Nursing is a health profession dedicated to the care and treatment of individuals with illnesses, injuries or diseases. Nurses generally do not diagnose disease but work closely with doctors and other health care staff to establish and monitor patients' care plans.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered NursesBureau of Labor Statistics: Licensed Practical Nurse
History of Nursing
Historically, nurses were involved primarily in childbirth and infant rearing. The verb "to nurse" still means to feed a small infant. The foundations for modern nursing were laid during the U.S. Civil War. Clara Barton and Dorothea Dix both pushed for additional medical support for treatment of wounded soldiers.Civilwarhome.com: Civil War Nurses Around the same time in England, Florence Nightingale founded the first modern school for nurses.The Florence Nightingale Museum: Florence Nightingale Biography
Types of Nursing
- Registered Nurse (RN): Requires passing an examination and either a Bachelor's Degree, an Associates Degree or a diploma.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses
- Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN): Requires at least one year of training and passing an examination.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Licensed Practical Nurse
- Advanced Practice Nurse: Requires a Master's Degree. Advanced practice nurses can function more like doctors, with the ability to diagnose patients, treat patients and prescribe medication depending on the jurisdiction.Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses
Nursing Career
Students are not always sure what career to pursue. That is why professionals from many fields try to recruit students to join their industry. In this promotional video for nursing, created by students, a teacher gives a monologue about the profession. Soon, all her students are fast asleep on their desks. She wakes them up, and they offer a more engaging presentation of nursing. They sing and dance.
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
92 percent of Registered Nurses are women (2003)Bureau of Labor Statistics: Registered Nurses
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Common nursing tasks include
Taking patient history, recording symptoms, drawing blood, performing tests and monitoring patient vital signs and needs
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Fact:
Employed in hospitals, doctors offices, nursing homes, home health care facilities and outpatient centers
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Current U.S. Nursing licensing exam
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Fact:
Nursing is the largest healthcare occupation, with 2.6 million jobs.
