Anatomy and Physiology) and consume three years or longer.
Graduation from a university, completing a four- or five-year program conferring the BSN or BN degree with enhanced emphasis on leadership and research as well as clinically focused courses.
Some states require a specific amount of clinical experience that is the same for both BSN and ADN students.
Generic-entry Master of Science in Nursing: After graduation from a university, a one to three-year program confers the MS/MSN degree with emphasis on leadership and research as well as clinically focused courses for students who hold a bachelor's degree or higher in an academic field other than nursing.
Accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs take 1.5 to 2 years and prepare people who hold undergraduate degrees in other disciplines, such as respiratory therapists and paramedics/military medics.
Following completion of educational requirements, candidates must pass the National Licensure Examination (NCLEX) test, a standardized exam to become licensed.
Others feel the on-the-job experiences of diploma and ADN graduates makes up for any deficiency in theoretical preparation.
Management and teaching positions increasingly require candidates to hold an advanced degree.
Jurisdictions that adopted the Nurse Licensure Compact accept licenses granted in others without requiring a separate certification.
RNs are employed by physicians, attorneys, insurance companies, governmental agencies, community/public health agencies, private industry, school districts, ambulatory surgery centers, device or pharmaceutical manufacturers, or chemical companies.
Many employers offer flexible work schedules, child care, educational benefits, and bonuses.
[24] The United States needs many correctional nurses to provide proper health-care to inmates, including mental health treatments.
Correctional health care encompasses LPNS, RNs, nurse practitioners, doctors, pharmacists, therapists, and specialists.
Issues including chronic medical conditions, mental health, infectious disease, and substance abuse.
The male-to-female ratio of nurses is approximately 1:19 in Canada and the United States, despite attempts to correct the imbalance.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimated that by 2020, 1.2 million nursing job openings would be available.
