Registered nurses (RNs) provide treatment, counseling, and health
education. They provide assessment, plan and implement care, and evaluate
outcomes.
Nurses work as part of a health care team in a variety of
environments, often under the supervision of a doctor. Most nurses work
in hospitals. Others work in settings such as community or public health,
outpatient care, nursing education, occupational health, nursing home agencies,
hospice programs, schools, and student health clinics.
A registered nurse (RN) may hold either a bachelor of science in
nursing (BSN) from a 4-year university or an associate degree in nursing (ADN)
from a 2-year college. All graduates must successfully pass the Registered
Nurse Licensing Examination to become licensed to practice as a professional
RN. Graduation from a state-accredited program is a prerequisite to taking the
licensing examination. A registered nurse must hold a current license in the
state in which he or she practices. Licensing requirements are managed by
individual state boards of nursing.