By the time you start thinking of becoming a nurse, you will soon realize that there are many different types of nurses, each with a different nursing role. Understanding the different types of nurses in a hospital helps you decide which among these types is most suitable for you. This way, you can plan your career better and train for the right certification.
Below are nine different types of nurses found in a hospital.
Type #1: Registered Nurses
These types of nurses have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in nursing. Their role is to assist the physicians in a hospital and other medical settings.
Registered nurses help doctors treat patients with injuries, medical conditions, and illnesses. They are one of the most common types of nurses, and can be recognized by the colourful medical uniforms that they wear.
Type #2: Radiology Nurses
Their role is to prepare a patient for a variety of procedures such as MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds. Radiology nurses get to see a set number of patients each day. Due to the nature of their work, they do not get the opportunity to build relationships with their patients.
Type #3: Public Health Nurses
A public health nurse provides healthcare to entire communities through education and advocacy. They are the type of nurses who run vaccination programs. They monitor risk factors of certain illnesses, the conditions in a community and make healthcare more accessible. As a public health nurse, you can find employment through your local or county municipality.
Type #4: Oncology Nurses
An oncology nurse provides healthcare to cancer patients. They also provide healthcare to individuals who are likely to develop cancer. They can work in a hospital, clinic or a private setting. They are required to monitor the condition of each patient and administer medication as needed.
An oncology nurse sometimes plays the role of a counsellor to provide the emotional support that the patients and their families may need to deal with a cancer diagnosis.
Type #5: NICU Nurses
This type of nurse works in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units in local hospitals. It is a really challenging but rewarding career. One thing you can be sure of is that this career is not for the faint-hearted. This is because the job requires you to attend to premature or sick newborns, most of whom need surgery.
They also spend some time in incubators and use a ventilator to stay alive. A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurse has to provide emotional support to the parents of newborns since they may find it difficult to accept the fact that they have a sick baby.
Type #6: Plastic Surgery Nurses
Just as the name suggests, this type of nurse attends to patients that are undergoing necessary plastic surgery. For a plastic surgery nurse working in boutique cosmetic surgery practice, or in a clinic, they might get the chance to help with face peel procedures and liposuction. They provide counselling or emotional support to patients that have facial deformities or congenital conditions.
Type #7: Corrections Facility Nurses
These types of nurses provide care to inmates locked up in prisons and other correctional facilities. This nursing role may require you to treat chronic conditions and acute illnesses. They also need to give first aid to any prisoner that may be injured while incarcerated.
Being a correctional facilities nurse is a very challenging job since it requires one to be objective regardless of the crime the patient you are treating has committed.
Type #8: Rehabilitation Nurses
Rehabilitation nurses provide care to people with chronic illnesses or disabilities to help them adapt to their new lifestyle and physical activities. This is done to help the patient remain as independent as possible. They also help people who undergo traumatic injuries or experiences to adjust to their new normal.
A rehabilitation nurse helps severely injured patients learn how to walk again. Like most other nurses, they provide education and emotional support to the patient’s families.
Type #9: Labour and Delivery Nurses
The name says it all. A labour/ delivery nurse has the unique role of helping mothers bring little ones into the world. During the labour process, the delivery nurse can act as a coach by monitoring the baby and the mother’s condition. They provide support for new moms after delivery. Sometimes, they help with breastfeeding after the mother gives birth. They do this to allow the mother to recover.
These are just a few of the different types of nurses you can aspire to be. A nursing career is exciting. Working in an industry that seeks to alleviate human suffering by treating sicknesses and improving the quality of life is a very rewarding experience.
Nothing prepares you for a career in nursing than taking the appropriate certification course. The training exposes you to the different types of nurses so you can decide which type is most appropriate for you. A nursing career can open major doors or opportunities for you. Besides, nurses and other medical practitioners are among the best paid professionals.