National Nurses Week 2019
Explore the many
hats worn by nurses
Nurses have taken on many of the roles once reserved exclusively for doctors.
Enter a hospital, doctor’s offi ce, adult
care facility, or medical clinic and
you are bound to encounter nurses.
Nurse is a broad term used to describe
most individuals who perform patientbased
care in a variety of settings.
A nurse’s duties and title will vary
depending on his or her educational
background and the certifi cations and
licenses he or she has received.
The fi eld of nursing is seemingly
recession-proof. According to the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there
are roughly 2.6 million nurses in the
United States. No other career choice
within the fi eld of healthcare can claim
such strength in numbers, both in the
United States and Canada.
There are many advantages to
becoming a nurse, including growing
employment opportunities. Over the
next 20 years, the bureau predicts
800,000 vacancies in the fi eld of nursing
in the United States alone. Financial
gain is to be had as well. Depending
on the type of nurse, he or she has the
potential to make anywhere between
$43,000 and $115,000 a year, according
to the bureau’s Occupational
Employment Statistics Program.
Furthermore, because of the wide
breadth of nursing services, there is
plenty of room for specialty application
and advancement.
Here are the common types of
nurses and the type of education
required to become a nurse:
Nursing aide or orderly: Nursing
aides and orderlies help nurses care
for patients and perform routine
tasks. They spend most of their time
with patients, serving meals, keeping
patients comfortable, answering call
lights, making beds, and giving baths.
Most nursing aides work in a hospital
setting or long-term facilities for the
elderly. A high school diploma may be
all that’s needed to become a nursing
aide.
Licensed practical nurse: A
licensed practical nurse studies for
a year after earning a high school
diploma and must be licensed in the
state in which he or she will work.
He or she typically records medical
histories, weighs and measures
patients, records symptoms, and
administers injections.
Registered nurse: A registered
nurse typically pursues a two-year
Associate’s degree in nursing or may
receive a Bachelor’s degree in the fi eld.
Candidates must pass a national exam
before they are licensed. The duties
of a registered nurse are generally
more varied and in-depth than those
of a licensed practical nurse and can
include helping patients manage
treatment plans.
Nurse practitioner: Nurse
practitioners are among the most
educated hospital employees. In
addition to their registered nurse study,
they earn a Master’s degree and may
specialize in one area. Also, they may
be able to work outside of the authority
of a physician. In such instances, a they
can run a medical practice, diagnose,
and prescribe medication just as a
doctor would.
Although doctors are often thought
of as the primary care providers in
most healthcare settings, nurses are
growing in numbers and have taken
on many of the roles once reserved
exclusively for doctors.
There’s a faster way
to treat strokes:
Take the hospital to the patient.
The Mobile Stroke Treatment Unit
is available in Queens.
It’s a stroke treatment center—complete with
a CT scanner and access to a neurologist from
Weill Cornell Medicine—that can travel straight
to the patient, saving them precious time and
precious brain cells. If you suspect someone’s
having a stroke, call 911.
Learn more about the MSTU at nyp.org/mstu
TIMESLEDGER,22 MAY 3-9, 2019 BT QNS.COM
/mstu
/QNS.COM