Thesis statement: The occupation of a Registered Nurse seems to take an enormous amount of responsibility. The duties of a Registered Nurse are many. Nurses also "assist physicians during treatments and examinations." The jobs of a Registered Nurse will be a challenge for me. The working conditions of a nurse range from one extreme to the next.
INTRODUCTION
The history and evolution of the Registered Nurses roles
Nursing is a profession that begun as a result of women who cared for soldiers
The Profession however developed latter on into the 19th century during which it was now viewed as an important element of the community (RegisteredNurseRN.com., 2016)
The role of Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale played a key role in the development of nursing as a profession with much of her work emerging from the events of the Crimean war where she focused on nutrition and sanitation (RegisteredNurseRN.com., 2016)
The development of the first nursing school was accomplished in 1873 in Boston
BODY
Describing the Registered Nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is any nurse who has accomplished and completed all the educational, certification and licensure requirements that have been set forth within each of the states
RN’s are not only care givers but they act as the leaders and the influencers in the working environment to balance the administrative needs and the staffing issues
The roles of the RN
The RN may work under the authority of the physician, the assistant physician or the nurse practitioner
Their roles include;
Administration of medications
Education for patients and family members on aspects of illnesses, treatment and therapy options
Utilizing the available equipment for diagnostic tests
Developing comprehensive nursing care plans
Making documentation of the patient’s vital signs and any important information
Educational requirements
The common requirement for nurses and the basic qualification is the associate degree in nursing (ADN).
The ADN path takes up to 2-3 years
The next step to the RN career is the Bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) which is four year course
Once the BSN path is completed, an individual has to undertake the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)
Career path and opportunities
The Registered nursing profession is expanding at fast rate and the prospects of the profession are projected to grow even faster
Between 2010-2020, the employment rate for the RNs is expected to grow at an significantly high rate of up to 26%
Home healthcare services and doctor’s office are projected to accommodate more RNs
As at present, the average annual wage or RNs is approximately $65, 950
Work environment
RNs work within the hospital setting or within Physician’s offices, home-health settings and outpatient facilities
Up to 60% of the RNs are however based in hospital settings where their services are regarded as critical (RegisteredNurseRN.com., 2016)
RN’s can effectively delegate some roles to the Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) based on experience, competence and qualifications
How do I fit in?
I believe that the expanded roles for the RNs provide me with an opportunity to explore the healthcare system
It is challenging to work within the healthcare systems in the contemporary setting especially due to the focus on patient outcomes in a more detailed perspective
It is even harder for the RN as they are regarded as the link between the high profile roles and the less experienced groups in the healthcare system
I however feel that I am prepared adequately to meet this challenge considering that I have experienced these conditions during my practicum and practice over time
CONCLUSION
Summary
RNs are stepping up to the challenge and they are currently leading a revolution that will impact the healthcare system (Canadian Nurses Association, 2013)
There is so much expectation on the RNs and this has made the RN’s role on of the most challenging especially for those who fail to adopt to these expectations
For me, I think it is the best set platform to gather experience and lead the innovation that is necessary within the sector
Draft summary
The role of the Registered nurse is significantly assuming a new dimension within the healthcare sector not least that of nurturing the inexperienced nurses into the profession. RNs are at the position where they are regarded to form a unique point of interaction for the nurses within the healthcare. The experience for the RN cannot be underestimated and the focus of the healthcare systems has been to make sure that even as RNs rise to other positions of leadership, they significantly help in the growth and development of the nurses and workforce working with them (Smolowitz, Speakman, Wojnar, Whelan, Ulrich, Hayes, & Wood, 2015). I feel that even as the RN role takes this new direction, there is enormous pressure and the roles of the RN are set to gradually increase two-fold in the next few years. We who will be serving in such positions will have to not only lead and transform change but also act as the innovators towards a reformed healthcare system. Today, data and information are the key areas that help in transformation and the RN is placed at the point where they control or manage data (Canadian Nurses Association, 2013). They are at the point where the interact with data that informs them of not just the individual needs of the patient, but also the general health of the population and the apparent patterns and trends in health at the community level. It is the high time to recognize that we as the RN’s of the future have to stand up to the challenge of making it a practical requirement that data mining is a new role for the RNs. The RN has to become innovative to help shed off the load of responsibilities that they have which does not imply leaving or ignoring out some roles. Rather it implies developing new methods for working out the health needs of the population they serve by utilizing the available technologies (Smolowitz, Speakman, Wojnar, Whelan, Ulrich, Hayes, & Wood, 2015). I however believe that despite these extremes for the RNs I can thrive in this environment especially with the opportunities that the new technologies provide.
REFERENCES
Canadian Nurses Association. (2013). Registered nurses: Stepping up to transform health care. Ottawa, CA: CNA www. cna-aiic. ca.
Smolowitz, J., Speakman, E., Wojnar, D., Whelan, E. M., Ulrich, S., Hayes, C., & Wood, L. (2015). Role of the registered nurse in primary health care: Meeting health care needs in the 21st century. Nursing outlook, 63(2), 130-136.
RegisteredNurseRN.com. (2016). Registered Nurse RN | Nursing Career & Jobs, Salary, Blog, History, & Nursing Schools. Retrieved from http://www.registerednursern.com/