Career Profile: Registered Nurses

Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 3,130,600 people employed as registered nurses in the United States. The median annual salary is $77,600. Entry level employees earn approximately $59,450 per year and senior employees earn approximately $120,250 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Work with individuals, groups, or families to plan or implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities.
• Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.
• Perform administrative or managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, or long-range goals.
• Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.
• Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices, or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.
• Direct or coordinate infection control programs, advising or consulting with specified personnel about necessary precautions.
• Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.
• Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, or other anesthetics.
• Provide or arrange for training or instruction of auxiliary personnel or students.
• Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance.
• Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers.
• Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues or concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing.
• Inform physician of patient's condition during anesthesia.
• Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
• Engage in research activities related to nursing.
• Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
• Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
• Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
• Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
• Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
• Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
• Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
• Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
• Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
• Conduct specified laboratory tests.
• Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care.
• Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems.

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