Can A Registered Nurse Be An Adn

Roles for Nurses with an Associate Degree

If you're pursuing an Acquaintance Degree in Nursing (ADN), you're probably thinking about all of the coursework alee. Only the most exciting function might be deciding what kind of registered nurse (RN) you'll want to be and where you'll desire to piece of work. Y'all can expect many choices.

Many Jobs to Choose From

Co-ordinate to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RN jobs are expected to grow by nine% from 2020 to 2030, close to the same rate for all jobs combined.

Moreover, according to Joseph Dunmire, a lath member of the National Association of Healthcare Recruitment, the U.Due south. will face a nursing shortage of nearly 1 million by 2024—from entry-level positions suitable for newly-minted grads to senior nursing jobs normally held by highly experienced and skilled specialists.

What Kind of Piece of work Does a Nurse with an ADN Do?

Co-ordinate to the American Nursing Clan, RNs are the backbone of healthcare. In virtually every healthcare setting, a nurse is present.

Nurses with ADNs and Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degrees (BSNs) both qualify to be an RN and do similar work when they start their careers. "Actually, ADNs are but equally probable to work in the aforementioned medical settings every bit BSN-educated RNs," Dunmire says. "Primarily, if not near exclusively, new BSNs and ADNs both work in less intense areas" of healthcare such equally "medical, surgical, rehab, orthopedics, or psych/behavioral health."

RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a wide range of bones tasks such as taking health histories, giving medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, and profitable doctors with exams.

And while some hospitals may prefer registered nurses with BSNs, they will be hiring nurses with ADNs as well to make full many roles, Dunmire says.

New RNs with ADNs are generalists and handle a wide range of basic only critical tasks, such as taking health histories, administering medication, ordering tests, providing instructions to patients, helping patients prepare for procedures, and assisting doctors with patient exams.

With some experience, they may as well become specialists in fundamental health areas like women'south wellness, pediatrics, and gerontology. They may also supervise less-skilled coworkers, including certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

Mutual Career Paths and Workplaces

There are a wide variety of jobs and workplaces for nurses with ADNs. Here'due south a sampling.

Travel Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: Those who require new places and new faces, like to travel, and prefer the diversity of short-term assignments in different locations
What You'll Practice: Work wherever assigned as a staff nurse or specialty nurse—at abode or abroad—to help cover during staff shortages, peak needs, crises, or emergency events
Where Yous'll Piece of work: Hospitals, regional medical centers, long-term care facilities, and rural medical clinics

Customs Health Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Nurses with a strong desire to give dorsum to the community and meet the needs of underserved populations
What You'll Practice: Work with an entire community or individuals—from infants to seniors—to provide health educational activity, basic care, inoculations, nutrition counseling, and other services
Where Y'all'll Work: Public wellness centers, campus clinics, neighborhood outreach programs, and volunteer organizations

Psychiatric Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Unflappable, empathetic, no-nonsense nurses who know when and when not to nudge patients forward
What You'll Do: Care for patients of all ages with a range of symptoms—from mild panic attacks to astringent incapacitation
Where y'all'll Work: General hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric clinics, and private practice

Long-Term Intendance Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Those with a gentle but house mitt who are good at multi-tasking and adopt established routines
What You'll Do: Provide care for patients of all ages—from babies to seniors—who are living with serious conditions, recovering from major surgery, and fighting major illnesses like pneumonia
Where You'll Work: Nursing homes and long-term care facilities

Infirmary Nurse

Who this Job Is Best For: Flexible nurses open to rotating assignments in different hospital units
What You'll Do: Care for medical or surgical patients who are stable only recovering from serious surgeries or illnesses
Where You'll Work: Hospitals, urgent care clinics, emergency rooms, educatee clinics

Rehab Nurse

Who this Chore Is Best For: Those who are patient and even-tempered, and who radiate hopefulness and possibility
What You'll Do: Intendance for those who struggle with addiction and are working to recover
Where You'll Piece of work: Substance abuse clinics, recovery centers, hospitals, and public health clinics

Occupational Health Nurse

Who this Task Is Best For: Nurses with an interest in and knowledge of physiology, physical therapy, and sports medicine
What You'll Do: Care for patients working to regain motion after serious injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions—or who need to learn new movements afterward elective surgical procedures
Where Yous'll Work: Occupational recovery clinics, physical therapy clinics, hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and large health organizations

Outpatient Care Nurse

Who this Job Is All-time For: RNs comfortable with a range of tasks, from admitting new patients to assisting in surgery and monitoring patients in post-op recovery
What You'll Do: Care for patients who undergo outpatient diagnostic procedures and surgeries
Where You'll Work: Convalescent surgical centers, orthopedic clinics, hospitals, diagnostic centers, and big health networks

Hospice Nurse

Who this Task Is All-time For: Nurses with a large dose of empathy, a generous heart, and deep respect for the end-of-life journey
What Y'all'll Do: Provide comfort and care to patients and their families through the last months and days
Where You'll Work: Hospitals, nursing homes, and private homes

How Do RNs Compare to Other Entry-Level Nursing Careers?

Trained to handle more circuitous nursing tasks, including initial health assessments and triage
Work under the supervision of a dr. and order tests, administer medications, provide treatments, and counsel patients on discharge instructions
May supervise CNAs and LPNs

Perform a range of nursing tasks under the supervision of an RN or doctor
Often responsible for the comfort of patients. (LPNs modify bandages and insert catheters, for example.)
In many states, LPNs likewise administrate medication, start IV drips, and may supervise CNAs

Assist nursing teams with the bones care of patients, performing both medical and nonmedical tasks
Supervised by an LPN or RN
Duties might include taking vital signs, recording health concerns, and helping patients breast-stroke or apparel

What Can I Wait to Earn?

Salaries vary widely nationally and depend on many factors, including:

Education
Experience
Where y'all live
Where you piece of work
Your position

How Can I Accelerate My Career?

In addition to gaining clinical feel, y'all can advance your career by earning a BSN and by specializing.

"ADN programs more often than not focus more than on nursing fundamentals and clinical skills, whereas BSN programs focus on the clinical skills plus didactics related to evidenced-based inquiry, leadership, and management," says Dunmire. "Ultimately, an RN with a BSN has more opportunities to advance in clinical leadership and past pursuing more than diversified career opportunities in areas such as management, administration, enquiry, and computer science."

However, says Dunmire, many nursing students "notice showtime with the ADN more financially feasible, every bit ADNs are usually secured through the customs college arrangement, which is much more affordable than the university system. From there, an ADN tin secure initial employment while pursuing a BSN via online education."

Specializing as a Nurse

Specialty certification can aid accelerate your career and boost your income. It tin can also help you stand out when y'all employ for jobs.

While you can focus on a specialty as soon as you lot start your career, to earn a certification y'all'll need to encounter specific requirements.

Specialty certification tin assist advance your career and heave your income. It can also help you stand out when yous apply for jobs.

For case, according to the American Nurses Credentialing Heart (ANCC), to qualify to accept the exam to become board certified in medical-surgical nurse (RN-BC), y'all'll need:

A current, agile RN license
Experience equivalent to ii years full time every bit a registered nurse
A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practise in medical-surgical nursing within the last three years
30 hours of continuing education in medical-surgical nursing within the concluding three years

Tiptop Specialties for RNs with ADNs

ADN graduates tin can earn specialty certifications for roles in a variety of healthcare settings. They include:

Specialty	Certification
Critical Care	Disquisitional Intendance Registered Nurse (CCRN)
Dialysis	Certified Dialysis Nurse (CDN)
Geriatrics	Gerontological Nursing certification (RN-BC)
Medical-Surgical	Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Oncology	Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
Pain Management	Pain Management Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Pediatrics	Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
Psychiatric Health	Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Certification (RN-BC)
Trauma	Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN)

You might accept a lot of decisions and choices ahead, simply no affair which path you choose, in that location will exist jobs to pursue.

With professional person insight from:

Joseph Dunmire

Board Fellow member, National Association for Health Care Recruitment (NAHCR); and Vice President—Workforce Solutions, Qualivis