Registered Nurse

Laura MosquedaCalexico High School

Work Experience Education

Nursing Education• Registered nurses use a scientific process to

plan care for people in acute illnesses and teach them how to stay healthy or cope with their illness.

• They may give medicine, treatments, tests, injections, or draw blood as prescribed by the physician.

• Observe patients for physical, mental, social and or emotional changes and record changes or reactions to illness and/or drugs;

• Take temperature, pulse, blood pressure or other vital signs; And maintain health records.

Wages• Entry pay ranges from $1,040 to $4,330 per

month. • Experienced pay ranges from $1,430 to over

$5,560 per month. • Top pay ranges from $1,645 to over $6,085

per month. • Mean pay in 1997 were $4,532 per month. • Average pay in 1997 ranged from $3,926 to

$4,000 per month.

Occupational Outlook

• CALIFORNIA OUTLOOK: in some areas shortages exist. Employment prospects are currently good for both the experienced and the newly graduated nurse, especially for those working night shifts, and for those in specialties such as intensive care, coronary care, or emergency room nurses. The rapid growth of the home health field is expected to increase demand for RN's. Competition can be expected for higher paying jobs in the more desirable geographic areas and on the more desirable shifts.

Training Education• Registered nursing programs are two, three, or

four years in length. Associate degree, diploma, and bachelor's degree programs are designed to prepare people to promote health care and provide patient care. Bachelor's degree programs also are designed to prepare people for leadership positions in hospitals, clinics, and schools. Master's and doctoral degree programs in nursing are designed to prepare clinical specialists, nurse clinicians, teachers, and administrators for hospitals, clinics, community agencies, and schools of nursing, as well as researchers and nursing theorists.

What I Learned• I learned the details

about the career I was interested in pursuing. I am now aware of exactly what it is to be an RN, how I can get there, and what the outlooks for my future as a registered nurse are.