Newsflash: Nursing Jobs Have Grown and Changed Over the Years
The nursing profession has changed drastically in the past century, offering a greater number of opportunities and a wider range of career paths.
Specialized Training
Nurses did not have any formal training until the late 19th century, when Florence Nightingale founded the modern nursing profession and offered training to women who wanted to be nurses. Over the years, more organized training emerged and gradually led to nursing programs for both men and women interested in this type of work. In the early 1900s, training focused on medical care and hospital etiquette when dealing with patients. While being able to comfort and connect with patients will always be an invaluable skill for nurses, a modern nursing education places a larger emphasis on the medical care. Today’s training also includes qualifications that you should place on your resume when applying for specialized nursing jobs in Little Rock. These nursing specialties include:
- Acute Care Nursing
- Cardiovascular Nursing
- Geriatric Nursing
- Legal Nurse Consulting
- Occupational Health Nursing
- Oncology Nursing
- Pediatric Nursing
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Rehabilitation Nursing
- Women’s Health Nursing
Broad Responsibilities
Nurses were primarily caregivers in earlier years, but this changed as more formal education and training emerged. Nurses began handling tasks that physicians usually performed, which allowed doctors to treat larger numbers of patients and focus more on those with severe injuries or illnesses. More recently, nurses have taken on even more responsibilities, such as treating medical emergencies rather than simply assisting a physician. They have begun to play a crucial role in clinical research by collecting data, sharing it with key stakeholders, and improving patients’ overall care as a result. The increase in nursing specialties has also created rewarding, new responsibilities that are unique to their job settings. If you have questions about the roles that nurses play today, consider talking with a staffing specialist at a nurse staffing agency in Little Rock.
Diverse Job Settings
When the profession was just emerging, nurses were mobile medical experts who would go where help was needed, whether the job setting was a private home or a battlefield. The creation of nursing programs and modern hospitals led to centralized locations where nursing skills were needed. Today, nurses have a variety of job settings to choose from, including hospitals, hospice facilities, doctors’ offices, and assisted living facilities. Nurses can also work in places that are rarely thought of as medical settings, such as schools or prisons. If you prefer the mobility that was required of nurses a century ago, you can also choose jobs that require you to travel to multiple facilities and administer care.
Emerging Technology
Nurses once relied on crude medical supplies and limited treatment histories to care for patients. As medical technology has become more advanced over the years, nurses have been able to work with more sophisticated tools. Changes in the health care industry, such as the switch to electronic health records, have made it more convenient for nurses to access patient information and offer comprehensive care. Technology is also expected to have an impact on training, with computerized simulations allowing nurses to practice intricate procedures before assisting actual patients.
If you’re looking for a new job, check out our Job Openings page + to see what’s available. Apex Staffing specializes in connecting talented job seekers with high-quality, local employers. Our service is completely free for job seekers and we are always accepting applications.