Nursing is not a one-size-fits-all career. There are many paths for nurses to follow, from specializing in different fields to moving into leadership roles. How do you know if nursing is right for you, and how do you choose a nursing specialty? Let’s explore the various areas of nursing so you can find the right nursing job for you
What are the areas of nursing?
Nursing has become more and more specialized, which benefits nurses, patients, and the healthcare industry as a whole. Rather than needing to be a “jack of all trades” in medicine, specializing allows nurses the opportunity to become highly skilled in one or more distinct areas.
Choosing a specialty first depends on the level of education the nurse wishes to pursue.
There are four main levels of nursing:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): Requires certification
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Requires certification
- Registered Nurse (RN): Requires associates or bachelors degree
- Nurse Practitioner (NP): Requires graduate degree
With every step up, these roles take on more responsibilities and specialized tasks. These added duties lead to more opportunities and earning potential.
Getting from one nursing title to the next requires advanced education. For example, moving from an LPN to RN needs either a two- or four-year degree in nursing.
Within these titles are opportunities to specialize in distinct healthcare areas and tasks, though many specializations require RN status.
While CNAs and LPNs can complete additional certifications in specialized tasks, becoming an RN will allow for maximum specialization opportunities.
Learn how to start your RN from home
Popular nursing specialties
A nursing specialty is a specific healthcare practice or environment. Rather than being proficient in all areas of medicine, specializing allows for a deeper knowledge base and expert execution of care.
Just as there are many, many healthcare concentrations, there are many different nursing specialties.
Popular nursing specialties include:
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Acute Care Nurse
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Cardiac Care Nurse
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Clinical Nurse Specialist
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Dialysis Nurse
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ER Nurse
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Family Nurse Practitioner
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Geriatric Nurse
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Home Health Nurse
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ICU Nurse
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Infection Control Nurse
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Informatics Nurse
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Neonatal/NICU Nurse
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Nurse Advocate
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Nurse Anesthetist
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Nurse Educator
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Nurse Midwife
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Nurse Researcher
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Oncology Nurse
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Pediatric Nurse
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Primary Care Nurse
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Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
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Public Health Nurse
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School Nurse
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Trauma Nurse
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Travel Nurse
What is the most stressful nursing specialty?
Fast-paced, high-risk healthcare environments create some of the most stressful nursing specialties, including ER Nurse, ICU Nurse, and NICU Nurse. Because these roles often see a patient’s life in their hands, there is inherent stress on the job.
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ER Nurse: ER patients are in high distress and suffering from a wide-range of emergency issues that require quick assessment and care. Nurses must apply fast thinking and operate under high pressure situations.
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ICU Nurse: The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) sees patients in critical condition with high stakes for survival. This intense environment often demands long hours and significant pressure.
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NICU Nurse: NICU nurses care for infants in emergency situations. Working with patients who cannot verbalize their pain is massively challenging, not to mention offering support to worried parents.
What is the least stressful nursing specialty?
Some of the least stressful nursing specialties are School Nurse, Nurse Educator, and Primary Care Nurse. These roles take place in slower-paced environments that are unlikely to involve life-threatening circumstances.
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School Nurse: These nurses work in a school setting and take care of elementary, middle, and/or high-school aged patients. A school nurse treats minor injuries, administers medications, and supports a healthy physical and mental health environment.
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Nurse Educator: A nurse educator trains other nurses. This can be done either in a formal classroom setting or on the job. Nurse educators typically have either significant clinical experience and/or a master’s degree in nursing.
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Primary Care Nurse: These nurses work in a doctor’s office and help facilitate a smooth outpatient-care experience. Primary care nurses can expect regular hours and schedules as they coordinate basic care needs.
Do nurses have to specialize?
No, nurses do not have to specialize, but many do based on the positive career effects.
Having a nursing specialty can make you more in demand, especially for more challenging tasks that require advanced training.
Nursing specialties also command a higher salary. Because specializing means either earning an advanced degree or completing a certification, that effort is rewarded with more money.
Specializing also helps nurses deepen their knowledge and abilities, which can create personal satisfaction in your skills and overall career.
Can a nurse have more than one specialty?
Yes, a nurse can have more than one specialty. Having more than one specialty can make you more competitive in the job market. In fact, there are many nursing specialties that pair nicely together.
Examples include:
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ER + Cardiac Nurse: Many patients coming into the emergency are experiencing some sort of cardiac event.
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Midwife + Neonatal Nurse: Helping mothers and babies through the early stages of life go hand in hand.
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Geriatric + Home Health Nurse: Many elderly patients need home health care to address their needs.
How do I choose my nursing specialty?
When focusing on a nursing specialty, it’s important to consider your strengths and interests. Before diving into a focus area, think about some of these factors:
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Work environment: Do you prefer a fast-paced, high action workplace or a steadier speed? Do you see yourself in a hospital, doctor’s office, clinic, patients’ homes, or traveling?
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Patient age/gender: Do you prefer working with younger or older patients? Male or female? Or would you rather work with a full range of patient backgrounds?
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Healthcare niche: Is there a specific area of medicine that interests you? Or maybe a reason you got into healthcare in the first place?
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Leadership level: Would you rather be in charge or a contributing member of the team?
Work towards the right nursing job with Achieve
Before you can decide your nursing specialty, you’ll need to finish your nursing degree. Achieve Test Prep can help you test out of nursing prerequisites and make real progress towards your long-term goals. Connect with our Advisor team to learn more!
