An Overview on the Nature of Work and Specialization Options for a Career as Registered Nurse

we shall have an overview on the nature of work of RNs and specialization options available in this career so as to provide help to youngsters in deciding what kind of career as a RN they want to pursue.

Nature of Work:

RNs treat and educate patients and the public at large about various medical conditions, and provide emotional and mental support to the family members of the patients. They record the medical history and symptoms of the patients, help in diagnosing and analyzing test results, operate medical equipments and machinery and administer overall treatment, medications and rehabilitation of the patients.

Not only this, they teach and guide patients and their families on how to manage injury or illness as a part of their duty. They explain in detail the post-treatment care, diet, exercise programs, medication and physical therapy that needs to be carried on for a complete recovery. Some RNs educate general public on the symptoms and warning signs of a disease and may even run blood drives, immunization clinics, public seminars, etc.

Specialization Options:

RNs can specialize in generally four ways. They may either choose a particular type of treatment or specific health conditions or choose to work with body system types or with a well defined population. RNs specializing in particular types of treatment or work setting have many options such as ambulatory care, critical care, trauma, holistic care, home health care, hospice and palliative care, long term care, medico-surgical care, occupational health care, mental health care, etc.

RNs specializing in particular health conditions or ailment can work in different work settings such as outpatient treatment facilities, physician's offices, hospitals, home health care agencies, etc. On the other hand, RNs specializing in treatment of a particular body system generally join critical care units, specialty clinics, etc.

RNs specializing to work with well defined populations provide acute and preventive care in virtually all health settings. They may choose to work for the newborns, elderly, children and adolescents or adults.