What is a Registered Nurse (RN)?

When it comes to healthcare professions, it can feel confusing to make sense of the long list of acronyms — RN, LPN, APRN, and NP. While careers in healthcare are always in high demand, they all require different training and provide different skill sets. So if you’re interested in any of them, it’s advisable to research each of them individually to determine which one would be the best career path for you.

What is a Registered Nurse (RN)?

A registered nurse (RN) is a nursing professional who has an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. In addition, this type of healthcare professional has passed the NCLEX-RN examination administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Registered nurses also have to meet licensing requirements as required by their state’s board of nursing.

Once you have become a registered nurse, you’ll be able to administer hands-on care to patients in a wide array of settings — including hospitals, nursing homes, doctor offices, urgent care, medical flights, corporate settings, and home health care. The specific duties will vary depending on the setting, and include:

Medication administration per physician orders
Dressing changes
Feeding tubes
Inserting and irrigating NG tubes and Foley catheters
Wound care
Ventilation and tracheostomy care and suctioning andotracheally
Patient education
One-on-one nursing care in a home environment

The job of a registered nurse requires that you are empathetic, are able to work in fast-paced environments, remain calm during a crisis, and think on your feet. It also provides you with flexibility, as you can tailor your shifts to what works best with your schedule — such as longer shifts for more days off during the week, or picking up additional shifts if you so desire.

How to Become an RN

Getting the required degree, passing the NCLEX-RN, and complying with your state’s licensing board requirements are the main prerequisites to become a registered nurse. However, there are additional standards that must be met, prior to the higher education studies, including:

Minimum scores on the SAT or ACT
A good high school GPA
Three years of science subjects

Once you graduate with an ADN or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you apply for the NCSBN and wait to receive authorization for testing. Once you receive it, you can schedule the exam.

RN Careers at Sonas

At Sonas Home Health, you can choose to work with adult or pediatric patients — and work as part of a team. We also strive to make the experience as positive as possible by matching our caregivers with clients’ specific needs and personalities. In addition, we offer the following benefits:

Competitive pay
Flexible work schedules
Available shifts in 65 Florida counties
Paid time off
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
401K retirement plan with company match
Nurse Referral Bonus Program
Weekly pay
24/7 on-call support
CEU credits

If You’re Looking for a Career as an RN, Contact Sonas for Home Health Care

If you’re a Registered Nurse licensed in the state of Florida, and you’re looking for career opportunities in a home health care setting, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our nursing jobs page or contact us at (888) 592-5855 for more information.

Jillian Miller BSN, RN

Director of Nursing at Sonas Home Health Care

This blog was reviewed by Jillian Miller BSN, RN — Director of Nursing for Sonas Home Health Care’s Tampa Bay market — for clinical accuracy. Jillian Miller has been a nurse for 16 years — working primarily in pediatrics. She believes the best part of working with the pediatric population is when you see smiles from clients when you first enter the room. She loves seeing the difference you can make in families’ lives while providing the best care possible for them.