Being A Nurse – Be A Specialist Or A Generalist

Since you were young, you really wanted to help care for the sick. You have a genuine passion for helping which is why you are considering a nursing career. With the current shortage of nurses, this career choice is an excellent one. Not only will you be able to find a job easily but the high demand will guarantee good compensation for you. However, there are several career decisions that you have to make. What type of nurse do you want to be? Will you become a generalist nurse or a specialist nurse?

The Generalist Nurse

The generalist nurse is what majority of registered nurses are today. Generalist nurses have undergone formal education to be trained with the nursing skills needed in the profession. In college, such nurses learn subjects like anatomy, mathematics, physiology and biology.

Generalist nurses provide care for patients in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities. They care for the sick, injured and wounded. They monitor vital signs, apply wound dressings, administer medications and make sure the patient is comfortable. Generalist nurses know how to care for the children, adults and elderly. Since each one has different needs, the generalist nurse should be flexible.

Generalist nurses communicate with other nurses, patients, family of the patient and doctors. They keep track of patient records and make sure everything is accurate. Moreover, generalist nurses are trained to use equipment properly. They know the amount of oxygen need as well as how to set up equipment to check the vitals of a patient.

The Specialist Nurse

On the other hand, a specialist nurse is one who pursues a specialization. Generalist nurses usually hold a bachelor’s degree while a specialist nurse holds a master’s degree. Specializing in a specific field of nursing provides you with more training and education, higher compensation and more career options.

There are so many specializations a specialist nurse can choose from and it will depend on what he or she prefers. Specializations include acute care nursing, community health nursing, neonatal nursing, oncology nursing, occupational health nursing, cardiovascular nursing, geriatric nursing, adult nursing, pediatric nursing, home health nursing, parent-child care nursing, infectious disease nursing, women health nursing, rehabilitation nursing, prenatal nursing, school health nursing and psychiatric nursing.

How about you, do you prefer being a generalist nurse or a specialist nurse? A generalist nurse will have a more demanding job in the hospital. A specialist nurse will be a more challenging nursing job.

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