5 Nursing Careers You May Have Not Considered
With a median salary of $57,000 and consistent demand, nursing is an excellent profession to consider. But for those looking to go beyond a two or four-year degree, getting your M.S. in Nursing is an excellent way to open up your options for jobs as well as increase your salary. Check out these five careers that are connected to this particular graduate degree:
Nurse Practitioner
Salary Range: $62,000-$103,000
A nurse practitioner (NP) is an advanced practice nurse (APN) who has at least an M.S. in Nursing, extensive training, and a much more expansive role than a traditional RN. Unlike a traditional nurse, who focuses only on the patient and his condition, nurse practitioners also pay attention to how those same conditions affect those around the patient. The top three priorities of a NP in relation to her patients are education, prevention, and wellness. An additional aspect to the job of a Nurse Practitioner is research. Through exams, history taking and diagnostic tests, a NP can determine diagnosis as well as treatment of her patients. Nurse Practitioners can focus on general practice or have a specialty, such as pediatrics, and are needed in hospitals, clinics, health departments, private practices, schools and universities, nursing homes, and home health-care agencies.
Certified Nurse Anesthetist
Salary Range: $135,000-$155,000
Certified Nurse Anesthetists (CNA) are APNs who administer anesthesia. Requiring graduate-level education that usually takes between 24 and 36 months to complete, CNAs need at least one year of traditional nursing in an intensive care or surgical unit prior to certification. Entrance requirements for most of these programs are on par with those for medical school. Though roughly 65% of CNAs work in collaboration with anesthesiologists, they are also trained to work independently, though each state and hospital has varied regulations in regards to CNA privileges.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Salary Range: $67,000-$87,000
Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) are APNs and experts in a specific area of nursing, such as cardiology, as well as evidence-based nursing, which aims to use research findings to improve patient care. To become a CNS, candidates must have at least an M.S. in Nursing. In general, Clinical Nurse Specialists collaborate with other nurses to not only advance care but also make systems run more efficiently, meaning that they'll work to bolster the skills of their RNs as well as continue to sharpen their own.
Certified Nurse Midwife
Salary Range: $70,000-$88,000
Our last title under the APN umbrella is the the Certified Nurse-Midwife, who has specialized training in both nursing and mid-wifery, which is the practice of providing care to women from pregnancy through postpartum. All CNMs are required to hold a Master's degree or a Post-Master's certificate in addition to their RN certificate. In addition to hospitals and clinics, Certified Nurse Midwives can also work in birth centers and, through home agencies, at home-births.
Nurse Case Manager
Salary Range: $65,000-$75,000
One of the most in demand positions in the nursing profession, an RN case manager serves as both a provider of medical care, as well as a sort of social worker to make sure the welfare of the patient is taken care of. Different from the traditional nurse, case managers determine visitation regimens for certain patients who are in need. Because patients have different needs based on their illnesses, case managers can choose different focuses such as geriatrics, surgical care, pediatrics, cancer treatment, AIDS, and hospice care. Case managers can find employment in hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, with agencies and even at insurance companies. Being that case managers are so involved with the social aspect of a patient's care, an excellent rapport with patients is beneficial.
