Career Outlook for Registered Nurses

The career outlook for registered nursing positions, especially those with bachelor’s degrees, is excellent. In fact, the Institute of Medicine is strongly recommending an 80-percent increase in the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees by 2020.

In its Future of Nursing report, the Institute says RNs should have even greater scope-of-practice responsibilities and help re-shape health care in the United States.

Responsibilities of a registered nurse (RN)

The RN treats patients, educates patients, families and the public, and develops patient care plans.

Specializations include nursing in certain settings (operating room, emergency room, ambulatory clinic), caring for certain patient groups (newborns, geriatric, pediatric), and nursing related to certain conditions (diabetes, oncology, dermatology).

A trauma nurse may work in a hospital or as a helicopter transfer nurse, while an oncology nurse may work in a cancer treatment center or for a home health care provider. And other nurses do not provide patient care, but work in research and disease control.

Qualifications and training

Those who wish to become registered nurses must pass a national licensure exam to obtain a nursing license. Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam and, upon licensure, for entry-level professional practice.  

Attend a free nursing seminar 

If you would like to learn more about careers in nursing, training for the NCLEX, or admissions requirements for entry into our school of nursing, please register for a free nursing seminar. If you would like to speak with a member of our admissions team, call 1-877-655-7676 or contact college admissions.