what is a registered nurse?
As a registered nurse (RN), you provide clinical care to patients in nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other medical facilities. You provide support to doctors and medical professionals by performing various health functions. Some of your clinical care duties include monitoring vital signs, examining health records and dressing wounds for patients. As a registered nurse, you are the first point of contact for patients, and you assess their health and address minor issues that don’t require the immediate attention of a doctor.
Since registered nurses work in diverse environments, their duties depend on the patients they handle. For instance, in schools, you help students with health conditions. In assisted living facilities, you assist people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. As a registered nurse, you can work as a general nurse or specialize in geriatrics, pediatrics, cardiac care and emergency nursing.
You require a well-rounded balance of technical and personal attributes to discharge your duties. You also need care, emotional intelligence, critical thinking and compassion.
Would working as a registered nurse suit your interest in medicine and helping people? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a registered nurse role.
registered nurse jobsaverage registered nurse salary
According to Job Bank, the average salary of a registered nurse in Canada is $80,881 per year. The average hourly rate in the role is $41.48. When you have minimal experience or are new to the role, you start with a salary of $68,144 yearly. Registered nurses with substantial experience and additional qualifications take home over $107,336 annually.
what factors affect the salary of a registered nurse?
As a registered nurse, your earnings depend on where you work and your skills. When you have a few years of experience, as well as additional skills and competencies, you can negotiate a higher salary. However, registered nurses without experience have minimal skills and may require further training and supervision, which reduces the salary potential. Specializing in a particular field also increases your earnings. For instance, cardiac care or working in intensive care is demanding, and you receive higher hourly rates.
Registered nurses earn a different salary based on the healthcare facility they work for. For instance, when you work in assisted living facilities, you receive a different salary from a nurse in an emergency or hospital unit. The diversity of the roles and the hours you work influence your earnings.
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access our tooltypes of registered nurses
Registered nurses can specialize in diverse care areas, including:
- cardiac registered nurse: as a registered nurse in cardiac care, you handle patients with heart problems. You check vitals and assist doctors in administering treatment plans. You also care for patients after surgery to speed up the recovery process.
- intensive care registered nurse: you care for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) or critical conditions. As a registered nurse, you conduct regular medical assessments and develop recovery plans for patients with serious wounds or injuries. You also record the vitals and changes in patients on life support.
- emergency registered nurse: in an emergency room (ER), you focus on stabilizing patient conditions before the treatment begins. Emergency rooms are fast-paced and require quick thinking on your feet.
- geriatric registered nurse: as a registered nurse, you provide basic care to older adults. That means you work in care homes or assisted living facilities for older adults. Your duties include administering medications, helping patients eat, and personal grooming.
- pediatric registered nurse: you work with children and teenagers in health facilities to ensure they receive the best care. Your duties include explaining the treatment plan to kids and administering medication.
working as a registered nurse
If you are compassionate and enjoy helping people, a career as a registered nurse is suitable for you. Here are the specific duties and tasks of registered nurses:
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what does a registered nurse do?
The specific duties of a registered nurse depend on the employer and area of specialization. Generally, you will perform the following tasks:
- assessing patient conditions: as a registered nurse, you conduct assessments to determine the ailments of patients. You check the vitals, record the patient’s medical history, and evaluate the symptoms to help with diagnosis.
- diagnosing and developing a treatment plan: as a registered nurse, you work with members of an interdisciplinary health team to diagnose and develop treatment plans. You implement the treatment procedure or run additional tests for further analysis. You also document the recommended care plan in the patient’s record for continued care.
- evaluating a patient's response to treatment: you continually assess the patient's condition to check for improvement and document the vital signs to know if the treatment plan is working. If the patient worsens, you work with the care team to develop a new care plan.
- performing administrative functions: as a registered nurse, you perform administrative tasks to ensure the hospital operations run smoothly. For instance, you supervise other nurses and hospital staff to ensure they perform their duties. You create work policies, prepare shift schedules and manage the hospital inventory. You also run the nursing department and manage the budgets and other administrative functions.
- educating patients: as a registered nurse, you educate patients on their condition and provide tips to maintain their health. You also explain the treatment plans to family members. Sometimes, you engage in health counselling programs for hygiene, drug abuse and nutrition.
- researching health services: you research patient care and health services to ensure patients always get quality treatment. Researching nursing practices helps you develop better ways to treat patients.
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work environment of a registered nurse
Registered nurses work in various healthcare settings. For instance, you work in intensive care units, emergency rooms, a physician's office, schools or outpatient clinics. Some companies also employ an in-house registered nurse to assist workers. You may even choose to work in the military. As a registered nurse, your work environment varies based on your employer. For instance, you work indoors in hospitals, helping doctors administer treatments. In schools, you work indoors and outdoors, helping students and educating them on nutrition and other important health topics. When you provide home health services, you visit patients' homes.
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who are your colleagues?
As a registered nurse, you work with various health professionals, including doctors, psychiatrists and midwives. Aside from medical professionals, you also interact with accountants, human resource managers and dispatchers. You work with receptionists and office clerks, assisting them in completing various administrative duties.
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registered nurse work schedule
The work schedule of registered nurses depends on where they work. In a hospital, you are likely to have a shift schedule of 8 to 12 hours. That means you work early-morning shifts and late-night shifts since the schedule rotates. When you work in a physician’s office, you work the traditional office hours with occasional overtime.
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career opportunities as a registered nurse
There is high demand for registered nurses in Canada. For instance, the number of new job openings between 2022 and 2031 is expected to reach 155,400, while the number of new job seekers within the same period is around 143,700. That means the labour shortage of registered nurses is expected to persist, increasing the demand for registered nurses. You should also consider specializing in your area of interest. For instance, you can work in pediatric or emergency units.
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advantages of finding a job as a registered nurse through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs in your area
registered nurse skills and education
If you want to become a registered nurse, you should meet the following requirements:
- bachelor’s degree: to become a registered nurse, complete a university degree in nursing. When choosing a nursing school, make sure it has accreditation from the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing. To access leadership positions, you require a master's or doctoral degree in nursing.
- professional certification and licensing: register in the province you want to work in to obtain a licence. For instance, in Alberta, registered nurses require certification from the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta.
competencies and characteristics of registered nurses
Registered nurses require the following skills and personal attributes:
- communication skills: as a registered nurse, you are likely the first person a patient meets in a hospital. You are expected to listen to patients’ concerns and communicate instructions on the hospital processes. Since you share sensitive information, you require good communication skills to avoid misunderstanding.
- critical thinking skills: as a registered nurse, you are a first responder during an emergency. It helps to have critical thinking skills to solve problems quickly. Your critical thinking skills also help you brainstorm ways to stabilize patients in critical conditions when you work in intensive care units.
- organization skills: as a registered nurse, you store and organize patient files. Since you tend to many patients, you require organizational skills to keep track of individual files. You should also be meticulous and well-organized to prevent mishaps in the workplace and ensure cleaning is done on time to prevent infections.
- physical stamina: you work long shifts of 8 to 12 hours and spend most of the day on your feet. You work in a fast-paced environment during emergencies, and you need to move quickly. Having physical stamina helps you remain focused and meet the demand in the hospital.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a registered nurse.
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what is the responsibility of a registered nurse?
As a registered nurse, you set up plans for patient care. Your job is to provide and coordinate patient treatments and monitor their recoveries. You check vitals and administer medication to patients. Sometimes you educate patients on various health conditions and the support they require.
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is there a difference between a registered nurse and a nurse?
A nurse provides general patient care, such as cleaning wounds, checking vitals and helping patients. A registered nurse provides a high level of patient care and works directly under a doctor. They are licensed to administer medication and discharge patients.
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how do you become a registered nurse?
You require a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited institution. Some employers prefer a master’s degree in nursing for leadership positions. Registered nurses also require a licence from the province or territory they intend to work.
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how much does a registered nurse make?
The average salary of registered nurses in Canada is $80,881 per year. The earnings fluctuate based on your experience and educational qualifications. The most experienced registered nurses make up to $107,336 annually.
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what skills does a registered nurse have?
As a registered nurse, you require critical thinking skills to resolve problems in the hospital and assist patients that require urgent care. Communication skills are also useful in the role.
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how do I find a job as a registered nurse?
Finding a job near you as a registered nurse is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
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