Careers · Explore one path
Registered Nurses
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.
Other titles employers use
Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR) · Charge Nurse · Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse) · Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse) · Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN) · Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse) · Relief Charge Nurse · School Nurse
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
- Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
- Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
- Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
- Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
- Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, organizing and analytical work.
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Coordination
- Service Orientation
Subjects to know
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Administrative
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.1 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 3.0 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.2 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 56%
- A certificate or some college 23%
- A two-year degree 19%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Medical software
- Word processing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
- Business intelligence and data analysis software
- Time accounting software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 376,900
- Job openings each year
- 23,420
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.9%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 376,900 | 23,420 | 12.9% |
| Texas | 267,980 | 16,900 | 14.6% |
| New York | 256,080 | 5,200 | 25.5% |
| Florida | 228,070 | 14,110 | 12.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 155,810 | 8,890 | 4.7% |
| Illinois | 142,310 | 7,960 | 3.1% |
| Ohio | 135,860 | 7,630 | 3.4% |
| North Carolina | 123,650 | 7,930 | 16.4% |
| Michigan | 106,910 | 5,950 | 2.7% |
| Georgia | 94,310 | 5,990 | 15.3% |
| New Jersey | 86,640 | 5,030 | 6.3% |
| Missouri | 84,580 | 5,110 | 9.9% |
| Virginia | 73,240 | 4,160 | 4.3% |
| Arizona | 72,050 | 4,820 | 21.9% |
| Minnesota | 71,630 | 4,120 | 5.3% |
| Indiana | 71,020 | 4,090 | 5.4% |
| Washington | 69,180 | 5,150 | 13.4% |
| Tennessee | 67,720 | 4,200 | 12.8% |
| Wisconsin | 65,570 | 3,770 | 5.3% |
| Colorado | 63,290 | 4,100 | 17.8% |
| Alabama | 55,370 | 3,220 | 6.4% |
| Maryland | 52,370 | 3,080 | 7.3% |
| Kentucky | 50,400 | 2,940 | 6.6% |
| South Carolina | 49,610 | 2,990 | 9.9% |
| Oregon | 47,680 | 2,930 | 11.6% |
| Louisiana | 47,040 | 2,770 | 7.5% |
| Oklahoma | 39,290 | 2,240 | 4.8% |
| Iowa | 39,270 | 2,370 | 10.0% |
| Connecticut | 38,310 | 2,270 | 8.2% |
| Kansas | 33,910 | 1,940 | 5.0% |
| Massachusetts | 32,600 | 1,940 | 8.4% |
| Mississippi | 31,910 | 1,860 | 6.4% |
| Utah | 31,710 | 2,170 | 25.3% |
| Arkansas | 30,920 | 1,820 | 7.5% |
| Nevada | 28,810 | 1,880 | 18.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 25,400 | 1,630 | 16.4% |
| Nebraska | 24,670 | 1,460 | 7.7% |
| West Virginia | 23,780 | 1,350 | 4.2% |
| New Mexico | 21,940 | 1,390 | 15.4% |
| Idaho | 18,580 | 1,230 | 20.0% |
| South Dakota | 16,510 | 1,030 | 13.2% |
| Maine | 15,040 | 820 | 1.3% |
| New Hampshire | 14,600 | 850 | 6.6% |
| Delaware | 13,570 | 870 | 15.8% |
| North Dakota | 12,700 | 770 | 10.4% |
| Rhode Island | 12,700 | 740 | 6.5% |
| Montana | 11,890 | 750 | 14.8% |
| District of Columbia | 11,750 | 680 | 5.8% |
| Vermont | 7,650 | 460 | 8.8% |
| Alaska | 6,800 | 420 | 10.9% |
| Wyoming | 5,740 | 350 | 11.9% |
| Guam | 770 | 50 | 13.2% |
| Virgin Islands | 490 | 20 | −18.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Western Governors University
- Degrees each year
- 7,786
- Admit rate
- Not reported
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Program entryFirst-year program admission
Open college TXThe University of Texas at Arlington
- Degrees each year
- 2,652
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college OHOhio University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 1,396
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college NCUniversity of North Carolina Wilmington
- Degrees each year
- 789
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college FLUniversity of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 734
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college INIndiana University-Indianapolis
- Degrees each year
- 626
- Admit rate
- 81%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college TNEast Tennessee State University
- Degrees each year
- 588
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Program entryDirect to major
Open college TXThe University of Texas at Tyler
- Degrees each year
- 582
- Admit rate
- 92%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
Program entryApply after enrollment
Open college