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Nurses can have ample work opportunities, like medical technicians, as nurses are almost always needed. Nurses are in demand from major hospitals in central locations, to community centers in rural areas. There are several specializations within nursing, and the work demands rely on the profession, schooling, place and employer. Registered nurses may operate in a variety of environments, such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, jails, nursing homes or offices for doctors. RNs are providers of direct treatment while being supervised by a licensed prescriber, such as a nurse practitioner or doctor. Nurses are responsible for taking and recording the vitals of a patient, noting any medical problems/complaints, assisting patient needs, prescribing medicine, explaining medical details, and serving as a patient-doctor liaison. RNs will also need to update medical records and develop nursing care plans to carry them out.

A nurse practitioner is a greater rank and division within nursing . A (NP) nurse practitioner, unlike a registered nurse, can diagnose and manage some health conditions, prescribe medicine, order medical tests, function independently (without a doctor’s supervision), and has far more control and autonomy in her role in general. Usually, NPs are also in charge of regular registered nurses.

Patience, commitment to working with patients (and physicians), sensitivity, organisation, and excellent communication skills are the most essential attributes for a nurse to possess. A nurse spends much of his or her time working with patients, meeting their needs, recording their well-being, and educating them about how to lead healthier lives. That means that an understanding of the mentality of a patient is very helpful, especially during illness or after injury. In order to arrange the best health care plan for and patient, nurses often have to work constantly with physicians, so it is very important to be able to work effectively with doctors, to interact both in medical jargon and in terms of laymen.

Nursing Courses & Eligibility Criteria

The requirements to become a Registered Nurse (RN) are generally: passing the 10+2 exam in science subjects, a Diploma in Nursing (called a GNM, General Nursing and Midwifery), and/or getting a B.Sc. Nursing (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degree. The B.Sc. Nursing degree isn’t technically required for staff nurses and registered nurses (as long as they register in their respective State Nursing Council of India after the completion of their training), but those with a B.Sc. Nursing degree may be viewed more favourably by employers. Many nurses also choose to get a Post Basic certification in a particular area, such as paediatric nursing, neonatal nursing, psychiatric/mental health nursing, emergency and disaster nursing or cardio-thoracic nursing. This certification is in addition to a bachelor’s or master’s degree and/or diploma, which requires separate training and education.

To be a nurse practitioner you need to have at least one year of practice as a Registered Nurse in India (i.e., have a B.Sc. Nursing degree and/or a nursing diploma, and be registered with the State Nursing Council), after which you need to complete a Master in Nursing (M.Sc. Nursing) degree, where you will choose a field of specialty. This could include specialties such as cardiovascular and thoracic nursing, critical care nursing, oncology nursing, neurosciences nursing, nephro-urology nursing, gastroenterology nursing or obstetric and gynaecological nursing.

The nursing courses are offered at various levels of study – diploma, undergraduate and post-graduate. The basic eligibility for a B.Sc. Nursing course is a 10+2 with Biology, Physics and Chemistry. The basic eligibility for a course in General Nursing & Midwifery (GNM) is also the same i.e. 10+2 with Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

If you wish to continue your studies further, you can take up MSc Nursing courses which are considered very important in a teaching career. Here is a brief description to related course in nursing.

B.Sc (Nursing): This is a beginner’s course in nursing. In this course the very basic knowledge of this profession is provided like nursing, first aid treatment, midwifery etc. The course also imparts theoretical and practical aspects of nursing.

General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM): This course helps in preparing general nurses to hold first-level positions in the hospitals and other such places.

Auxiliary nurse midwife and health workers (ANMHW): In this programme training is provided to nurses on how to take care of health related needs of the people living in the rural areas especially children, mothers and old persons.

Diploma in Nursing: The minimum eligibility for this course is Class 10th or equivalent. This may be a one year or two year course.

Nursing Career Prospects

The demand for nurses is expected to grow by about 600,000 in the near future, since there are national plans to expand the health network as well as a renewed interest by private organisations. Nursing jobs may be found in:

• government and private hospitals,
• nursing homes,
• sanatoriums,
• clinics,
• crèches,
• schools,
• offices,
• factories,
• orphanages,
• old age homes
• and NGOs working on health issues

Nursing Pay Package

The average annual pay according to PayScale.com for a registered nurse (RN) is approximately Rs. 71,981 to Rs. 6,96,112. The average annual pay for a nurse practitioner varies depending on location and specialty, but it is generally higher than that of a registered nurse due to the increased education and experience.

For a Diploma holder nurse the salary can be anywhere between Rs.4,000-Rs.6,000. This may increase with experience and skills. A B.Sc nursing graduate can get a monthly salary between Rs.8,000-Rs.10,000 as a nurse in private/govt. hospitals but can earn a higher salary if appointed in nursing colleges/schools for teaching.

A candidate with an M.Sc Nursing degree can certainly earn more as he or she has the opportunity to head the teaching department of a nursing college.

Choosing a nursing career abroad can be financially rewarding. If you have the desire to go abroad for better career prospects then your degree viz. B.Sc/M.Sc Nursing will help you earn a higher salary as well.

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