Nursing Differences

[ftee]

Hi guys!

I was just wondering after you take your NCLEX and pass, you're a board certified RN; but what if you want a specific specialty or to become a nurse practitioner? What is the education process for both of those?

I was just recently researching it online and I've been getting really confused. Also, what's the difference between working with or without a certain specialty?

Stuff I read online tells me what if you're a nurse without a specialty you're basically doing labour work like giving people baths and whatnot. If this true?

I just want some clarification as I'm in grade 12 and soon branching off to university, I want to know what my options are!

Thanks!

[Castiela]

I can't speak for other provinces, in BC, you can start your specialty education after ~ 2 years med/surg experience. UBC requires at minimum 2 years nursing experience before starting NP training.

Even in specialties, you still wash and mobilize patients (ER, ICU, peds) and reposition. Most new grads start in med/ surgical units In the hospital, but there are other options of home health or public health. Beyond that, you have nursing informatics, occupational health, infectious disease etc. There are so many options that you can try but ere is nothing wrong with med surg. It is also a good specialty to start because you develop your critical thinking, time management and nursing skills

[jennylee321]

You can start in any specialty that will hire new grads ie. Med-surg, OR, NICU, emerg, home health ect. You are working in an RN capacity so yes as long as you are a registered nurse they can hire you. Nurse practitioner is a whole other animal. You need a minimum of 2 years post registration full time work ( however this is a minimum and you should have more). This standard across the country, not like in the US where there are some private schools that will accept you with no work experience *face palm*.

No nursing job is just going to have you bathing/cleaning patients. This is of course part of the care you will be giving, but believe me PSWs will do thf work for much cheaper. You will be assessing patients, administering medications and treatments, monitoring for complications, patient/family teaching and oh so much more. Oh I almost forgot, CHARTING, that is what the majority of what nurses do these days

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

A nurse practitioner is an RN with AT LEAST 2-3 years of additional education beyond the basic RN education. They have a wider and more autonomous scope of practice. You are looking at 4 years to get your BScN and then another 2-3 years to get your masters/NP after that (im not sure exactly - I haven't looked it up).

Many specialties require additional education. For example, I work in the NICU and was required to take a post graduate advanced neonatal course to work there, which took me approximately a year to complete beyond my BScN. Other areas that require additional education (in my area of the GTA) are L&D, OR, and critical care areas. Many areas will hire you if you have at least started these courses with the commitment of completing them upon hire.