From providing nursing support to intervening during complications, nurses play a vital role in healthcare, and it is not surprising to see the focus on nursing specialities.
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Nurses are often the primary point of contact for patients. They advocate for their patients and communicate with other healthcare professionals to improve efficiency and patient outcomes.
The field of nursing encompasses a wide range of specialties to treat patients of various ages and needs. The training for each specialty requires different education, training, and skills to be successful. Nursing programs like the one offered at Berry College help students build a strong nursing foundation.
What are Nursing Specialties?
Nursing specialties are specialized areas of practice within nursing. Currently, over 100 nursing specialties exist. This wide range of specialties provides nurses opportunities to advance their knowledge and diversify their skillsets.
Some nursing specialties include:
- Ambulatory care nursing
- Camp nursing
- Nurse anesthetists
- Nurse practitioners (NPs)
- School nursing
Ambulatory Care Nursing
Ambulatory care nurses focus on health prevention, promotion, treatment, and consultation outside of traditional hospital settings. These registered nurses (RNs) work in outpatient surgery centers, clinics, physician’s offices, and for home healthcare services.
They can perform physician exams, administer treatments, prepare patients for surgery, monitor patients, and more. Ambulatory care nurses may provide telehealth services and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to facilitate continuity of care for their patients.
These nurses can choose to work in general medicine or another specialty field. Those pursuing a specialty can obtain their board certification to showcase their commitment to patient care.
Those interested in becoming an ambulatory care nurse must:
- Earn either an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science (BSN) in Nursing
- Pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN)
- Gain at least two years of nursing experience in an ambulatory care setting
- Pass the Ambulatory Care Nursing board certification exam (AMB-BCTM)
Camp Nursing
Camp nurses are registered nurses who provide healthcare to camp attendees, faculty, and staff in camp settings. They can work for children’s summer camps, retreats for adults, and wilderness camps.
They administer medication, and first aid, respond to emergencies, and help campers manage chronic conditions during their time at camp. Camp nurses teach staff and attendees how to prevent sunburn and how to identify poisonous plants around the camp.
This can prevent rashes and severe allergic reactions to environmental hazards attendees may face during their stay. Due to working outside of a typical healthcare setting, camp nurses often work with limited resources.
They must be adaptable and ready to respond to health issues as soon as they arrive. They may also coordinate with local healthcare providers when necessary.
Those interested in becoming a camp nurse must:
- Earn either an ADN or a BSN
- Pass the NCLEX-RN
- Gain nursing experience
Those interested may also earn additional certification in CPR, first aid, and wilderness medicine to better care for their patients. Depending on the camp, nurses may be required to have experience in pediatric, emergency, or family practice nursing.
Nurse Anesthetists
Nurse anesthetists, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) with specialized training in anesthesia. They assist in a patient’s preoperative evaluation to determine the best anesthetic plan for a patient.
They administer anesthesia, oversee a patient’s recovery, and assist with pain management before, during, and after surgery. CRNAs can work in hospitals and ambulatory environments.
Those interested in becoming a nurse anesthetist must:
- Earn either an ADN or a BSN
- Pass the NCLEX-RN
- Earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice (DNAP), or a Doctor of Management Practice in Nurse Anesthesia (DMPNA) accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
- Obtain certification from the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
Nurse Practitioners
Nurse practitioners are APRNs who provide a wide range of healthcare services. They often collaborate with a team of healthcare professionals but can practice individually depending on the state. NPs handle a wide range of tasks such as:
- Diagnosing patients
- Interpreting lab results
- Prescribing medication
- Performing physical exams and more
- For registered nurses aiming to expand their expertise and responsibilities, pursuing an RN to MSN Nurse Practitioner program offers a direct path to advancing their careers and broadening their scope of practice.
NPs can provide primary care to a wide range of patients, homes with memory care services, or specialize in areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, or family medicine.
Those interested in becoming an NP, must:
- Earn either an ADN or a BSN
- Pass the NCLEX-RN
- Earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Complete clinical hours
- Pass a national certification exam for their specialty
- Obtain state licensure to practice as an APRN
School Nurses
School nurses are registered nurses who promote health and safety within school systems. They handle medical emergencies, ensure a healthy learning environment, and promote healthy habits through awareness programs.
They help students manage chronic conditions, so they can confidently participate in school activities. School nurses are the liaison between their school, the local community, and the student’s parents. They advocate on behalf of their students to ensure appropriate care is administered.
Those interested in becoming a school nurse must:
- Earn an ADN or BSN
- Pass NCLEX-RN
- Meet state licensing requirements
School nurses interested in earning national certification may take the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) exam. The NBCSN certification requirement may vary depending on the school or state.
Those interested in becoming a school nurse can check their school’s requirements for specifics prior to earning their certification.
The Role Of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)
Advanced practice registered nurses are pushing the frontiers of healthcare, operating with degrees of autonomy that set them apart from traditional Registered Nurses (RNs). As highly trained specialists, they are authorized to perform tasks such as:
- Diagnosing conditions
- Interpreting diagnostic tests
- Prescribing medication
They play a pivotal role in modern healthcare teams, often serving as primary care providers or in specialist roles such as those previously mentioned, thus enabling more comprehensive patient management that allows larger hospitals to better deal with an ever-increasing number of patients.
The increased responsibilities of APRNs directly translate to enhanced patient care, offering patients a consistent clinician presence that can lead to more personalized treatment plans and, ultimately, improve health outcomes.
Nursing Education And Specialization Pathways
The journey of a nurse's education doesn't end with an initial degree; it merely blossoms, opening doors to myriad specializations and advanced roles in the industry.
After acquiring the initial degree (typically an ADN or BSN), nurses often find that specialization can be achieved through a spectrum of other certifications or pursuing higher education, such as a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or even a Doctor of Nursing (DNP).
For nurses seeking to broaden their expertise beyond traditional nursing roles, pursuing specialized certifications or advanced degrees like an associate degree in health science can provide a comprehensive foundation in both clinical and theoretical aspects, paving the way for diverse career opportunities within the healthcare field.
For nurses seeking to broaden their expertise beyond traditional nursing roles, pursuing specialized certifications or advanced degrees like an associate degree in health science can provide a comprehensive foundation in both clinical and theoretical aspects, paving the way for diverse career opportunities within the healthcare field.
Those certifications endorsed by professional nursing bodies allow those wishing to advance their careers to hone their skills in specific areas like:
- Critical care
- Oncology
- Geriatric
- Psychiatric
- Pediatric
The Versatility And Adaptability Of A Nursing Career
The diverse array of nursing specialties offers versatile pathways that allow nurses to tailor their careers based on evolving interests, strengths, and the changing healthcare landscape.
Whether choosing to specialize early on or further focusing one's skills later in practice, several factors contribute to the adaptability inherent in a specialist nursing career. For many nurses, specializing is a natural next step as they gain experience and identify patient populations that align with their passion, including those who are trying to find a nursing home for their loved ones, where specialized nursing care is essential for optimal support and well-being.
Conclusion
Nursing offers a diverse range of career pathways and professions. Each pathway offers unique benefits as well as requires various educational backgrounds, qualifications, and kinds of training.
Nurses can work in a wide range of environments and make positive impacts on their patient’s well-being. Whether seeking positions in ambulatory or traditional settings, nursing offers a pathway aligned with various interests, with additional resources for a caregiver available to assist nurses in providing comprehensive care and support to patients and their families.
Each nursing profession is vital to shaping a patient’s outcomes and improving a patient’s quality of life. By exploring the different nursing specialties available, nurses can choose the pathway best suited to their goals.
This can lead to a satisfying career and ample job fulfillment. Regardless of which pathway a nurse pursues, they can continue to learn and grow as healthcare professionals.
Nursing Specialities: FAQs
What Is The Difference Between A Specialty And A Certification In Nursing?
A specialty refers to a specific practice area or field of nursing that a nurse can pursue through education, experience, and training.
Certification is an optional credential that demonstrates a nurse's expertise in their specialty. While not always required, certification validates a higher level of competency and clinical knowledge to employers and patients.
How Do I Determine Which Specialty Is The Best Fit?
The best approach is to consider your strengths, career goals, lifestyle preferences, and the needs of the communities you wish to serve.
Shadowing nurses in different specialties, attending career fairs or conferences, and consulting with nursing mentors can provide valuable insight. Narrowing options based on these factors before researching educational requirements will help identify the most suitable pathways.
What Is The Job Outlook For Different Nursing Specialities?
The overall job outlook for nursing remains strong due to workforce shortages and an aging population.
In-demand specialties include primary care roles like nurse practitioners and nurses with advanced degrees and skills in informatics, leadership, and anesthesia. Roles in community health, telehealth, and women's health also appear poised for growth.
There is also strong demand for travel nursing roles, giving qualified candidates the option to take their skills on the road. Finding these types of jobs is simple via platforms like Medical Solutions, and provides a sense of what is possible if you are willing to move for healthcare work.
What Is The Hardest Nursing Specialty?
While all nursing specialties present challenges, some stand out as particularly demanding. Critical care nursing tends to top the list as having one of the highest stress levels. In intensive care units, nurses are responsible for what is referred to as ventilator-unstable patients in constant need of urgent monitoring and intervention.
Operating rapidly without breaks, ICU nurses must make complex, nuanced decisions that impact lives. One mistake in a busy trauma ICU or burn unit could have dire consequences, placing these nurses at the forefront of high-stakes, high-pressure care every shift.
