Registered Nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) are the essential bridge between patients and healthcare teams. While the work is often more demanding than the idealized view, it allows new nurses to make a real difference by caring for patients with complex needs across diverse settings. RNs work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and home health services. They specialize in areas such as medical-surgical, emergency, or public health nursing. Beyond traditional bedside roles, nurses pursue opportunities in schools, physician offices, telehealth, nursing informatics, case management, education, and healthcare administration. If you are considering a career in nursing or want to better understand the profession, recognize the broad scope of what nurses do. As you pursue the RN path, examine the skills required and review your state’s Nurse Practice Act, which defines the legal scope of practice.