Although nursing is a rewarding profession, it is also a challenging one. For that reason, it is important for you to select a specialization that you will find most rewarding. Consider choosing one of the top five nursing specializations listed below as these are some of the most in-demand ones out there.
Midwifery
Nurse midwives primarily provide assistance, both physical and emotional, to soon-to-be mothers throughout the gestation process until and shortly after she gives birth, during the postpartum period. Midwives tend to work with women who are not expected to experience any complications during the birthing process, and work is usually done in a health care facility such as a hospital. They also help women during the pre-conception period as well as throughout their reproductive lives by providing regular gynecological services.
Neonatal Nursing
Neonatal nurses care for infants who require specialized care due to a premature birth, chemical dependence, birth defects, cardiac malformations or other illnesses. Although most infants cared for by neonatal nurses are in their first month of life, some require assistance until they are about two years old; they are usually cared for until they are sent home from the hospital. Some of the things that neonatal nurses do while helping these infants include feeding them, administering medication or oxygen and helping with medical procedures.
Orthopedic Nursing
Orthopedic nurses work with patients who are suffering from musculoskeletal ailments. These include issues related to arthritis, diabetes, repetitive stress injuries and broken bones. Education is an important aspect of this specialization as orthopedic nurses spend a considerable amount of time helping their patients understand what is happening to them and what short- and long-term treatment plans would best take care of or minimize the effects of what had occurred. Orthopedic nurses also administer medicine and assist during surgeries related to these ailments.
Pediatric Nursing
This is a great specialization to focus on for those interested in working with young children and infants. This field also allows those in the field to develop more long-term relationships with their patients and families than is possible in many of these other specializations. In fact, oftentimes the children looked after later become parents themselves who then seek out the assistance of the pediatric nurse who had helped them while growing up. Work done by pediatric nurses includes physical examinations, taking urine and blood samples and ordering diagnostic tests. Some of the special skills that pediatric nurses have is communicating with children who may have difficulty explaining what is wrong and understanding how young bodies react to illness and injury.
Psychiatric Nursing
Psychiatric nurses provide assistance to patients suffering from conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. Education plays a large role in what they do as well as they spend a significant amount of time teaching these individuals and their loved ones how to best control and overcome what has been happening to them. Prescribing medicine is also part of the role for many involved with this specialization. Some work with those in a residential facility while others focus on out-patient settings. A number of psychiatric nurses focus on helping those suffering from a specific mental ailment. Those in this field tend to work with patients of all ages.
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Although these may be the top nursing specializations, several other ones that desperately need people working in them are out there. So, if the ones included on this list did not interest you as much as you had hoped, visit a website such as Explore Health Careers to find one that best matches what you are looking for.
