What Is Registered Nursing
Registered nursing is a licensed healthcare profession focused on patient care, coordination, and clinical decision-making. RNs assess patients, administer treatments, and collaborate with physicians and other professionals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics provides current occupational data on registered nurses at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.
To become an RN, candidates typically complete an accredited nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Common pathways include Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Employers increasingly prefer BSN-prepared nurses, and many health systems require or incentivize a BSN within a set timeframe. Forbes reports that major health systems are raising educational standards for nurses at https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2024/01/24/why-more-hospitals-are-requiring-a-bsn-for-nurses/.
Roles, Settings, and Specialties
RNs work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and home health. Common duties include medication administration, care planning, patient education, and monitoring vital signs. Advanced roles such as nurse practitioners require additional graduate education and certification.
Specialties include medical-surgical, critical care, pediatrics, oncology, and informatics. Some RNs move into leadership, quality improvement, or healthcare administration roles. Companies such as UnitedHealth Group and Kaiser Permanente publish workforce and care delivery data that highlight RN demand at https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/ and https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/.
Licensing, Regulation, and Career Outlook
All states require RNs to hold a license, typically renewed every two years with continuing education. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing oversees standards and exam administration at https://www.ncsbn.org/.
Job growth for RNs remains strong, driven by aging populations and expanded care access. The BLS projects faster-than-average employment growth for registered nurses. Salary varies by experience, specialty, and location, with median annual wages reported by the BLS at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.