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What You Need to Know About Registered Nurse

Career Description Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

A Day in the Life of a Registered Nurse (RN)

  • Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, or other anesthetics.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
  • Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
  • Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient’s condition.
  • Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
  • Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.

Registered Nurse (RN) Needed Skills

When polled, Registered Nurses say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Types of Registered Nurse

  • Cardiac Nurse Specialist
  • Registered Public Health Nurse
  • Pediatric Nurse
  • Mid Wife
  • Staff Nurse

Is There Going to be Demand for Registered Nurses?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,955,200 jobs in the United States for Registered Nurse. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 14.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 438,000 new jobs for Registered Nurse by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 203,700 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Registered Nurse (RN) are Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, Wisconsin, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Registered Nurse (RN)

The salary for Registered Nurses ranges between about $50,800 and $106,530 a year.

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Registered Nurses who work in Hawaii, California, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.

How much do Registered Nurses make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $59,470
Alaska $89,310
Arizona $77,000
Arkansas $60,780
California $106,950
Colorado $74,240
Connecticut $81,220
Delaware $74,800
District of Columbia $92,350
Florida $66,210
Georgia $68,950
Hawaii $98,080
Idaho $67,110
Illinois $73,890
Indiana $64,860
Iowa $59,130
Kansas $61,030
Kentucky $63,100
Louisiana $63,970
Maine $67,610
Maryland $76,820
Massachusetts $92,140
Michigan $71,330
Minnesota $78,920
Mississippi $58,490
Missouri $65,130
Montana $67,450
Nebraska $64,470
Nevada $85,620
New Hampshire $72,760
New Jersey $82,750
New Mexico $71,730
New York $85,610
North Carolina $64,850
North Dakota $65,740
Ohio $66,820
Oklahoma $63,080
Oregon $91,080
Pennsylvania $70,390
Rhode Island $78,420
South Carolina $64,940
South Dakota $58,340
Tennessee $61,320
Texas $72,890
Utah $65,670
Vermont $69,160
Virginia $69,790
Washington $82,670
West Virginia $61,780
Wisconsin $71,470
Wyoming $67,360

What Tools & Technology do Registered Nurses Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Registered Nurses:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Access
  • Data entry software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • IBM Notes
  • FileMaker Pro
  • MEDITECH software
  • Google Drive
  • Medical procedure coding software
  • Epic Systems
  • LinkedIn
  • Human resource management software HRMS
  • Healthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
  • Medical condition coding software

How do I Become a Registered Nurse (RN)?

What education or degrees do I need to become a Registered Nurse?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Registered Nurse (RN)?

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Where do Registered Nurses Work?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Registered Nurses employed by various industries.

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You May Also Be Interested In…

Those interested in being a Registered Nurse may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: Aleksahgabrielle via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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