Though the term nurse is generally perceived to mean one specific type of work, there are many different avenues a nursing student may take on the way to a career. And that is one of the great advantages of the field: Within it, there are many areas of specialization, and the ways in which one can have a rewarding career in nursing are almost too numerous to list.

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• Intensive Care Unit nursing
• Surgical nursing
• Operating Room nursing
• Home health
• Long-term care
• Women's care
• Coronary Care Unit nursing
• Behavioral Health Services nursing
• Labor and Delivery Unit nursing
• Pediatric nursing

Types Of Associate, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Available
Nursing degrees are different from many others in that students also-aside from the typical Associate's degree, which takes two years and " prepares nurses for staff positions in hospitals and other inpatients facilities," and Bachelor's degree, which lasts four years and " prepares nurses for positions in both inpatient and community settings"-have the opportunity to pursue their schooling through a nurse's Diploma program, which generally lasts three years and is "located in a hospital, sometimes in conjunction with a community college" ( www. allnursingschools.com ). The best way to make the decision as to which degree to pursue is to do as much research as possible and choose the one that best suits your goals.

Typical Admissions Requirements
Nurses tend to be passionate about their work, so a strong interest in the field and a desire to help others is of great importance. That having been noted, a good academic background helps, especially for the Bachelor's degree, but because of the highly specialized training required of nurses, requirements often vary by program. Contact your local nurse's colleges and programs for more specific information.

Careers In This Field
Within the broad field of nursing, there are many areas of specialization that professionals may pursue. There are simply too many to list in their entirety, but some of the more interesting ones are as follows:

• Dermatology nursing
• Emergency nursing
• Neuroscience nursing
• Transplant nursing
• Operating room nursing
• Family nurse practitioner
• Nurse legislator
• Nurse researcher
• Nursing manager and administration
• Legal nurse consulting

Salary Ranges In This Field
The amount of money you can earn as a nurse depends to a great extent on the area of specialization you choose to pursue and the environment in which you work. For example, a nurse in a big city hospital will likely have a very different salary than one working in a private practice. On average, however, nurses can expect to earn anywhere between $33,500 and $65,000.

For detailed information and answers to your questions about the average nurses salary, see the eLearners.com Mini Guide to Online Nursing Degrees .

Much faster-than-average growth will be driven by technological advances in patient care, which permit a greater number of medical problems to be treated, and by an increasing emphasis on preventive care. In addition, the number of older people, who are much more likely than younger people to need nursing care, is projected to grow rapidly. Employers in some parts of the country and in certain employment settings are reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining an adequate number of RNs, primarily because of an aging RN workforce and a lack of younger workers to fill positions. Enrollments in nursing programs at all levels have increased more rapidly in the past couple of years as students seek jobs with stable employment. However, many qualified applicants are being turned away because of a shortage of nursing faculty to teach classes. The need for nursing faculty will only increase as a large number of instructors nears retirement. Many employers also are relying on foreign-educated nurses to fill open positions." ( www.bls.gov )

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