Nursing Career: What are the different titles i.e.- BSN, RN, A, LVN, LPN, ect.?
Asked by villalobosa91
Nursing Career: What are the different titles i.e.- BSN, RN, A, LVN, LPN, ect.? I have always wanted to become a Nurse and I have been doing some research and came across the different Nursing 'titles' such as RN (Registered Nurse), BSN(Bachlor's in Science of Nursing) NA?(Nurse Assistant), CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), LPN and LVN. I would just like to know if there are any more such titles? What fields can a Nurse can specialize in? LIke, if I like working with kids for example, what would I have to specilize in? and What are the differences in all the titles mentioned above in terms of career and schooling? If you have a list of the different types of nursing titles or any reference websites, that would be great! Thanks :]

Best Answer:
NA or CNA = nursing assistant or certified nursing assistant. Not really a nurse. It's about a 1 month program, doesn't earn you a degree, but you can be certified or licensed through the state. LPN or LVN = Licensed Pracitical or Licensed Vocational Nurse. Usually a 1 year program, does NOT earn you any degree, but you are eligible for state licensure as a LPN / LVN. More educated than a nursing assistant, can pass certain medications, perform certain skills like wound care, etc., but still not as qualified or hold as much responsibility as a RN RN = registered nurse, you can be one with a minimum of a 2 year Associates Degree. Trained in all aspects of anatomy, physiology, disease pathology. Expected to perform complex assessments of the patient, create nursing diagnoses, establish goals and a care plan designed to meet those goals. Retains a high level of legal responsibility, even if tasks are delegated to assistive personel like CNAs or LPNs. BSN = Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which is just a 4 year RN degree. Both the 2 year and the BSN graduates sit for the exact same licensure exam and earn the same RN license. The difference between the 2 is many more general education courses, and ,more nursing courses which would include Public Health Nursing, nursing research, nursing leadership / management, and more in-depth learning about different nursing care models and the history of the profession. With a BSN degree you are more qualified for administrative or management positions, but not at any advantage over 2 year RNs if you are only seeking a regular hospital staff nursing job - my hospital pays only $1 more per hour for BSN staff nurses. CRNA = an advanced practice nurse who specializes in Anesthesia through a masters degree; the highest paying nursing job available, starting at about $100,000 per year - but highly competative field and you must be a stellar performer both academically and professionally to even get accepted into anesthesia school There are many specialties you can get into, many of which were listed above in a previous answer. But I will say that you can work in any number of areas as a RN. If you really enjoy your specialty area, there are certification exams you can take to earn the title RN,C or you can go back to graduate school to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist of a specialty or a Nurse Practitioner to work with specific populations (like Pediatrics, or Gerontology).

Here are list of some things nurses can specialize in: Ambulatory care nursing Advanced practice nursing Behavioral health nursing Burn nursing Camp nursing Cardiac nursing Cardiac catheter laboratory nursing Case management Clinical nurse specialist Clinical research nurse Community health nursing Correctional nursing Critical care nursing Developmental disabilities nursing District nursing Emergency nursing Environmental Health nursing Flight nursing Forensic nursing Gastroenterology nursing Genetics nursing Geriatric nursing Health visiting Hematology oncology nursing HIV/AIDS nursing Home health nursing Hospice nursing Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Nursing Intavenous therapy nursing Infectious disease nursing Legal nursing Legal Nurse Investigator Maternal-child nursing Matron Medical-surgical nursing Military and uniformed services nursing, including Public Health Service Neonatal nursing Neuro-surgical nursing Nurse anesthetist Nurse-midwife Nurse practitioner Nursing educator Nursing informatics Nursing management Obstetrics gynecology nursing Occupational health nursing Oncology nursing Operating room nursing Orthopaedic nursing Ostomy nursing Pain management and palliative care nursing Pediatric nursing Perianesthesia nursing Perioperative nursing Plastic and reconstructive surgical nursing Private duty nursing Psychiatric or mental health nursing Public health Pulmonary nursing Quality improvement Radiology nursing Rehabilitation nursing Renal dialysis nursing Renal nursing Research School nursing Sub-acute nursing Substance abuse nursing Surgical Nursing Tele-medicine nursing Telemetry nursing Telephone triage nursing Transplantation nursing Travel nursing Urology nursing Utilization management Wound care
Answered by ♥ CNA ♥

BSN = RN + 4 year degree in nursing RN = 2 year associates program APRN = RN + graduate degree LPN = 2 year program with licensure CNA = certificate program Nurses can specialize in any healthcare field. If you want to work with children, you would work in pediatrics. If enter into a 4 year nursing school, you will get experience in almost every field.
Answered by toy*