One of the best things about nursing is that there is so much variety within the profession. There are almost endless nursing specialties. Those who want adventure can try flight nursing or critical care, while those who crave meaningful interactions may choose to work in hospice. Nurses can choose to specialize in pediatrics or women’s health or work from home doing administrative tasks.
With so many nursing specialties to choose from, it can be overwhelming when you are first starting your career. Having more information about different specialties will help you make a more informed decision. Here are nine nursing specialties that you might be interested in.
Critical care
Critical care nurses deal with some of the sickest patients. They often specialize in a specific critical care area. For example, intensive care units are often divided by specialties including trauma, burns, neurological, cardiac, and medical.
The New England Journal of Medicine states that ICU nurses deal with more deaths than nurses working in other units. Despite this distressing news, these nurses also get the opportunity to see extraordinary advances in medicine and experience what many people refer to as miracles in medicine.
Nurses working in critical care also tend to have many advanced certifications like CCRN and ACLS. These nurses must learn to manage advanced medical devices and medication drips.
SANE
A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is specially trained to examine and care for a patient who has experienced a sexual assault. These nurses play an important role in not only addressing the physical needs of the patient but also in helping them work through the psychological effects of sexual assault. In addition, these nurses collect evidence to help identify the person who assaulted the patient. SANEs also work with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served and the community is kept safe.
Sexual assault nurse examiners must earn certification by taking the IAFN Sexual Assault Examiner Class. Nurses typically need two years of experience as a registered nurse before enrolling in the Sexual Assault Examiner Class.
Geriatric
Geriatric nursing is by far the most common nursing specialty. Like critical care, geriatric nursing can be split into sub-specialties including medical-surgical nursing, oncology, rehabilitation, long-term care, and more. Nurses working in geriatric units are often experts in wound care, medication administration, and helping patients manage chronic conditions.
Related: Certified Wound Care Nurse Exam Prep Online Course
CRNA
Some nurses choose to pursue an advanced degree and become a CRNA. Becoming a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) requires a doctorate degree, but with a mean hourly wage of over $100 per hour, the average salary for a CRNA is significantly higher than for a registered nurse.
CRNAs work in operating rooms and intensive care units. They administer anesthesia and other medications to keep patients asleep, comfortable, and safe during surgeries and procedures. CRNA schools require several years of critical care nursing experience before candidates can apply.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical nurse specialists are advanced practice providers who usually focus on the education and training of patients and other healthcare providers. Becoming a clinical nurse specialist requires an advanced degree and usually several certifications. Clinical nurse specialists can work in geriatrics, critical care, labor and delivery, and many other areas.
Emergency department nurse
Emergency department nurses are versatile, great under pressure, and have excellent critical thinking skills. Nurses in the emergency department can see patients with everything from the flu to a mental health crisis to severe traumas.
Working in the emergency department means that you’ll never know for sure what kinds of patients you’ll see each day. You must be ready for anything. Many emergency nurses have special skills and certifications such as trauma nurse certifications, ACLS, and PALS.
Family Nurse Practitioner
To become a family nurse practitioner, you’ll need to complete a master’s or doctorate from an accredited program. Family nurse practitioners have differing scopes of practice, depending on the state of their licensure.
Most family nurse practitioners work in clinics and help people manage chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. Nurse practitioners can make diagnoses and write prescriptions in most states.
Certified Nurse Midwife
A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is an advanced practice nurse who provides care to women in all stages of life. Nurse midwives can deliver babies, offer prenatal care, and provide routine gynecological check-ups.
CNMs must have either a master’s or doctorate in nursing and spend between 6 and 8 years in school. Nurse midwives typically only care for women who have low-risk pregnancies and most commonly deliver babies in the hospital. A small percentage of nurse midwives work in birthing centers.
Operating room nurse
Operating room nurses are also known as OR circulating nurses. These nurses help set up operating rooms for surgery, position the patient for their procedure, gather necessary supplies, and document everything that happens during surgery.
Operating nurses also care for patients before and after their surgeries and play an important part in making sure that the patient is kept safe from surgical errors, allergic reactions, and dangerous infections.
