Nurses are invaluable professionals within the medical community. Whether they work in hospital settings, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, doctor’s offices or elsewhere, nurses provide vital services to individuals in need every day.
Nurses wear many hats, and that’s evidenced by the different types of nurses making a difference each day.
Individuals considering a career in nursing should know that talented nurses are in high demand and career opportunities in the field are expected to grow in the years to come. For example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that employment of registered nurses will grow by 6% between 2022 and 2032. That growth rate exceeds the average expected rate for all occupations.
Whether individuals want to become a nurse or gain a greater understanding of the many ways nurses contribute each day, this rundown of the various types of nurses can shed light on these unsung heroes of the medical community.
Pediatric nurse
Pediatric nurses make a strong impression because they are the first nursing professionals many people recall interacting with, and those interactions may last from early childhood through adolescence. Pediatric nurses perform a range of tasks, including the administration of medication; monitoring of vitals like temperature, pulse and blood pressure; health evaluations to identify symptoms; and even speak with parents to calm any nerves or anxieties they may have. Pediatric nurses typically work in doctor’s offices or hospital settings.
Geriatric nurse
Geriatric nurses figure to be in especially high demand in the coming years, as an analysis from the Bipartisan Policy Center indicated more than four million individuals in the United States were expected to turn 65 in 2024.
AARP has characterized that surge in the over-65 population as a “silver tsunami,†and geriatric nurses will play pivotal roles in ensuring the aging population gets the care it needs in the decades to come.
Family nurse practitioner
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners notes family nurse practitioners (FNPs) provide a wide range of family-focused health care services to patients of all ages. FNPs perform physical exams; order or perform diagnostic tests; prescribe medications; develop treatment plans; and treat acute and chronic illnesses.
If that sounds like a role played by physicians, it’s not far off, making this among the most challenging jobs within the nursing profession.
Emergency room nurse
Individuals who think a fast-paced work environment is for them may want to consider a career as an emergency room nurse. ER nurses treat patients of all ages from all walks of life. No two emergency room patients are the same, so ER nurses will rarely, if ever, have the same day on the job more than once. Accurate assessment skills are vital for ER nurses, who also must be skilled communicators, as emergency room patients are often in distress.
