The healthcare sector is a multidisciplinary field. It requires the combined effort of various members to allow it to thrive and grow. A significant component of healthcare is nurses.

Nursing, at its core, is a profession that requires immense compassion, empathy, and patience. It is a job that requires an individual to keep humanity and its needs above their own. Each day nurses encounter patients from all walks of life and help them navigate the complex medical care processes and facilities. They convey the client’s concerns to relevant professionals through avid communication and bridge the gap between doctors and patients. They work tirelessly to ensure the highest quality of care is provided to each patient by keeping relevant medical team members in the loop on treatment progress.  

Becoming a Nurse

Nursing is a good career choice for those who intend to utilize their skills to make an actual difference in the world. To get started, you must first acquire your Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited institution. This degree is essential to master the basic skills needed to interact and communicate with diverse patients.

Next, you are required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination to obtain your license and become a practicing nurse. This test is intended to check whether you are prepared to handle the challenges a nurse faces every day on the job. However, the journey doesn’t end there. While becoming a registered nurse does allow you to work in a hospital or clinic, you can unlock more opportunities by pursuing higher education. With a master’s in nursing, you can become a Certified Registered Nurse and be qualified for positions like nurse administrator, practitioner, anesthetist, and so on. Many institutes now offer online masters in nursing administration for nurses with hectic routines but passionate about enriching their skillset. The flexible schedules allow nurses to continue practicing while obtaining quality education from the comfort of their homes.

Leadership Roles in Nursing

Once you’ve acquired your master’s, you will be qualified to apply for positions in the healthcare force that hold much higher power, authority, and autonomy. These jobs allow you to work independently, without supervision and earn significantly more. A few leadership roles that you can pursue in the field of nursing include:

1.Nursing Administrator:

While nurses directly cater to patients, a nurse administrator is responsible for managing and supervising nurses. Their job doesn’t involve interacting with patients, rather they work on an executive level and oversee several departments within an organization.

It is their job to recruit, hire and train new nurses while simultaneously evaluating the performance of current employees and ensuring that their credentials are updated. Depending on the day’s workload, they must schedule and assign tasks, divide duties amongst medical staff and ensure adequate utilization of available facilities. In addition, they must attend department meetings, manage department finances, re-evaluate long-term goals and create new policies to ensure that every member works at their level best.

Being a nurse administrator requires you to be skilled at multi-tasking; it is both a physically and mentally demanding job as you must cater to both the people and policies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the average median salary of a nurse administrator is between $58,518 and $121,870.

2.Nursing Consultant:

Nursing consultants provide consulting services to improve the standards of current nursing and healthcare programs for better outcomes. From hospitals to clinics, insurance companies, private offices, emergency rooms, and research labs, their expertise is required in numerous places. Registered nurses can specialize in becoming clinical, legal, or operations nurse consultants, depending on their area of interest.

• Clinical nurse consultants evaluate the healthcare procedures, equipment, and facilities being utilized by nurses in hospitals. They must highlight areas that require improvement and offer alternative solutions.
• Operation nurse consultants work hand-in-hand with organization leaders and provide them with the support needed to run a medical institution. They utilize their analytical skills to help manage resources, be it human, financial, or administrative.
• Legal nurse consultants are the liaisons between healthcare sectors and lawyers. They assist organizations in tackling legal issues and investigations of malpractice. They must analyze all medical records and available data to deliver a just and unbiased opinion on the case.

3.Research Nurse:

As the name suggests, research nurses work on research teams, studies and assist in clinical trials. They gather and evaluate data, study statistics, and monitor the health and well-being of all participants. They must have excellent medical knowledge, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities to manage unexpected challenges during the trials and research process.

After drug administration, a research nurse must be highly vigilant. They must constantly monitor the vital signs of all volunteers to prevent any side effects, allergic reactions, and fatal complications. Moreover, they must also ensure that during the entire study, every member of the team complies with the ethical code of conduct.

4.Nurse Educator:

Nurse educators pave the way for new students who intend to set foot in this profession. They train, supervise, and mentor the upcoming generation of nurses by passing down the valuable skills needed for the highest quality of patient care. Their advanced degrees allow them to work as instructors and professors in colleges and universities where they teach and develop nursing curriculums.

Nurse educators primarily work in educational settings but also have a role to play in hospitals to ensure that working nurses stay current with the changing technique, policies, and technologies. Their invaluable feedback based on observation and evidence helps organizations strengthen their teaching practices. Having someone as experienced as an educator on the team helps provide on-the-job support, motivation, and encouragement to new nurses.

5.Clinical Nurse Specialist:

Clinical nurses work alongside other professionals to care for patients, conduct the initial assessment, order relevant tests and recommend appropriate diagnoses. Some states also allow them to administer basic treatments and prescribe medications.

Additionally, they assist their patients in navigating the medical facilities while guiding them to other relevant specialists or doctors if need be. Clinical nurses evaluate the symptoms of every patient cautiously to create personalized treatment plans. Moreover, they are also trained to notice any major gaps in the healthcare system of an organization. They gather patient feedback on staff competency and monitor current practices and procedures to highlight any shortcomings that the hospital needs to overcome.

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Takeaway:

Nursing is a growing profession, and having advanced education in this field can be extremely rewarding in the long run as jobs in this field are expected to increase in the coming years. The BLS has reported that the demand for nurses is expected to rise by 38% between 2020-2030. Not only that, but it is a job that will allow you to significantly better the lives of all those around. So, if you’re looking to get into nurse leadership roles, consider the positions listed above and upscale your career right away!