Which Type Of Nursing Is Best?
Which Type Of Nursing Is Best? What type of nurse is most respected?
Are you interested in working with children or do you prefer caring for older adults? With so many nursing specializations to choose from, it can be difficult to know which one is best for you. By knowing the unique aspects of each nursing specialty, you can make an informed decision about which path aligns with your passions and career aspirations.
The top nursing career specializations are covered in this guide, along with information on how to enter these industries. A major choice that can impact your entire healthcare career is selecting a nursing specialization. There are many different nursing specialties, so it’s important to figure out which one best suits your interests, abilities, and career goals. Find out more about the best specializations in nursing.
What’s the Best Type of Nursing?
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
This type of APRN needs a master’s or doctor of nursing degree in a specialized area of nursing practice. Clinical nurses can choose focus areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, critical or emergency care, specific disease care (such as diabetes or cardiovascular illness), rehabilitation, mental health, or pain management and wound care.
- Informatics Nurse
Many organizations, including hospitals, nursing homes, insurance agencies, and public health agencies, use the services of informatics nurses to manage healthcare data and communications. These nursing specialists, trained in computer science, information technology, and nursing, manage data integration among all healthcare providers to help these organizations increase efficiency and improve patient care.
- Oncology Nurse
Oncology nurses care for patients receiving treatment for various stages of cancer. They typically specialize in subfields such as pediatric cancer, geriatric cancer, breast cancer, or hematology. These nurses administer chemotherapy, identify symptoms, and monitor progress. Oncology nurses also play a crucial role in creating a comfortable and supportive environment for cancer patients.
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- Travel Nurse
These RNs travel from one healthcare facility to another across the country, and sometimes internationally, to fill staffing needs for varying periods. Travel nurses may specialize in a particular practice area or perform the gamut of general RN duties such as recording patient histories, assessing symptoms, making diagnoses, and administering treatment and medicine. Whether self-employed or placed through an agency, travel nurses take contracts anywhere from one month to two years.
- Trauma Nurse
While working in emergency rooms, critical care units, or as part of emergency medical response teams, trauma nurses help take care of patients in critical, unstable, and life-threatening conditions. These RNs have received specialized training to work with physicians to stabilize and treat traumatized patients. They administer wound care, emergency medications, and IV fluids or blood transfusions; operate life-saving equipment such as defibrillators, and monitor vital signs.
- Dialysis Nurse
Dialysis refers to the medical process of cleaning the blood of patients who suffer from kidney-related diseases. These disorders inhibit their kidneys from filtering out unwanted waste and fluids from their blood. Dialysis nurses operate the equipment that cleans a patient’s blood, assess the vital signs of patients before and after the dialysis procedure, and provide education about medications and aftercare.
- Infection Control/Prevention Nurse
Infection control and prevention nurses identify, surveil, and manage infections, diseases, and viruses. Typically registered nurses, these professionals have filled a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic, as healthcare systems need specialized workers to focus on patient care reporting and widespread infection prevention. They work at hospitals, clinics, and community health centers.
- Neonatal Nurse
Neonatal nurses work in intensive care units that care for infants at risk for complications and in need of specialized care. These include premature newborns and those born with cardiac or other birth defects, genetic conditions, or drug dependency. Neonatal nurses typically care for these infants until they leave the hospital but in some cases will provide care beyond the newborn phase.
- Nurse Anesthetist:
These APRNs administer anesthesia and pain medication, observe vital signs, make adjustments, and monitor patients during surgical procedures and recovery. Nurse anesthetists work with patients of all ages in scheduled surgical operations or emergency procedures. Before surgery, they record patient histories and provide information about the types of anesthesia used in the procedure.
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
These APRN nurses assess, diagnose, and treat patients with mental disorders. Psychiatric mental health nurses offer services to people who have mood disorders, phobias, depression, or dementia, as well as those struggling with substance abuse issues or other addictions. In addition to administering medication and therapy, their duties include crisis intervention, mental health assessment and evaluation, and patient assistance.
- Nurse Midwife
Advanced practice registered nurses who specialize in pregnancy, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum recovery can earn certification as nurse midwives. Nurse midwives care for patients from labor through delivery and provide postpartum assistance. While primarily focused on pregnancy care, these nurses may also offer general services for women, including gynecological reproductive and preventive healthcare.
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- Family Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) work with patients from childhood to adulthood in clinical and family practice settings. Over 65% of nurse practitioners hold FNP certification, making it the most popular of all APRN categories. FNPs examine, diagnose, and treat patients throughout the lifespan from childhood to old age, with a particular focus on preventive care.
- School Nurse
School nurses work in elementary, middle, and high schools in a crucial but underserved role. Among many other duties, they treat and give first aid to ill or injured students. School nurses also provide acute care, collect health data, administer health screenings, and help students with chronic diseases.
The “best” type of nurse largely depends on your individual preferences, interests, and career goals. Consider your passion for patient care, your desired work environment, and the level of autonomy you seek in your nursing career. Whether you choose to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Educator, Oncology Nurse, or Travel Nurse, each nursing specialty offers unique opportunities to make a positive impact on patient’s lives and contribute to the ever-evolving field of healthcare. Make your choice based on what resonates most with you and your professional aspirations. Find out more here.
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