Those angels of the ward deserve recognition.
Nursing is, without a doubt, one of the noblest professions anyone could embark on, a career solely dedicated to caring for others in whatever surrounding environment, in good times and bad, in times of war and peace, nurses have been caregivers, lifesavers, and providers of compassion since time immemorial.
We salute them all.
It might be surprising to some people, however, just how many different levels of nursing there are overall, in fact, considerably more than folks imagine. And each one of these levels of nursing are specialized professions in their own right, with specific requirements for specific treatments and circumstances, and differing nursing education levels, but all of them no less vital than the other.
Should you be looking for a potential career in nursing, it’s a good idea to both know and understand the different tiers of the profession, and for the purposes of this article, we will list several of the most prominent and pertinent different levels of nurses to give you an informed opinion of what choices lie before you.
Put on the scrubs, grab the stethoscope, and let the prognosis begin…
1. Degrees
First thing you need to know is there are three classifications for different levels of nurses; non-degree, degree, and advanced degree.
- Non-degree nurses encompass licensed nursing assistants (like in care homes for elderly and infirmed), and licensed practical nurses (such as assistants to GPs).
- Degree nurses are those who hold undergraduate bachelor degrees such as ASN or BSN certificates.
- Advanced degree nurses are those who hold full graduate degrees in nursing such as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
2. Registered Nurse (RN)
When people think of the nursing profession, this position is what invariably they have in mind. And it’s not surprising as RN’s encompass a very broad spectrum of roles and responsibilities; administering medication, overseeing patient care plans, and assisting MDs in practice.
To qualify as an RN, you need to achieve ASN or BSN degrees followed by the NCLEX-RN exam.
3. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)
If you’re a qualified RN looking to move into management, this is the next best step in your career. APRNs don’t just oversee but actually formulate a patient’s plan of care, as well as diagnosis and treatment of patients, medication prescription, and public health advice.
4. Nurse Managers and Executives
The highest level of the nursing profession is executive management, wherein they actually run and administer the operation of medical clinics, work for a hospital at the Corporate (C-Suite) level, and devise patient care plans for literally hundreds of patients at a time. Being management, you will obviously have considerably less experience of direct patient care and would have to deal with the overall bureaucracy of the healthcare industry a lot more.
Nurse Manager or Executive positions require a minimum of MSN or DNP level qualifications in addition to practical experience.
Whatever you choose to do in the nursing profession, we acknowledge your efforts, sacrifice, and endeavors in providing care to those who need it most. You are and always will be deeply appreciated.
