Registered Nurse (RN) Careers in Indiana
Registered nurses (RN) perform basic duties that include treating patients, educating patients and the public about various medical conditions, and providing advice and support to patients' family members. Registered nurses record medical histories and symptoms, perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical equipment, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.
Registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations. Job opportunities for nurses in most specialties and employment settings are expected to be excellent, with some employers having difficulty in attracting and retaining enough RN personnel. The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor's degree, an associate degree and a diploma from an approved nursing program. Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation with 2.4 million jobs and about three out of five RN jobs are in hospitals.
Indiana registered nurses regardless of specialty or work setting, teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury, including post - treatment home care needs, diet and exercise programs, physical therapy and self - administration of medication. Some Indiana registered nurses also are trained to provide grief counseling to family members of critically ill patients. In addition, registered nurses work to promote general health by educating the public on various warning signs and symptoms of disease and where to go for help.
Registered nurses (RN) may also help manage blood drives, public discussion groups on various conditions or general health screening and immunization clinics. Indiana registered nurses may specialize by workplace environment or by the type of care provided. For example, ambulatory care nurses treat patients with a variety of illnesses and injuries outside the hospital, either in physicians' offices or in clinics. Some ambulatory care nurses provide care and guidance through electronic communications media.
Critical care nurses work in critical or intensive care hospital units and provide care to patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, or pulmonary failure. Emergency, or trauma, nurses work in hospital emergency departments and treat patients with life-threatening conditions. Some emergency nurses are flight nurses, who provide medical care to patients who must be flown by helicopter to the nearest medical facility. Home health care nurses provide at-home care for patients who are recovering from surgery, accidents, and childbirth.
Indiana occupational health nurses provide treatment for job-related injuries and illnesses and help employers to detect workplace hazards and implement health and safety standards. Indiana radiological nurses provide care to patients with temporary and permanent disabilities undergoing diagnostic radiation procedures such as ultrasounds and magnetic resonance imaging. Transplant nurses care for both transplant recipients and living donors and monitor signs of organ rejection.
Registered nurses who specialize in a particular disease, ailment, or condition are employed in a variety of work settings, including physicians' offices, outpatient treatment facilities, home health care agencies, and hospitals. Developmental disabilities nurses provide care for patients with physical, mental, or behavioral disabilities. Developmental disabilities nurses care may include help with feeding, controlling bodily functions, and sitting or standing independently. Oncology nurses care for patients with various types of cancer and may administer radiation and chemotherapies. Diabetes management nurses help diabetics to manage their disease by teaching them proper nutrition and showing them how to test blood sugar levels and administer insulin injections.
Indiana registered nurses specializing in treatment of a particular organ or body system are usually employed in specialty physicians' offices or outpatient care facilities, although some are employed in hospital specialty or critical care units. For example, cardiac and vascular nurses treat patients with coronary heart disease and those who have had heart surgery, providing services such as postoperative rehabilitation. Ophthalmic nurses provide care to patients with disorders of the eyes, including blindness and glaucoma, and to patients undergoing eye surgery.
Orthopedic nurses care for patients with muscular and skeletal problems, including arthritis, bone fractures, and muscular dystrophy. Dermatology nurses treat patients with disorders of the skin, such as skin cancer or psoriasis. Gastroenterology nurses treat patients with digestive and intestinal disorders, including ulcers, acid reflux disease, and abdominal bleeding. Some nurses in this field also specialize in endoscopic procedures, which look inside the gastrointestinal tract using a tube equipped with a light and a camera that can capture images of diseased tissue.
Nephrology nurses care for patients with kidney disease caused by diabetes, hypertension, or substance abuse. Neuroscience nurses care for patients with dysfunctions of the nervous system, including brain and spinal cord injuries and seizures. Respiratory nurses provide care to patients with respiratory disorders such as asthma, tuberculosis, and cystic fibrosis. Urology nurses care for patients with disorders of the kidneys, urinary tract, and male reproductive organs, including infections, kidney and bladder stones, and cancers.
Nurse practitioners provide basic preventive health care to patients, and increasingly serve as primary and specialty care providers in mainly medically underserved areas. The most common areas of specialty for nurse practitioners are family practice, adult practice, women's health, pediatrics, acute care, and gerontology; however, there are many other specialties. In most States, advanced practice nurses can prescribe medications.
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