First, familiarize yourself with the various levels of nursing. Here is a breakdown of the different levels and the education it takes to reach that level:
- Registered nurse (RN): Those who have an associate or bachelor’s in nursing and pass the NCLEX-RN exam can become RNs.1
- Advanced practice registered nurse (APRN): This level requires at least a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree to be eligible.2
- Doctorate-level nurse: A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is the highest level of nursing degree. A DNP-prepared nurse may also pursue a role as an APRN.2 Alternatively, they may consider other types of leadership roles.
Registered Nurses
RNs are the main point of contact for many patients. They also frequently work with family members, particularly family caregivers who assist loved ones with serious or chronic health conditions. It is common for RNs to provide emotional support, advocacy and education to patients who are having difficulty in their situations.
Becoming an RN requires compassion and empathy, emotional stability, critical thinking and communication skills.1 These are just a few of the qualities and attributes of patient care.
Direct Patient Care
As an RN, many job options within the field require direct patient care. These roles include bedside nursing in a hospital, patient care within a private practice office, telehealth experiences in collaboration with advanced providers/physicians and many others. Patient education is also a key component and critical responsibility of all nurses. It promotes patient wellness and preventive care, which is reflected in patient outcomes.
Nurse Leaders
Registered nurses may also have the opportunity to advance into leadership and administrative roles. To be successful within these roles, it is helpful to have strengths in collaboration and team building, mentorship, communication and professional integrity.3
Some common roles and responsibilities of RNs within leadership and/or administrative roles may include the following:
- Managing and supervising others
- Managing budgetary needs
- Project management
- Integrating new policies and procedures
Nurse Anesthetist
On the next level, you will find APRNs. One of these nursing specialties to consider is the role of nurse anesthetist. The primary responsibility of a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is to deliver anesthesia to patients. They must also ensure the safety and well-being of patients before, during and after procedures.
After administering anesthesia, a CRNA is responsible for closely monitoring the patient’s vital signs and being ready to act if a patient exhibits signs of distress or anesthesia-related complications.
What makes this type of nursing job unique is not only the specificity of administering anesthesia itself but also the strong critical thinking skills and close attention to detail required to perform this task.2 Due to the risk for complications, becoming a skilled CRNA requires a lot of training and preparation.
Nurse Midwife
If you enjoy the thought of helping new life enter the world, perhaps a career as a nurse midwife would be right for you. A certified nurse midwife (CNM) provides holistic care and typically focuses on the health of a patient as it relates to preparing them for a healthy childbirth.
CNMs take the entirety of the patient’s health into consideration. This comprehensive approach includes the patient’s physical, mental and psychosocial needs. Additionally, they provide support as women enter perimenopause and menopause.
Some responsibilities of CNMs include the following:
- Providing prenatal education and postnatal guidance
- Monitoring the health of mother and baby throughout the pregnancy and beyond
- Aiding and encouraging during labor and delivery
- Delivering follow-up care after childbirth, including assistance with breastfeeding
The role of the CNM is to bring healthy babies into the world while providing education to promote a healthy life for the mom and baby. This is a unique type of nursing job because of the specificity, which also makes it appealing to those wanting to work with mothers and babies before, during and after birth.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) are another type of APRN who often specialize in a particular area of nursing. For example, a CNS may subspecialize in pediatrics, women’s health, critical care or long-term care.
The day-to-day responsibilities of a clinical nurse specialist differ, but here are some common duties they may encounter:4
- Treating patients
- Developing plans to address health problems
- Promoting healthy living
- Guiding and leading other nurses
- Conducting research
Clinical nurse specialists are important in the field of healthcare because their specialization and unique skill sets allow them to serve those around them through mentorship and leadership.4
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are another type of APRN. These nurses may choose to specialize in a specific area, such as pediatrics or family care, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner or mental health. NPs work with patients from newborns to the elderly, with many of them providing primary care.
Responsibilities of an NP may include:
- Performing standard comprehensive examinations
- Diagnosing illness and injuries
- Ordering and interpreting various diagnostic tests, such as X-rays and EKGs
- Providing guidance and management for chronic health problems
- Prescribing medication and other treatments
- Educating patients and their families
Nurse Executive
Nurse executives are at the highest administrative level regarding the types of nurses. They are charged with ensuring that all aspects of nursing care within the organization are running properly.
If you’re interested in pursuing advancement as a nurse executive, you will need to explore MSN programs, as that is typically the minimum educational requirement for this position. Many nurse executives have DNPs or various post-graduate certificates as well.5
Some of the responsibilities of a nurse executive include:
- Implementing organizational mission and values
- Developing and shaping healthcare policies
- Designing and managing patient care delivery models
- Leading, directing and motivating nursing personnel
What makes nurse executives unique is that they are typically behind the scenes. Even though they may not be as patient-facing as others, their influence is indirectly felt by employees and patients alike throughout their organization.
