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Different Types of Nursing Specialties



There are numerous field of nursing that you could opt to go into. After practicing nursing for several years, you may find an area of interest and choose to continue your education and specialize in that field.

 

Specialty Fields


Ambulatory care nurses take care of a variety of patients, generally an environment outside of hospitals.   Their primary focus is in pain management, and general health for patients with chronic injuries and illnesses.They often provide screenings, triage, and occasionally case management.  The Ambulatory Nurse’s primary goal is to help restore a patient’s ability to live independently and have freedom and mobility. 

 

Burn Care Nurse


Burn care nurses specialize in treating patients that have been burned.Most burns originate from hot water, oil,chemicals, or electricity.   Burn care nurses primarily work in burn care units, intensive care units, and in trauma centers.Burn care nurses are trained to care for the physical well-being of their patients and the emotional and psychological toll burns can take, and the devastation they cause.  Burn nurses also work to provide education in the community, training children and adults on burn prevention and how to treat minor burns in an emergency.

 

Camp Nurse


Camp nurses work at camps, primarily for children but occasionally adults.  Children’s camp nurses work to treat minor injuries, such as scrapes, cuts, bruises, sunburns, sickness, bugbites, and anything else that comes along with children.  Camp nurses for adults generally involve a theme such as weight loss or relaxation, so the nurse would need to have knowledge in the field of the camps chosen theme.   For someone that really loves the outdoors and nature, camp nursing can be a very good position however it is seasonal, so don't expect full time employment year-round.

 

Cardiac Care Nurse


A cardiac care nurse works with patients that have had a heart attack, or have heart related issues.  They work to provide education,exercise, and general overall cardiac care. Many often   provide tips on diet and the level of exercise that is safe after the heart attack.  The primary goal of the cardiac care nurse is to ensure the patient follows protocol and understands how to treat their condition so that there is not a reoccurrence

 

Cardiac Cath Lab Nurse


A cardiac Cathlab nurse works in the Cath Lab with the cardiologist.   Their job often involves assisting in the placement of stents implanted in patients, and similar procedures performed in the lab.  A cardiac Cath lab nurse must be trained similar to an operating room nurse and be familiar with cardiac Cath surgical equipment.  A cardiac Cath lab nurse may do scheduling for lab procedures and work to maintain records of patients.

 

Case Management Nurse


A case management nurse oversees the patient’s health care needs.   Most hospitals have case management nurses whose primary job it is to ensure the patient needs are being met.    Case manager nurses may follow the patient from the hospital and to their home to ensure their well-being.   Case management nurses play a heavy administrative role as well as interaction with patients.

 

Certified Nurse Midwives


Certified nurse midwives are trained to assist in delivering babies in uncomplicated pregnancies.   The nurse midwife may work with a a midwife or in some cases visit patients by themselves to provide checkups.   A nurse midwife should be trained to assist in the delivery of babies and also be trained in obstetrics in order to treat expecting mothers.A nurse midwife should be familiar with their patients prior to delivery and should be well-versed in when to call for additional medical assistance such as 911 when needed.

 

Community Health Nursing


A community health nurse may work within a healthdepartment, and works to educate the community.   Among other duties, a community health nurse may offer vaccinations, and observe for any signs of outbreaks of communicable diseases.  A community health nurse may treat anonymous patients with sexually transmitted wdiseases; however they are mandated to attempt to notify partners of patients with STD’s.   A community health nurse may contact authorities in the event they suspect a pandemic such as bird flu outbreak.

 

Correctional Facility Nurse


Correctional facility nurses work within the confines of a prison or jail.   They may work in intake, evaluating inmates as they come into the system, or they may work within the system to examine and treat patients alongside the doctor.   One primary goal of a correctional facility nurse is medications.   In the prison system, it is estimated that three fourths of all patients are on regular medication.   A correctional facility nurse has a huge responsibility of ordering,organizing, and seeing that medications are properly distributed.  Despite what most people think, working as a correctional facility nurse is actually very safe job, you are rarely alone and never alone with inmates.

 

Emergency Nursing


Emergency room nurses are trained in trauma and how to handle emergency situations.   Emergency room nurses should be able to react quickly, and provide life-saving treatment when necessary.   Many emergency room nurses work intriage to evaluate patients and must distinguish priorities for patient care based on severity. 


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