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What is a nurse?

What does a nurse do? How does one become a nurse? Complete nurse job description, definition, and the education and training required to become a licensed nurse.

Find out the types of nurses and what each type of nurse does.

What is a nurse?
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What is a nurse?

Most have heard the term, and many have even seen one in action, but what is a nurse?

According to the American Nurses' Association (ANA), a nurse is "someone who protects, promotes, prevents illness and injury, alleviates the suffering through diagnosis and treatment of human response, plus advocates health care of individuals, families and communities." So, a nurse would be someone who carries out the above responsibilities.

What are there different types of nurses?

There are many different and unique settings in which these responsibilities can be performed by a nurse, and that is why there are several different nurse types to carry out those responsibilities. These are listed by their certification type.

A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) is one who usually has minimum educational training and mainly functions to administer basic care or to assist an RN who has other, more demanding responsibilities
A Registered Nurse (RN) is one who has had more educational training. The majority of RNs work in hospital settings, usually in a more specific department such as oncology, cardiology, etc. However, there are many other settings in which the RN works, such as a nursing home, school, health center, or retail center
An Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is usually pursuing a master's degree and working in a specific field that requires more training than most RNs receive. The main types of APNs are the nurse practitioner, the certified nurse-midwife, the clinical nurse specialist, and the certified registered nurse anesthetists. Certification of the APN is overseen by special different national certification bodies, depending on the area of specialty. (e.g. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists, etc.)

So what does the job entail? What are some of the specific different responsibilities of the nurse?

Be there to provide emotional support for the patient (and their family)
Monitor the patient
Make sure the patients is comfortable
Administer medicine
Serve as a liaison between the doctor and the patient
Document some of the above actions after completing them

These are just a few of the many responsibilities of a nurse. But more important than all of these is the main task of the nurse-to be at the side of and supporting the patient.

What education is needed to become a nurse, RN, LPN, APN?

Becoming a nurse is a worthwhile and exciting career choice! Whatever nursing career area you are interested in, you will need to have formal training to become a nurse.
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