A nurse needs to take science and math courses in high school and then find out what a particular college or university's entrance requirements are. Some Nursing programs require entrance tests and some just need grades. A nursing degree is four years in length and a diploma is three years long. The standard curriculum consists of courses in anatomy, chemistry, basic math and field placements in either hospitals, schools, nursing homes or community-based institutions. Nurses can also specialize in areas of interest such as in surgery, geriatrics (working with older people), pediatrics (working with children) and in fields of research.
A registered nurse or a general nurse works with doctors and other medical staff, keeps records of patients, administers medicines, checks for vital signs, assists with surgery, bathes, feeds and looks after terminally ill patients. Nurses work shifts or on-call in various work settings. Nurses with specializations work in their area of specialty. Nurses with a master's degree can teach other nursing students and nurses with a PhD can conduct research. Nurses also need to keep up with the medical technology used for their work.
Nurses work with all kinds of people and need to have compassion, patience and empathy. Nursing can be stressful and nurses need to be able to cope with stress. Nurses work irregular hours that can affect their relationships and other activities. Nurses need to have time management and multi-tasking skills to succeed.
A registered nurse can earn $30 to $40 an hour. Nurses earn about an average of $45,000 to $75,000 a year. Nurses with specialized certifications and with a doctorate degree can earn more than $100,000 a year.