If you are working towards getting your qualifications in the field of Nursing, then you may want to consider working towards getting a Registered Nurse (RN) certification. This certification will definitely increase your chances of improving your career and for helping you to get a good salary.

Registered Nurses are often general duty nurses who focus on providing the overall care for their patients. They usually administer medicines under the supervision of doctors. They also keep records of the medicines administered, the symptoms of the patient and of the progress made by the patient. Registered Nurses are also involved in promoting good health and preventing illness. Apart from treating patients, they are involved in educating the public about the different illnesses and how to prevent these illnesses. They also help rehabilitate patients, and provide advice and emotional support to the family members of the patient.

Depending on numerous factors, RNs can also specialize across a number of areas within their occupation. Registered Nurses can specialize in a a particular type of work setting treatment (like psychiatric nurses who work in psychiatric hospitals, and intensive care nurses who work in intensive care units). Registered Nurses can also specialize in the care and treatment of a specific disease (like cancer care nurses specialize in the care of cancer patients). As a Registered Nurse, you can also specialize in the care of a particular body part or system (like respiratory nurses care for asthma patients). You can also specialize in the care of a particular group of patients (like school nurses care for children and adolescents in schools). Registered Nurses can also combine their specialization subjects (for example, nurses who care for the elderly patients who suffer from cardiac disease, or nurses who care for children who suffer from cancer).

In order to work as a Registered Nurse, you will have to start with a 2 year Associates Degree in Nursing, or go for a three year Diploma course. You can also make a right start in the field of nursing by getting a Bachelors Degree in Nursing which usually takes about 4 – 5 years to complete. After qualifying from these exams, you will have to appear for a national certification exam which is administered by each state. This will give you a Registered Nurse certification.

Your salary range as a Registered Nurse will largely depend upon your education, your experience and your area of specialization. Typically, the average annual salary for a Registered Nurse is approximately $52,000. However, this can increase depending on the above mentioned factors.

Thus as a Registered Nurse, you can open up many vistas for your career, while earning a high salary range.

Working as an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) can be a rewarding career option for many among us. Find out more about the range of the salary you can make while working as a LPN.

Licensed Practical Nurses or LPNs provide the basic bedside care for those who are sick, injured and convalescing. They do this under the guidance of physicians and registered nurses. The typical responsibilities of an LPN involve giving injections, taking the vital signs, dressing wounds, performing basic diagnostic checks and administering medications to the patients. You will also be involved in taking care of patients by treating bedsores, providing alcohol massages or rubs, feeding patients and monitoring their food and liquid input and output.

As an LPN, you can also specialize in the different fields of surgery, obstetrics, psychiatry and pediatrics.

To study become an LPN, you will have to have your High School Diploma, and then graduate from an accredited LPN program. You will then have to pass the National Council License Examination. Usually, your training program will include at least one year of training at a vocational technical school or a community college. The different subjects you will study in this course include chemistry, biology, anatomy, psychology, first aid, emergency medical technology, physical education, nutrition and food, child growth and development. You will also be involved in supervised clinical practice in patient care. Typically these programs take about a year to complete. You will need to keep on renewing your license every year with different continuing education courses.

LPNs work in several healthcare facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, private homes, mental health institutions, public health departments and community health clinics. You can also work at outpatient facilities and at long term care facilities.

Depending on the salary scales offered at the place where you work, as an LPN you can have an annual salary ranging from $35,000 to $40,000 or more. The salary range will depend on factors like the number of years of your work experience and the location of the job.

Thus, you can find a very rewarding career option working as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

If you are a RN (Registered Nurse) and want to increase your career advancement opportunities, then getting a Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN) is the next natural step up the ladder for you. Find out what kind of benefits lay ahead of you with this degree.

To become a RN (Registered Nurse) you would have completed your diploma courses and have received your license after passing the examination conducted by the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses. This program is typically 2 to 3 years long. However, if you wish to pursue a higher level of career options within the field of Nursing, then a BSN Degree will prove to be very beneficial for you.

The BSN Degree is a 4 year program which includes several aspects of study like research oriented learning, leadership training, and even liberal arts. As a BSN nurse, you can then review research papers, advocate for the patient, and see your career path advance towards more managerial posts. This is the natural next level to take for several RNs. Armed with your knowledge and this Degree, you can move into several other fields as well. You can work as the assistant nurse, head nurse, assistant director, director and even vice president. You can explore opportunities like research, consulting and teaching. If you are more adventurous, you can even explore the management side in industries such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.

As a BSN, your salary range will depend on several factors. These are: the geographic location of the place where you work, your years of experience, and your specialty.

BSNs with less than a year of experience start out with a salary of approximately $50,000 a year. BSNs who have at least 20 years of experience can earn upwards of $67,000 annually. Depending on your geographical location, you can earn from $53,000 to $59,000 per year as a BSN.

A RN would typically earn about $52,000 annually. However the earning potential for a Nurse Manager is approximately $67,000. As a Nurse Case Manager you can earn $58,000, as a Nursing Director you can earn about $ 71,000, as a Clinical Nurse Manager you can earn $66,000, and as a Nurse Practitioner you can make $71,000 annually.

Thus, you can see you career advance into more exciting and rewarding areas when you get a Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN). This will enable you to pursue your goals – whether they can be academic or managerial – in the field of Nursing.