Many nurses in Pennsylvania will be very quick to inform you how gratifying a professional nursing career can be. According to data provided on the Board of Nursing website, almost 9 out of 10 Pennsylvania registered nurses are satisfied with their job choice.
The greatest satisfaction is frequently found in direct service. Nursing is a profession that appeals to people who like helping others. Nurses can experience a strong sense of fulfillment when they make their patients happy.
However, in this era of healthcare reform, registered nurses have even more cause to be proud of their work. Nurses are advancing health on a large scale, according to a study co-authored by a Pennsylvania RN/University of Pennsylvania nursing professor. In many cases, they are developing innovative care models that address the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health action areas (https://campaignforaction.org/study-nurses-models-of-care-match-culture-of-health).
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Typical RN Career Paths
Hospitals employ more registered nurses than in any other environment in the country. They examine and monitor patients, help in the operation room, and offer bedside care. They’re also members of treatment teams, and they’re typically in charge of care coordination and discharge planning. In some cases, nurses can work in highly specialized units.
RNs also work in a variety of different medical contexts. In long-term care settings, they frequently hold positions of significant responsibility, such as developing and updating treatment plans, managing and directing other nursing staff, and conducting quality control.
According to the most current data given by the Board, the majority of RNs in the state work in hospitals (55 percent). The next largest group (9%) works in nursing homes, extended care institutions, and assisted living facilities.
The next most popular settings are ambulatory care and home health, with each accounting for 7% of the state’s hired RNs. About 3% of people work in school health services, academic environments, and insurance claims and benefits. Community health is the second most prevalent setting. Approximately 1% of the state’s registered nurses work in public health, occupational health, or penal facilities.
RNs can finish their basic nursing education as part of an associate, diploma, or bachelor’s degree program, according to the Board (RN programs in Pennsylvania). They could go on to graduate school or advanced practice.
The Pennsylvania Board of Nursing conducted a poll of registered nurses who renewed their licenses in the 2012-2013 renewal cycle, and the findings were released in 2015. This data represents the most up-to-date picture of the state’s RN workforce as of 2018.
Pennsylvania features a number of significant and well-regarded hospitals. They frequently have a large number of specialized units and may be nationally rated in one or more fields. Some hospitals are specialized in their own rights, such as those that provide pediatric or cancer treatment. Even under these situations, each unit’s responsibilities differ. RNs are used in surgical oncology and the intensive care unit at Fox Chase Cancer Center, for example. It also has a large number of nurse navigators on staff.
Magnet status is a nurse-led evaluation of a hospital’s overall quality. It is a standard that is bestowed by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. There are currently 29 of the 471 magnet hospitals located in Pennsylvania. Three or more magnet hospitals are found in several health systems, such as Main Line Health, Pinnacle Health, and UPMC. Other magnet facilities in Pennsylvania include the University of Pennsylvania’s Geisinger Medical Center Hospital, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Hospitals may offer a lot more than just inpatient acute care. They could have their own home health services for persons who have been released from acute care, for example. Allentown’s Lehigh Valley Health Network Home Health Services is a magnet. Long-term care and home care groups, on the other hand, frequently seek recognition from other sources (and for guidance in achieving excellence).
Long-term care institutions and hospitals are both recognized by the ANCC Pathway to Excellence program, which indicates a nurse-friendly workplace. Mercy Life-West Philadelphia, a PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly), has been designated as a Pathway to Excellence. The program assists seniors with significant medical and psychological issues who are disadvantaged in many ways in their ability to live independently of nursing institutions. Mercy Life has also been recognized by NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) and has been featured in the Edge Runners program.
Registered nurses may be found almost anywhere. They can be active in public policy, healthcare consultation, and research. Pentech is a manufacturer of specialty medical goods, as well as nurses who may give specialty patient support services in the home. Delco News Network writes about a Delco woman and the RN who comes to check on her Medtronic SynchroMed Pump, which delivers medication to her spine and helps her live better with cerebral palsy (http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/ridleytowntalk/news/secane-woman-calls-longtime-home-health-care-nurse-her-angel/article 2533bba7-1cd8-5d97-90d2
Pentech was also honored with a Pathway to Excellence award. The company was named one of Pennsylvania’s top places to work in 2017.
Researchers from Pennsylvania and Maryland have discovered evidence that a positive nursing work environment, as measured by Pathway to Excellence criteria, can lead to fewer missed opportunities for care, such as times when patient education is recommended but not provided (https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/live/news/875-study-provides-first-evidence-for-american-nurses).
Innovations in Nursing
Nurses are not just caregivers; they are also entrepreneurs. The American Academy of Nurses’ Edge Runners program (http://www.aannet.org/initiatives/edge-runners) highlights nursing innovation, and the state of Pennsylvania is well-represented in this domain.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs in Pennsylvania earned an average of $33.06 per hour or $68,770 per year in 2017.