Damion Heffron

Registered nurses (RNs) treat and educate patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their families. RNs record patients’ medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, and help with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.

In addition, RNs also: — Deliver and supervise patient care; — Give patients medicines and treatments; — Evaluate the outcomes of care, instituting appropriate changes and reporting patient progress; — Plan, implement, and evaluate programs to meet community needs; and — Conduct research or quality improvement projects to identify and institute best practices.

RNs teach patients and their families how to manage their illnesses or injuries, explaining post-treatment home care needs; diet, nutrition, and exercise programs; and self-administration of medication and physical therapy. Some RNs may work to promote general health by educating the public on warning signs and symptoms of disease. RNs also might run general health screening or immunization clinics, blood drives, and public seminars on various conditions.

When caring for patients, RNs establish a care plan or contribute to an existing plan. Plans may include activities, such as administering medication, including checking dosages and avoiding interactions; starting, maintaining, and discontinuing intravenous (IV) lines for fluid, medication, blood, and blood products; administering therapies and treatments; observing the patient and recording those observations; and consulting with physicians and other health care clinicians.

RNs often facilitate interdisciplinary care, may lead patient care teams, as well as supervise licensed practical nurses, nursing aides, and home health aides in the delivery of patient services.

While many RNs work in clinical jobs, there are increasing opportunities for RNs in research, health care management, and education. Also, RNs’ roles are evolving in response to changes in the health care delivery system. Today, RNs may work as researchers, health care consultants, public policy advisors, risk managers, utilization reviewers, and hospital administrators. Many RNs also specialize depending on their interests, where they work, or the patients they work with.

For more information about RN specialties and other details about an RN career, please go to http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.

Hospitals employ the majority of RNs. Many Rns find work in physicians’ offices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities and outpatient care centers. RNs may also be employed at insurance companies, schools, universities, correctional facilities, manufacturing plants and even places like cruise ships.

According to the 2019 BLS, the average salary for full time registered nurses nationwide was $154,920, varying by specialty and geographic region. Average annual salary also varies greatly across New York State, depending on location. The NYSDOL reports that registered nurses in New York earned an average annual salary of $87,840, (entry level-$56,980, experienced- $123,860).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RNs constitute the largest health care occupation nationwide. New York, like the rest of the country, is experiencing growth in demand for RNs, and this trend is expected to continue.

The BLS projects that the number of RN jobs in the U.S. between 2016 and 2026 will increase by 14.8% and will increase in New York by 20.1%. Growth in employment of RNs is expected to continue to be strong primarily because of technological advancements; an increased emphasis on preventative care; and the large, aging baby-boomer population, which will demand more health care services as these older adults live longer and more active lives.

For more information on projections of RNs by New York labor regions, 2014-2024, click here.

To become an RN, the two main types of educational programs are 1) a bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (BSN) offered by a college or university, and 2) an associate degree in nursing (ADN) offered by a community college or junior college, sometimes in collaboration with a hospital. Around the U.S., a shrinking number of education programs offer an RN diploma; only one remains in New York.

All nursing education programs include classroom instruction and supervised clinical experience in hospitals and other health care facilities. Students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, and behavioral sciences. Bachelor’s degree programs usually include more training in the physical and social sciences, communication, leadership, and critical thinking, which is becoming more important as nursing practice becomes more complex. BSN programs also offer more clinical experience in nonhospital settings. A BSN or higher (eg, MSN) is often necessary for administrative positions, research, consulting, and teaching.

Supervised clinical experience is provided in hospital departments such as pediatrics, psychiatry, maternity, and surgery. A number of programs include clinical experience in nursing care facilities, public health departments, home health agencies, and ambulatory clinics.

The New York LPN-to-RN Articulation Model establishes a mechanism for the licensed practical nurse (LPN) to achieve educational mobility by eliminating barriers in New York’s nursing education programs. The model uses a statewide LPN-to-RN transition course to validate previous knowledge and determine advanced placement within an RN program. This method is expedient and cost-effective for both the participating student and the receiving institutions. For more information on this program, go to: http://www.lpntorn.info/

All RNs must be licensed. To be licensed as an RN in New York, an individual must be at least 18 years of age, meet education requirements of having received at least a two-year degree or diploma from a program in general professional nursing that is acceptable to the New York State Department of Education, complete coursework or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse offered by a New York State approved provider, and pass the nursing examination developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). All associate or diploma prepared RNs who were not enrolled in their program or did not have an application pending as of December 19, 2017 will be required to obtain a baccalaureate in nursing within 10 years of their initial RN licensure.

For more information, go to: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursing.htm

Grants, scholarships, and awards for students who wish to become RNs are available at local, state, and federal levels. Such funding comes from private foundations, institutions and colleges of higher education with nursing programs, the New York State Education Department, and from the U.S. government. For more information, go to: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nurse-education-scholarships-grants.htm. For additional information about federal and state financial aid, visit the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation website at: https://www.hesc.ny.gov.

Johnson & Johnson’s Campaign for Nursing’s Future offers current information on financial assistance opportunities for nursing students. The website organizes information by general degrees, specialties, and for returning students. For more information, visit the Johnson and Johnson campaign for nursing’s future here.

There are dozens of ADN and BSN programs in New York. Some BSN programs offer “bachelor completion” tracks for RNs with diplomas or ADNs who wish to obtain a BSN. Many of these programs are offered on a part-time basis and are geared for people who work. Some employers will offer tuition assistance to RNs on their staff who wish to enroll in these programs.

Also, please see this list of education programs from the New York Department of Education: www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nurseprogs.htm

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