Health Care Jobs, Medical Billing Jobs, Medical Jobs, Nursing Jobs
Nursing jobs are one of the fastest growing allied health care groups. Over
1.2 million new nursing jobs will be added through 2014. All nursing jobs from
LPNs and Registered nurses to nursing aides, orderlies and attendants are in
great demand. This nursing jobs page is excerpted from chapter seven of
Health
Care Job Explosion and features nursing jobs and occupations.
The major occupational groups are:
The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) specialty is included here along with a
sampling of resources from the all new 4th edition of
Health Care Job Explosion!. Registered nursing jobs and nursing aide and
psychiatric aide jobs are featured in the same format as presented for licensed
practical nurses in the text version of Health Care Job
Explosion! Occupational groups are divided into primary and related nursing
job occupations so that individuals can investigate other fields for additional
job opportunities.
Health Care Job Explosion features over 1,400 career
exploration and job vacancy resources. Resources are grouped with each
occupation and a sample of related resources are included with the first
occupation.
Desiree Griffith, a post-anesthesia care registered nurse at the Sewickley
Hospital in Western Pennsylvania, was born in Guyana, South America on April 5,
1947. She came to America in 1968 just before turning 21. Desiree was a tax
assessor in Guyana. Math and science were always her strong points and in New
York she landed a job as a claims adjuster.
"I met a friend in New York that was in nursing school. She was having a great
time and really loved what she was doing", said Desiree. "I wanted to deal more
with people so I followed my friend's example and entered the Brooklyn Jewish
Hospital's nursing program in 1969." Mrs. Griffith did very well in school and
she said, "I loved it. I enjoyed working with people and it was always
challenging."
Mrs. Griffith started working in a medical surgery unit and stayed there for six
months. Then she went on maternity leave to have her first child. After
returning from maternity leave she requested a recovery room assignment and has
worked in this area since 1973. "Post-anesthesia Care is the section that you're
taken to after surgery to recover patients from the effects of anesthesia," said
Desiree, "This used to be called the recovery room."
In 1977 Desiree and her family moved to Charlotte, North Carolina and she landed
a job in a cardiovascular recovery unit at the Charlotte Memorial Hospital. The
last eighteen months at Charlotte Desiree worked in post-anesthesia care.
"One of the advantages of the nursing field is the ability to work diverse
schedules depending on your personal circumstances," said Desiree. "In 1980 we
moved to Pittsburgh where I worked casual (part-time) at the Sewickley Hospital
due to my husband's work schedule. After my second child was born I opted to
work on weekends only for a period of time. For several years I shared a job
with another nurse; I worked Monday, Tuesday and a half day on Wednesday, my
partner worked the remainder of the week."
"Nursing is a great field to work in - it's hard work without a doubt. The field
is wide open with many career options. Also, as a registered nurse everyone in
my unit is fully qualified to do the same function. Therefore, when I need a day
off it isn't difficult to get someone to work for me."
"There are other things to consider," said Desiree, "You may be required to work
rotating shifts, weekends, and holidays. The stress involved when you deal with
life and death situations on a daily basis can get to you. If something is
happening in recovery you don't have the option to just leave at the end of your
shift. You must be willing to stay no matter what you have planned. Your
patients depend on you entirely."
Desiree said, "You can always find a job in nursing if you really want to work.
You may not find one with all daylight work and no weekends but you will find a
job. Most of it is up to you."
RELATED OCCUPATIONS:
MENU
- Training lasting about 1 year is available in about 1,200 state approved
programs, mostly in vocational or technical schools.
- Applicants for jobs in hospitals may face competition as the number of
hospital jobs for licensed practical nurses declines; however, rapid
employment growth is projected in other health care industries, with the
best job opportunities occurring in nursing care facilities and in home
health care services.
- Replacement needs will be a major source of job openings, as many
workers leave the occupation permanently.
Licensed practical nurses ( LPNs), or licensed vocational nurses ( LVNs), care
for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of
physicians and registered nurses. (The work of physicians and surgeons is
described in Chapter 9 and that of registered nurses is described later in this
chapter.)
Most LPNs provide basic bedside care, taking vital signs such as temperature,
blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. They also prepare and give injections
and enemas, monitor catheters, apply dressings, treat bedsores, and give alcohol
rubs and massages. LPNs monitor their patients and report adverse reactions to
medications or treatments. They collect samples for testing, perform routine
laboratory tests, feed patients, and record food and fluid intake and output. To
help keep patients comfortable, LPNs assist with bathing, dressing, and personal
hygiene. In states where the law allows, they may administer prescribed
medicines or start intravenous fluids. Some LPNs help to deliver, care for, and
feed infants. Experienced LPNs may supervise nursing assist-ants and aides.
In addition to providing routine bedside care, LPNs in nursing care facilities
help to evaluate residents’ needs, develop care plans, and supervise the care
provided by nursing aides. In doctors’ offices and clinics, they also may make
appointments, keep records, and perform other clerical duties.
Most licensed practical nurses in hospitals and nursing care facilities work a
40-hour week, but because patients need round-the-clock care, some work nights,
weekends, and holidays. They often stand for long periods and help patients move
in bed, stand, or walk.
LPNs may face hazards from caustic chemicals, radiation, and infectious diseases
such as hepatitis. They are subject to back injuries when moving patients and
shock from electrical equipment. They often must deal with the stress of heavy
workloads. In addition, the patients they care for may be confused, irrational,
agitated, or uncooperative.
Licensed practical nurses held about 726,000 jobs in 2004. About 27 percent
of LPNs worked in hospitals, 25 percent in nursing care facilities, and another
12 percent in offices of physicians. Others worked for home health care
services; employment services; community care facilities for the elderly; public
and private educational services; outpatient care centers; and federal, state,
and local government agencies. About 1 in 5 worked part time.
L.P.N.'s TRAINING TAKES ABOUT ONE YEAR.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Scholarships / Tuition Help
All states and the District of Columbia require LPNs to pass a
licensing examination, known as the NCLEX-PN, after completing a state approved
practical nursing program. A high school diploma or its equivalent usually is
required for entry, although some programs accept candidates without a diploma,
and some are designed as part of a high school curriculum.
In 2004, approximately 1,200 state-approved programs provided training in
practical nursing. Most training programs are available from technical and
vocational schools, or from community and junior colleges. Other programs are
available through high schools, hospitals, and colleges and universities.
Most practical nursing programs last about 1 year and include both classroom
study and supervised clinical practice (patient care). Class-room study covers
basic nursing concepts and patient care-related subjects, including anatomy,
physiology, medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics, obstetrics, psychiatric
nursing, the administration of drugs, nutrition, and first aid. Clinical
practice usually is in a hospital, but some-times includes other settings.
In some employment settings, such as nursing homes, LPNs can advance to
become charge nurses who oversee the work of other LPNs and of nursing aides.
Some LPNs also choose to become registered nurses through numerous LPN-to-RN
training programs.
LPNs should have a caring, sympathetic nature. They should be emotionally
stable because working with the sick and injured can be stressful. They also
should have keen observational, decision-making, and communication skills. As
part of a health care team, they must be able to follow orders and work under
close supervision.
Online Nursing Schools: Degree &
certificate programs
Employment of LPNs is expected to grow about as fast as average for all
occupations through 2014 in response to the long-term care needs of an
increasing elderly population and the general growth of health care services.
Replacement needs will be a major source of job openings, as many workers leave
the occupation permanently. Applicants for jobs in hospitals may face
competition as the number of hospital jobs for LPNs declines; however, rapid
employment growth is projected in other health care industries, with the best
job opportunities occurring in nursing care facilities and in home health care
services.
Employment of LPNs in hospitals is expected to continue to decline.
Sophisticated procedures once performed only in hospitals are being performed in
physicians’ offices and in outpatient care centers such as ambulatory surgical
and emergency medical centers, largely because of advances in technology.
Consequently, employment of LPNs in most health care industries outside the
traditional hospital setting is projected to grow faster than average.
Employment of LPNs is expected to grow much faster than average in home health
care services. Home health care agencies also will offer the most new jobs for
LPNs because of an increasing number of older persons with functional
disabilities, consumer preference for care in the home, and technological
advances that make it possible to bring increasingly complex treatments into the
home.
Employment of LPNs in nursing care facilities is expected to grow about as fast
as average because of the growing number of aged and disabled persons in need of
long-term care. In addition, LPNs in nursing care facilities will be needed to
care for the increasing number of patients who have been discharged from the
hospital but who have not re-covered enough to return home. However, changes in
consumer preferences towards less restrictive and more cost-effective care from
assisted living facilities and home health care agencies will limit employment
growth.
Median annual earnings of licensed practical nurses were $33,970 in May 2004.
The middle 50 percent earned between $28,830 and $40,670. The lowest 10 percent
earned less than $24,480, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $46,270.
Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of
licensed practical nurses in May 2004 were: Employment services, $41,550;
Nursing care facilities, $35,460; Home health care services, $35,180; General
medical and surgical hospitals, $32,570; Offices of physicians $30,400.
Over 138 total nursing job resources are presented in the paperback version
of Health Care Job Explosion! 4th edition by Dennis V. Damp for this
occupational group. Resources include Job Ads, Job Hotlines, Job Fairs,
Placement services, Associations, Books, Directories and Internet (Web) Sites.
Your local library may have this book in their reference section or you can
purchase a copy for $19.95 plus shipping with all major credit cards from our
toll free service at 1-800-782-7424 (Orders Only). Also available at all major
bookstores.
101 Careers in Nursing - by Jeanne M. Novotny, Doris T. Lippman, Nicole K.
Sanders, Joyce J. Fitzpatrick; Springer Publishing Company, 2003, $33.95, ISBN:
0826120148. Profiles of careers, educational requirements, resources, and
personal stories from practicing nurses.
Access Nurses Traveling Nursing Jobs -
http://www.accessnurses.com Access Nurses is a leading provider of
healthcare staffing, servicing healthcare facilities in all 50 states.
ADVANCE Newsmagazines -650 Park Avenue West, Box 61556, King of Prussia, PA
19406-0956; 800/355-1088. Publishes ADVANCE for Nurses, ADVANCE for LPNs and
ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners are free to qualified professionals and have
extensive classified ads. (http://www.advanceweb.com)
Web site has job fair information.
All Nursing Schools -
http://www.allnursingschools.com/ Online directory of
nursing schools. Their "Find a School" section allows you to search for nursing
programs by state, degree type, specialty or school name. Address, phone numbers
and degrees offered are given for all schools and NLNAC accreditation is
indicated. Schools who advertise on the site have basic information about their
institution and allow you to fill in a form to receive additional information.
American College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) - 1111 19th Street, NW Suite 404,
Washington, DC 20036; 202-659-2190. Web site has facts about NPs and extensive
links to specialty nursing organizations. (http://www.acnpweb.org/,
acnp@acnpweb.org)
American Nurses Association (ANA) - 8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 400, Silver
Spring, MD 20910; 301/628-5000 or 800/274-4ANA. (http://www.nursingworld.org
, memberinfo@ana.org) The ANA,
established in 1896, is a full-service professional organization. Career center
on web site has a job agent and allows members to post résumé. Financial aid
information, links to specialty nursing associations and much more can be viewed
on the web site. Students may subscribe to access more extensive web information
for $10. Planning A Career In Nursing booklet can be downloaded from the web.
Online catalog lists dozens of publications, including books on taking
certification tests. The American Nurse is $10/yr for students, $20 for
practicing nurses (800/637-0323).
Discover Nursing -
http://www.discovernursing.com/ This site is provided by Johnson & Johnson,
and has a wealth of information including free brochures on nursing as a career,
articles about many specialties, profiles of nurses, information on preparing
for nursing school and scholarship searching.
Minority Nurse -
http://www.minoritynurse.com This site has links to minority nursing
associations and minority health associations. It provides a discussion forum,
scholarship information and job postings. Featured stories section is loaded
with information for students and nurses. Minority Nurse magazine has
information on education, career development and minority health.
Nurse Portal - http://www.nurseportal.net
Over 140 links to nursing blogs, jobs, forums and boards, organizations,
traveling nursing links and much more. Well worth the visit.
NurseWeek - 1156 Aster Ave., Suite C, Sunnyvale, CA 94086; 800/859-2091.
(http://www.nurseweek.com) Newsletter with classified ads for registered nurses
is $45, but can be read free online. The web site has information on dozens of
specialty nursing careers, career fairs, a list of schools. Search job ads
online by state or specialty.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) -
http://www.ncsbn.org/ Directory of state
boards of nursing.
National Federation of Licensed Practical Nurses (NFLPN) - 605 Poole Drive,
Garner, North Carolina 27529; 919/779-0046. (http://www.nflpn.org)
Information on careers and scholarships for vocational and licensed practical
nurses. Online directory of state organizations and local events/meetings.
Career Center lets you view job ads, post résumé and receive job alerts by
email.
National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) - 45 Main Street, Ste. 606,
Brooklyn, NY 11201; 718/210-0705. (http://www.nsna.org
, nsna@nsna.org) Online Career Center has
information about nursing, career planning, internships and a directory of
health care facilities. Web site networking opportunities include Live Chat and
links to local chapters and state nursing associations. NSNA holds Career
Planning Conferences, offers courses to prepare for the NCLEX exam, offers
member discounts on nursing books, such as Career Planning for Nurses by Bette
Case and Mosby’s Tour Guide to Nursing School, A Students’ Road Survival Kit.
Members can get scholarship information. Download a list of professional
organizations for nurses; there are dozens of specialties.
NurseWeek Magazine- 6860 Santa Teresa Blvd, San Jose, CA 95119; 800/859-2091. (http://www.nurseweek.com)
Free subscriptions for registered nurses. Web site has a directory of nursing
schools, link to career fairs, résumé writing help, and job search by state and
specialty.
Nursing Jobs - http://www.nursing-jobs.us
If you are looking for a permanent, per diem, or travel nursing job; in-patient,
out-patient or hospice you have come to the right place. We have partnered with
the leading hospitals, travel nurse companies and recruitment agencies to help
you find your dream nursing job!
Opportunities in Nursing Careers - by Keville Frederickson, McGraw-Hill, 2003,
$13.95. ISBN: 0071405852 Information about the variety of jobs within nursing,
education & training, and salary statistics.
Resume Writing Service - Professionally package your health care resume
for entry level, standard, and executive positions.
Résumés for Nursing Careers - by Editors of VGM, McGraw-Hill, 2001, $10.95,
ISBN: 0658017721. Includes sample résumé s & cover letters.
Registered nursing jobs and careers are featured on this site. Nursing Aides
and Psychiatric Aide nursing occupations are featured in the all new 4th edition of
Health Care Job Explosion!. Nursing Aides and
Psychiatric aide occupations are featured
exactly like the Licensed Practical Nurse
occupational description and includes resources for each listing. Your local
library may have this book in their reference section or you can purchase a copy
for $19.95 plus $5.75 shipping with all major credit cards from our toll free
service at 1-800-782-7424 (Orders Only). Also available at bookstores.
Health Care Jobs, Medical Billing Jobs, Medical Jobs, Nursing Jobs
