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Exploring Health Professions
Nursing
Nurses are an integral part of the health care team and
assume a great deal of professional responsibility.
Today's rapidly expanding and technologically-driven
health care environment has created challenging new
career opportunities for professional nurses. In
addition to hospitals, nurses now work in birthing
centers, outpatient clinics, wellness centers, nursing
homes and home health care agencies where they provide
direct patient care. Beyond these roles, nurses hold
administrative positions, teach and do research in
businesses, insurance companies, employee health
programs, community and public health agencies,
pharmaceutical companies, schools and fitness centers.
There is a significant number of baccalaureate nursing
programs for non-nurse graduates whereby a college
graduate earns a second bachelor's degree. There are
also opportunities for a non-nurse graduate to find an
entry-level master's program. Careers in nursing titled
"nurse practitioner", "clinical nurse specialist",
"nurse midwife" and other such specialty designations,
require education beyond the basic nursing education
programs that prepare for licensure as a registered
nurse. There are also doctoral programs for nurses who
wish to pursue teaching and research or assume senior
level administrative roles.
For more information contact the American Association of
Colleges of Nursing, 1 Dupont Circle, Suite 530
Washington, D.C. 20036, 202-463-6930,
www.aacn.nche.edu
or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners,
www.aanp.org or
www.allnursingschools.com
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