Registered Nurse

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management.

Educational Requirements

for Registered Nurses
The typical entry level education for this occupation is a bachelor’s degree.

Knowledge

Examples of the knowledge needed for success in this occupation is listed below, in order of importance.
  • Medicine and Dentistry: Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Psychology: Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills

Examples of the skills needed for success in this occupation are listed below, in order of importance.
  • Social Perceptiveness: Understanding people’s reactions.
  • Active Listening: Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  • Service Orientation: Looking for ways to help people.
  • Speaking: Talking to others.
  • Reading Comprehension: Reading work-related information.

Abilities

Examples of the abilities needed for success in this occupation are listed below, in order of importance.
  • Oral Comprehension: Listening and understanding what people say.
  • Oral Expression: Communicating by speaking.
  • Problem Sensitivity: Noticing when problems happen.
  • Written Comprehension: Reading and understanding what is written.
  • Inductive Reasoning: Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

Detailed Work Activities

Examples of the detailed work activities involved with this occupation are listed below, in order of importance.
  • Maintain medical facility records.
  • Administer non-intravenous medications.
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
  • Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.