Nursing
Nursing degrees are offered at a number of colleges and universities across the country in a number of different degree programs. Many colleges and universities offer students an associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree in nursing, and some schools also offer doctoral degrees in nursing. Nursing degrees help prepare students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the healthcare industry. This includes preparing students to administer patient care, use critical thinking to make important decisions for patients, and educate patients and the public on health and wellness. Nursing degree graduates should have good job opportunities, as employment of nurses, and the healthcare industry in particular, is expected to experience rapid growth, as 10 of the top 20 fastest growing occupations are related to healthcare.
Common Career Paths:
Registered Nurse
A registered nurse is a common career path for students that graduate with a nursing degree. Registered nurses, commonly referred to as RNs, treat patients and provide emotional support and advice to patients' family members. They also educate patients and the general public on the importance of health and wellness and about various medical conditions. Job duties and responsibilities of RNs will vary between types of nurses and employers, but they generally include monitoring patients, recording their patients' medical histories and symptoms, helping perform tests and analyzing results, administering medications and treatment plans, and helping with follow-up appointments and rehabilitation efforts. When caring for patients, RNs check medication dosages, monitor symptoms, and help patients with their daily activities as to help them live as comfortably as possible. Nurses most commonly enter the field after completing an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing, and all nurses must be certified by the state in which they wish to practice in order to be eligible for hire. RNs may be employed in hospitals, medical centers, outpatient facilities, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and through home healthcare services. Employment of nurses is expected to grow much faster than the average occupation, by about 22%, which would add more than 581,000 jobs over the next several years. This is the largest number of new jobs for any occupation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which also reports the median annual wages of RNs were $62,450 in 2008.
Physician Assistant
A physician assistant is an individual that is trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventative healthcare services to patients, as delegated by a physician, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Physician assistants, also commonly referred to as PAs, work under the supervision of a physician and take medical histories, examine and treat patients, order tests and x rays and evaluate them to make diagnoses, and prescribe medication. The specific duties of a PA may vary by state and employer, as their duties are determined by the supervising physician and by the laws in that state. Many PAs work in specialized fields of healthcare such as pediatrics, internal medicine, and family medicine and most PAs have a college degree in healthcare, nursing, or a closely related field, with all states have laws pertaining to the practice of PAs. PAs most commonly work in the offices of physicians, but can also work in public or private general medical and surgical hospitals. Employment of PAs is expected to grow much faster than the average occupation over the next several years. Growth is expected to increase by 39% with large growth in rural and inner-city healthcare facilities, according to the Bureau. The Bureau also reported that the median annual wage of physician assistants in 2008 was $81,230, with the middle 50% of those earning between $68,210 and $97,070 annually.
Health Educator
A health educator is someone that educates the general public about general health issues and disease prevention while also aiming to promote human health and wellness. This can be through community services, and educational seminars and presentations to students, the elderly, and other groups interested in learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle. The goal of health educators is to prevent illnesses and conditions that may be avoided by educating individuals and the general public on health-related topics including proper rest and sleep, proper nutrition, the importance of physical exercise, and how to avoid illnesses and sexually transmitted diseases. Their presentations often focus on the group they are educating and they often use videos, booklets, pamphlets, and other visual resources to aid them in their speaking. For example, when they are speaking to college students they may educate them about the dangers of drinking, and for women, they may teach them how to do self examinations such as breast exams. Most health educators have a bachelor's degree in health education, nursing, or a closely related field, and a master's degree may be required for some positions or employers. The employment of health educators is expected to grow faster than the average occupation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,which reports that growth in the field will be by 18%. The Bureau also reported that the median annual wages of health educators were $44,000 in 2008, with the middle 50% earning between $33,170 and $60,810 annually.
