If you are considering a new career, you want to investigate a career in nursing since this is a career field with a high demand for additional workers. Due to factors such as an aging patient population and a large number of practicing nurses expected to retire within the next 10 years, the nursing sector has grown exponentially and will continue to do so for many years. This field offers great pay and many job placement opportunities for men or women who are hard-working, has good leadership and organizational skills, can function well in a team setting and can follow instructions to the letter, is conscientious and outgoing, can demonstrate care and compassion for sick individuals and their families, and can function well in a crisis situation. Because of the long hours and physical demands of many nursing jobs, most nurses must be in generally good physical condition and must have the ability to lift, so this should be taken into account when considering a nursing career. There are a variety of jobs available in nursing and its related fields. To help you decide which type of job may be right for you, here is some information on the different types of nursing careers:
CNA: A CNA, or a certified nursing assistant, is not technically a nurse, but performs many related duties involving patient care. A CNA 
cannot dispense medicine or perform actual medical procedures, but instead does more work involving directly meeting a patient’s immediate physical needs. Responsibilities may include bathing patients and helping with self-care, lifting and positioning patients, changing gowns and dressings, assisting in feeding patients, and performing some housekeeping duties. Many of the responsibilities that belonged to nurses 50 years ago belong to CNAs today. CNAs are also called orderlies, patient care technicians, and home-health aides.
Training to be a CNA takes only about 6-12 weeks, and certification programs are offered at many community and junior colleges and technical/vocational schools in Illinois . In order to work as a CNA in the State of Illinois, an individual may not have any past felony convictions, and generally must pass a drug screening. CNAs can find employment in hospitals, nursing homes, residential treatment centers, and as home-health aides through qualified agencies. Pay in Illinois is between $7.25 and $9.65 an hour. Because training time for this job is much shorter than for related nursing jobs, this job is a great starting point for anyone who is not yet certain if the nursing field is right for them.
LPN: LPNs, or Licensed Practical Nurses , are nurses who have completed LPN licensure through a community or junior college, vocational school, or hospital diploma program. Most LPN programs take about one year to complete. LPNs perform job duties such as basic patient care, taking temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, monitoring IV lines and catheters, and may dispense some medications under the guidance of a doctor or registered nurse. Commonly, LPNs secure employment in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, public and private school, the military, nursing home and residential treatment facilities, and as home health workers. In Illinois LPNs usually earn between $12.45 and $15.40 an hour.
RN: Registered Nurses or RNs, make up the bulk of healthcare employees working in hospitals today. In fact, with over 2.6 million RNs currently practicing, there are more RNs than any other single career. However, even with all of the RNs currently in practice, there is still a huge demand for RNs. The bureau of labor statistics estimates that there will be a shortage of 800,000 RNs by the year 2020.
RNs perform a huge variety of job duties, including working at the bedside of patients in hospitals, helping to deliver babies and care for newborns, preparing patients for surgery, and much more. RNs dispense many types of drugs under the guidance of physicians, and RNs are often responsible for placing IV lines and catheters. RNs must also serve as patient and family advocates, and educating patients and their families on various healthcare issues is a big part of their job.
In order to be an RN, you must first have a high school diploma or equivalent, and you must then be accepted into a nursing program. These programs generally last a minimum of 2 years. You may choose to earn an Associate Degree (there are several types) or a Bachelors Degree in nursing. In Illinois , RNs generally earn between $15.80 and $25.30 an hour.
RNs may also continue their education to become an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). If you are interested in finding out more about Advanced Practice Nursing, please see the in-depth article on nursing fields.
For more information about nursing, please visit the Illinois Center for Nursing and the Discover Nursing websites.