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Profession: Nursing

Registered Nurse: Registered Nurses (RNs) administer medications, perform life-saving procedures, promote health, prevent disease, and help people cope with illness, life changes and death. Nurses are advocates and educators for patients, families and communities.

The majority of nurses practice in hospital settings where they provide care to patients 24 hours a day. They develop and manage nursing care plans for patients that combine the treatment prescribed by the physician with the nursing needs that have been identified. Hospital nurses often specialize in a particular area of nursing such as maternity, surgery, emergency, pediatric, psychiatric, medical, cardiac, or critical care. Nurses perform procedures and exams that frequently include assisting a physician, such as in the operating room. Nurses also teach patients and their families about their conditions, particularly how to care for themselves, how to prevent complications, and when to seek further advice from a health care professional. Nurses coordinate the activities of many other members of the health care team. They supervise licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed nursing assistants (LNAs).

Some RNs work for local, state or international public health agencies, where they monitor communicable diseases, assist with evaluating air and water quality efforts, teach people in the community about healthy choices, and disease prevention.

Salary Range: $43,410 - $92,240

Salary Notes: Salaries for registered nurses depend heavily on geographic location, work setting and level of experience, education and responsibility. Registered nurses can expect to earn starting wages between $43,410 and $76,750. Although some health care organizations in Vermont do not differentiate salary for associate (ADN) and bachelor (BSN) degrees, graduates of BSN programs will have greater opportunities to advance, a primary factor in job satisfaction.

Where you can study:
Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield, MA
Castleton State College Nursing Department, Castleton, VT
Central Maine Community College, Auburn, ME
Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick, RI
Great Bay Community College, Stratham, NH
Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA
Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield, ME
Massachusetts Bay Community College, Wellesley, MA
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Boston, Boston, MA
Middlesex Community College, Bedford, Bedford, MA
Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill, MA
Norwich University, Northfield, VT
Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT
Rhode Island College, Providence, RI
River Valley Community College, Claremont, NH
Simmons College, Boston, MA
Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT
Southern Vermont College, Bennington, VT
University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Burlington, VT
Vermont Technical College - Williston Campus, Williston, VT
White Mountains Community College, Berlin, NH

Where you might work:
Clinics - Corporations - Government Agencies - Home Health Organizations - Hospitals - Long-term Care Facilities - Overseas, Military, Traveling Nurses Agencies - Peace Corps - Physician Offices - Public Health Agencies - Schools - Universities -

Job Outlook: Employment opportunities for registered nurses will continue to grow much faster through 2016. The fastest growth in new RN positions is expected in hospital outpatient facilities, home health care agencies, and long term care facilities. In Vermont, there is a great need for nurses in all areas.

Education, Licensing and Certification: High school course work should have a strong emphasis on math, English, and science. In order to take the Vermont licensing exam, candidates must successfully complete either an ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) or BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program. Both levels of education, with a license, permit a registered nurse to work in an entry-level position. However, a BSN is usually required for advancement into a master’s level specialization program, although some master’s programs accept individuals with an ADN and a related bachelor's degree. There are also options for entering nursing at a master’s level with a B.S. or B.A. degree. Castleton's program is also offered at Lyndon State College. VTC's program is also offered at Colchester, Bennington and Brattleboro.

Professional Organizations:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing 202-463-6930 www.aacn.nche.edu
American Nurses Association 800-274-4262 www.nursingworld.org
National League for Nursing 800-669-1656 www.nln.org
National League of Nursing Accrediting Commission 800-669-1656 www.nlnac.org
Nursing in Vermont 802-656-0023 www.choosenursingvermont.com
Vermont State Nurses' Association 802-651-8886 www.vsna-inc.org