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Nurses help doctors treat their patients, educate the public on medical issues and provide emotional help to relatives and families. They can work in hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, factories, schools and companies. Formal training is needed, from a diploma to a certificate attesting that you have the necessary degree to perform this work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the United States divides this field into two types: registered nurses and practical licensed nurses, each type differs in wages and job prospects.
Registered Nurses
Registered nurses (RNs) create and implement plans through discussions with doctors and examine the needs of patients. They keep track of patients and take care of the sick, injured or disabled. As of May 2009, the average salary was US $ 63,750 per year, with a range of US $ 43,970 to US $ 93,700. Those who work part-time earned $ 30.65 an hour, with a range of $ 21.14 to $ 45.05.
Registered Nurse Employers
The largest employers of registered nurses are in general medical and surgical hospitals, which have 56 percent of the total of two and a half million registered nurses. They pay US $ 32.57 an hour, or US $ 67,740 a year, which is a little better than the average salary. The highest paying employer is medical equipment and manufacturing supplies, where nurses use their experience to demonstrate the correct uses of medical devices and sell them. This industry pays US $ 37.44 or US $ 77,870, but only has 50 positions, so it is difficult to enter.
Licensed Practical Nurses
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), also known as vocational nurses, take care of the sick, injured and disabled, under the supervision of registered doctors or nurses. The amount of supervision differs by state. Nurses who work full time earn an average salary of US $ 39,820 a year, with a range of US $ 28,890 to US $ 55,090. Those who work part time earn US $ 19.14 per hour, with a range of US $ 13.89 to US $ 26.49.
Employers of licensed practical nurses
The workplaces that hire the largest number of these licensed practical nurses are the care establishments, with almost 30 percent of the 728,670 jobs of licensed practical nurses. US $ 20.34 or US $ 42,320 is paid, which is higher than average.