Are there types of nurses

Home health care nurses provide health services to patients in their own home. They work with individuals who may need help with mobility or daily treatments, such as older adults or people with disabilities. Home health nurses also carry out tasks like assessing patients or administering infusions. They work under the supervision of physicians and advanced practice registered nurses in hospitals, residential care facilities, and in patients' homes.

Independent nurse contractors provide a variety of patient services on a contract basis at different healthcare facilities and hospitals. These nurses work on an as-needed, temporary basis in specific practice areas or specialties, or as "per diem" consultants.

These nurses identify, create, and apply best practices for managing infections, maintaining sanitary conditions, and treating and preventing patient infections. They supervise other nurses about how to treat, control, and eliminate infections. Infection control nurses are also responsible for notifying the Centers for Disease Control about infectious threats. This emerging field applies nursing training and expertise in computer science and information technology to the management of data and communications in nursing, with an emphasis on increasing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving the quality of patient care.

Learn More About Informatics Nursing. These registered nurses specialize in the administration of medications and other fluids through an intravenous line, central line, or venous access port.

They manage intravenous therapy, maintain arterial catheters, and monitor patients for complications. Registered nurses with U. These nurses typically work on a contractual basis for a few weeks or more in countries across the world. These registered nurses monitor the mother's vital signs and progress during labor and delivery and provide emotional support.

While lactation consultants come from a variety of healthcare backgrounds, the field attracts many registered nurses. Lactation consultants and counselors instruct, advise and support women preparing to breastfeed their newborns and educate new mothers to overcome difficulties with breastfeeding. Legal nurse consultants assist attorneys, medical staff, claims adjusters, and patients, reviewing and researching medical records, preparing testimony, and serving as expert witnesses in medical-related court cases, such as personal injury and malpractice.

These consultants find employment in law offices, insurance companies, healthcare facilities, and corporate legal departments. They provide several services, including monitoring vital signs, administering medication, and assisting registered nurses and physicians.

This nursing specialty focuses on the needs of patients who require extended care related to illness and disabilities. Long term care nurses provide assistance to patients across the lifespan, especially the elderly, in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, hospitals, and skilled nursing centers.

Managed care nurses evaluate patients' healthcare conditions, connect them to cost-effective healthcare providers, and counsel them on preventive care. They work with insurance companies, health management organizations HMOs , preferred provider organizations PPOs , and government programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Medical-surgical nurses provide patient care to adults with a variety of complex medical conditions, as well as before and after surgical procedures.

Depending on the medical setting, they evaluate patient condition, prioritize patient needs, and are central to the health care team in coordinating patient care. These nurses often pursue specializations in subfields such as orthopedics, wound care, and oncology. These registered nurses work in all branches of the U. In deployed areas and during wartime, they provide healthcare to military personnel as needed, including treating life-threatening injuries and preparing patients for surgery.

These nurses treat patients and promote well-being in underdeveloped regions of the world, either as volunteers or paid employees of nonprofit organizations such as churches or religious foundations. They provide a variety of patient services and educate the population on preventive care, nutrition, and other health issues. Learn More About Missionary Nursing. These highly specialized registered nurses provide immediate care for premature and severely ill newborns in the neonatal intensive care units of general hospitals and children's hospitals.

They work as part of a team of intensive care doctors, nurses, and technicians with extensive training in neonatal healthcare. Learn More About Neonatal Nursing. Nephrology nurses, also called dialysis nurses, treat and educate patients with kidney disease, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, or those at risk for developing kidney-related conditions.

Learn More About Nephrology Nursing. Neuroscience nursing focuses on providing care to patients with injuries to the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. They also treat patients suffering from birth defects and strokes. These highly specialized advanced practice registered nurses possess extensive training administering intravenous, intramuscular, and inhaled anesthesia to patients undergoing intensive and painful surgical procedures. They conduct physical examinations and monitor anesthesia levels during these procedures.

Nurse attorneys, registered nurses who have earned law degrees, hold licenses to practice both nursing and law. Depending on their employment setting, they may represent nurses and other healthcare professionals in court cases dealing with malpractice, personal injury, or insurance claims. They also work in research and education, serving as advocates for public policy regarding legal aspects of healthcare. Learn More About Nurse Attorneys.

Nurse educators provide training for nursing students and offer continuing education and professional development for experienced nurses. They design and teach classes, advise and mentor students, and design curriculum.

Besides colleges and universities, these educators work in hospital-affiliated nursing schools, public health centers, and other medical facilities. Learn More About Nurse Educators. Nurse legislators represent the nursing industry in state and federal government and work in grassroots advocacy initiatives to make changes to existing laws or to lobby on behalf of new legislation to assist the nursing profession.

Life care planning nurses advocate on behalf of patients with severe injuries, chronic illnesses, and disabilities. They develop integrated plans to determine the kinds of services needed and the costs associated with long-term care, working with patients, family members, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and government agencies. A nurse midwife's primary responsibility is to assist women during pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period.

They also provide gynecological care and family planning services, including conducting physical exams and diagnosing and treating medical conditions. Among the most highly skilled nursing roles, the nurse practitioner performs many of the same responsibilities as physicians. They provide primary and specialty care to patients from a variety of backgrounds.

They carry out a variety of duties including diagnosing and treating illnesses, conducting and analyzing diagnostic tests, and administering medication. Learn More About Nurse Practitioners. Nurse researchers design, conduct, and publish research studies that improve healthcare outcomes, using data they create or from existing sources. In addition to nursing training, these specialists must have advanced skills in data collection and scientific research methods.

They typically work in educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and government agencies. Learn More About Nurse Researchers. Nurse advocates act as liaisons between patients and their healthcare providers, helping patients to navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. They assist patients in understanding their diagnosis, treatment options, medical costs, and procedures for insurance claims. Learn More About Nursing Advocacy. Nurse entrepreneurs rely on their nursing and business skills to initiate their own business ventures within the healthcare field.

They establish businesses in an array of specialized areas, including medical equipment sales, home healthcare, travel nursing agencies, coaching, and consulting services. Nurse executives and CEOs hold senior administrative positions in healthcare organizations.

They perform a variety of organizational and managerial functions including hiring and directing nursing staff, collaborating with boards and medical staff, creating and monitoring budgets, and overseeing compliance. Learn More About Nurse Executives. Nurse managers and administrators work in hospitals, medical clinics and offices, and residential care facilities. Their duties may include hiring and training nursing staff, managing budgets and records, organizing professional development opportunities, and conducting performance reviews.

Learn More About Nurse Administrators. This nursing field has developed out of the increasing emphasis in healthcare organizations to improve safety and quality patient care. Registered nurses may work as part of quality improvement teams or as quality assurance coordinators and managers, collecting data and creating and implementing policies that improve patient care outcomes. Nursing executives, educators, and consultants engage in clinical, academic, and general interest writing to produce textbooks, scholarly monographs, historical analyses, and popular media articles about the nursing profession.

Nurses who work in the specific field of medical writing may produce training manuals, research reports, clinical trial reviews, and regulatory documents. These specialized registered nurses work in a variety of workplace environments addressing health and wellness promotion, developing risk management strategies, and administering employee assistance programs.

They may offer counseling and serve as case managers for insurance and workers' compensation claims and disability benefits.

These registered nurses care for cancer patients across the lifespan, monitoring their progress, administering medication and treatments, and providing information and support to patients and family members. Oncology nurses will continue to monitor their patients progress and symptoms, and can prescribe medications. Choose this Specialty If: you are seeking a nursing profession that allows you to care for a patient who is facing a critical illness and you are able to educate your patient and their families about treatments and different possible outcomes.

Orthopedic nurses focus on musculoskeletal issues and diseases that include fractured bones, arthritis, joint replacements and osteoporosis. They can help care for physical issues, as well as intricate disease management. From infancy into teenage years, a pediatric nurse specializes in care for children.

Much like other nurses, pediatric nurses can perform physical examinations, diagnose illness and develop treatment plans. Choose this Specialty If: you're interested in providing basic medical care for children ranging from newborns into adolescents and young adulthood.

A public health nurse advocates and teaches communities about important health information concerning their society. They strive to educate their patients about different treatment options, prevention of disease and assist individuals with medical care. Choose this Specialty If: you are interested in helping the health of large communities of people rather than working one-on-one with a patient. Travel nurses are unique in that they are able to move from location to location based on their contract, and interact with patients from numerous locations.

Travel nurses also receive their hourly pay, accompanied by a housing stipend. Along with the satisfaction of working and learning in new locations, travel nurses are able to broaden their experiences both professionally and personally through their journey. Choose this Specialty If: you want to live and work in different settings in order to gain both professional and life experience by exploring various settings.

If you're interested in furthering your education to become any of these types of nurses, Gwynedd Mercy University's Frances M. Maguire School of Nursing and Health Professions can help you acheive your career goals.

Box Gwynedd Valley, PA Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube. NP is short for Nurse Practitioner. This is one of the fastest-growing and most highly in-demand jobs in healthcare today. NPs are generally specialized in a particular area of medicine, much like Clinical Nurse Specialists are.

They have the authority to diagnose patients, suggest treatment plans, guide the operations of a healthcare practice, and even conduct independent medical research. As you might expect, becoming a Nurse Practitioner is no easy feat.

It can take years to go through the motions of becoming a Nurse Practitioner, and because the field has so much competition, the standards for who can be regarded as a qualified NP are very high. But that level of competition comes with its own set of benefits, too.

NPs typically command higher wages than many of their peers, and because the job is in such high demand, there are plenty of openings for the position all over the country. Plus, the specialized nature of the role typically means that it comes with a significantly higher level of job security than a nursing assistant. Many doctors look to NPs for guidance, and their intuition and research skills can make the difference between a good treatment plan and a great one.

This is one of the most useful positions or a healthcare nurse in the industry. Photo by ar on Pixabay. A Nurse Case Manager is responsible for the long-term treatment, care, and rehabilitation of the patient. Case managers most frequently work with patients with either chronic or long-term illnesses, such as diabetes or cancer.

Case managers play an intimate role in patient recovery, and their job requires a great deal of insight, organization, and compassion. Of course, the opportunities extend beyond the workplace. Below are various titles you can also pursue within the nursing field, all at different levels of nursing depending on your desired degree.

Nursing is an incredibly important field, and one that is full of opportunity. According to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare is the fastest growing industry in the United States today, with more job openings than any other occupation. Nursing makes up the largest percentage of healthcare workers within this field, and the number of registered nurses is only expected to grow.

The demand for nurses is consistently high, as nurses are needed in nearly all sectors of the healthcare industry. That is part of the beauty of becoming a nurse. Not only will you have many job prospects, but you also have many different directions you can take your nursing career. They can specialize in cardiology, geriatrics, holistic sciences, oncology, even midwifery. The options are endless for highly trained, educated nurses holding nursing degrees. If you are looking to pursue a career in nursing, rest assured that the job opportunities for you will be abundant in the coming years — so long as you take the right steps with your education.

Below you can explore some of the many types of nurses you can become — career options to keep top-of-mind as you begin your educational path.

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing , there are more than three times as many registered nurses in the United States as licensed physicians. And as noted above, the need for nurses is only growing! Ultimately, the type of nurse you choose to become will prove to be an important, rewarding, and respected career where you will make a difference.

There is no wrong choice when it comes to choosing a nursing career or a type of nursing degree , as long as you follow your interests and professional goals along the way.

To learn more about the different pathways of nursing, or to start your nursing career in Connecticut, you can always contact us. Learn more about these nursing programs by visiting us online.

Goodwin University was founded in , with the goal of serving a diverse student population with career-focused degree programs that lead to strong employment outcomes.