Various Types of Nurses

Description: Hospital nurses are staff nurses who provide bedside nursing care and carry out the medical regimen prescribed by physicians. They also supervise licensed practical nurses and aides. Hospital nurses are typically assigned to one area such as surgery, maternity, pediatrics, emergency, ICU, or oncology, but they sometimes rotate among departments.

Facts: Hospital nurses comprise 59% of the nursing force.

Also known as: Nurse Supervisor

Description: Head nurses or nurse supervisors direct nursing activities, primarily in hospitals. They plan work schedules and assign duties to nurses and aides, provide or arrange for training, and visit patients to observe nurses and to evaluate the patients' care. Head nurses also ensure that records are maintained and equipment and supplies are ordered.

Description: Office nurses care for outpatients in physicians' offices, clinics, and emergency medical centers. They assist with examinations, administer injections and medications, dress wounds and incisions, assist with minor surgery, and maintain records. Some also perform routine laboratory and office work.

Also known as: RN

Description: Registered nurses provide direct patient care. They observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress in patients; assist physicians during surgeries, treatments, and examinations; administer medications; and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation.

Facts: State laws govern the tasks that RNs may perform.

Also known as: NP

Description: A Nurse Practitioner is a Registered Nurse with advanced academic and clinical experience. They are able to diagnose and manage most common and chronic illnesses. Nurse Practitioners are able to prescribe medications and write prescriptions in most states. They work closely with a practicing physician to provide comprehensive, individualized care for the lifespan of a patient's needs.

Facts: As Registered Nurses, the functions of a Nurse Practitioner are governed by their state's laws.

Also known as: CNM

Description: The Certified Nurse Midwife is a Registered Nurse who assists expecting patients in labor, delivery and postpartum care. They also provide professional care for patients with obstetric and gynecological needs. They usually work in conjunction with a practicing physician.

Facts: Certified Nurse Midwives, as a Registered Nurse, must conform to the regulating laws of her state.

Also known as: Visiting Nurses

Description: Home health nurses provide nursing services to patients at home. They assess patients' home environments and instruct patients and their families. Home health nurses care for a broad range of patients, such as those recovering from illnesses and accidents, cancer, and childbirth. They must be able to work independently and may supervise home health aides.

Facts: A hospice nurse provides a unique type of service to people with advanced illnesses and limited life expectancies in the comfort of their home.

Description: Public health nurses work in government and private agencies, including clinics, schools, retirement communities, and other community settings. They focus on populations, working with individuals, groups, and families to improve the overall health of communities. Public Health Nurses plan and implement programs for immunizations, blood pressure testing, and other health screenings.

Facts: Public health nurses design community programs to decrease some of the leading health problems of our time: transmittable illnesses, violence, obesity and tobacco use, and provide maternal-child education.

Description: Nursing home nurses work in nursing homes and manage care for residents with conditions ranging from a fracture to Alzheimer's disease. Nursing home nurses also assess residents' health, develop treatment plans, supervise licensed practical nurses and nursing aides, and perform invasive procedures, such as starting intravenous fluids. They also work in specialty-care departments, such as long-term rehabilitation units for patients with strokes and head injuries.

Also known as: Occupational Health Nurses

Description: Industrial nurses provide nursing care at worksites to employees, customers, and others. They give emergency care, prepare accident reports, and arrange for further care if necessary. Industrial nurses offer health counseling, conduct health examinations and inoculations. They may assess work environments to identify potential or actual health problems.