Registered Nurse
Definition: A Healthcare professional, responsible for providing hands-on patient care alongside many other physicians and nurses daily.
The nursing field has been around for centuries and has just semi-recently specialized and subdivided into professions such as registered nurses. The first recorded use of the word “nurse” was back in the 14th century. Back then, the standards were different for nurses than it is now. For centuries, nurses' jobs were to care for children and breastfeed them. It wasn’t until the 16th century were the umbrella term nurse began to slowly subdivide into another profession called “wet nurses”; their role was to care for sick individuals. It wasn’t until 1873 that the first formal nursing program in the United States was officially established. The journey of the nursing category has been extensive, playing important roles in maternity to aiding patients with infectious diseases. It’s important to understand that all nurses, no matter the specialty, are extremely important and are a crucial aspect to keep the strength of the medical field alive.
But how do I get there?
To become a Registered Nurse, you must (typically):
Gain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) ( you can also get an associate's degree in nursing, ADN )
Complete an accredited nursing education program
Sit for the nurse licensing exam
Take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
Obtain a license in the state you're planning to practice in, the requirements may vary depending on the state.
Let’s talk about location.
RN’s can work in many different locations inside and out of the hospital, some of which include:
The majority of RNs work in hospital settings
Physicians offices
Outpatient care centers
Nursing facilities
government facilities
Educational facilities
What do they do?
Registered Nurses play an important role at every step of patient care, during pre-operation, during-operation/diagnostic, and post-operation phases.
RN’s responsibilities include:
Manage care
Maintain patient health
Provide basic care
Additionally, depending on the specialty, RNs can:
Get patients ready for exams and/or treatment
Record medical history and symptoms
Administer Medications and Treatments
Help plan the route of patient care
Educate patients and family members about important information related to the condition and routes of treatment.
Work alongside physicians for patient care.
Specialization?
Registered Nurses can specialize in different areas of practice, some of which include:
Addiction Nursing
Cardiovascular Nursing
ICU Nursing
Gastroenterology Nursing
Surgical Nursing
Neonatal Nursing
Public Health Nursing
Work Cited
AMG School of Nursing. “What Is a Registered Nurse? - AMG School of Nursing.” AMG School of Nursing -, 16 Mar. 2023, https://www.amg.edu/nursing-careers-nyc/what-is-a-registered-nurse/.
“Registered Nurse (RN).” CORP-MSN0 (NLM), 4 May 2022, https://nursinglicensemap.com/nursing-specialties/registered-nurse/.
Wong, Anita. “Nursing: Where and How Did It All Start?” AMN Healthcare, 2 Mar. 2020, https://www.amnhealthcare.com/blog/nursing/contract/history-of-nursing-where-and-how-did-it-start/.
WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/what-is-registered-nurse. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
