15 Types of Nurses and How to Become One

When you decide to become a nurse, you’re doing more than choosing a career. You’re following a calling. Determining which kind of nurse you want to be is a key component of finding your path and pursuing what truly drives you.

There are many kinds of nurses, as almost every aspect of the healthcare industry relies on nurses to maintain patient satisfaction and see to day-to-day responsibilities. Across all specialties, nurses are foundational, providing the services and maintaining systems that ensure the success of the entire healthcare system.

How to Choose a Nursing Specialization

There are factors you should consider as you determine what kind of nurse you want to be:

Schooling: Some nursing specializations require extra years of school or advanced degrees, which will mean investing more money and time toward your education. There are certain nursing specialties, such as emergency or operating room support, that you can do as an RN or a BSN. Advanced practice nurses, such as family nurse practitioners, need a master’s degree in nursing.

Certifications: Nursing specializations have their own certifications, which means you will need specific training and qualifications to practice in the area you choose. It’s important to think about your long-term goals so you can pursue the certifications you will require. You should always check criteria for earning certification in your state before choosing a course or degree program, as not all courses and programs are honored in every state.

Population: Understanding the population of patients with which you wish to work can help you narrow down your professional specialty. For almost every possible population, there is a nursing specialty, whether it’s pediatrics, oncology, geriatric care or hospice care. If you do not want to work one-on-one with patients, you might choose a non-clinical area of focus, such as nurse education or nursing informatics.

Setting: When choosing a nursing specialty, it’s also worth considering the setting in which you hope to work. If you want to work in a hospital or private practice treating patients, you may consider pursuing a career as a family nurse practitioner (FNP). If you would prefer to stay in an academic setting, you should think about earning your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) so you can become an instructor or scholar in the field.

Salary: All nursing specialties have different earning potential, and your nursing salary will vary based on your location. If you are considering a particular specialty, or even comparing different specialty paths, it’s good to know that the salaries can vary. Consider checking with trusted government or nursing sources to check into the average salaries.

Passion: More than anything, it’s important to follow your individual passion. In the end, you will be most successful in your studies and your career if you are working in an area that brings you fulfillment. For nurses, the path toward career satisfaction can be very personal. Think about why you were called to nursing and see where your own story leads you.

Types of Nurses and Nursing Careers

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

Adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioners work with patients from adolescence through older adulthood. AGACNPs help patients who have unexpected, critical medical conditions, and often work in hospitals or emergency clinics. Adult gerontology NPs may have a range of responsibilities:

• Perform checkups for chronically ill or at-risk patients
• Conduct tests, analyze results and communicate findings
• Prescribe medications
• Develop long-term or preventive care plans

Nurse practitioners who specialize in adult-gerontology acute care must complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program and study specialized coursework. They must complete field experiences as part of their MSN studies and pass certification exams upon graduation.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)

Adult-gerontology primary care nurses (AGPCNPs) work with patients struggling with long-term chronic disease or illness. They also work with those at high risk for chronic illness. AGPCNPs care for patients in primary care settings, sometimes serving patients from adolescence through adulthood with long-term care and treatment.

To practice as an adult-gerontology primary care nurse, you will need to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from an accredited institution and pass certification exams in your state.

Emergency Nursing

Emergency nurses work in emergency rooms in hospitals and urgent care clinics. ER nurses are generally responsible for intake and triage of patients. In ER settings, nurses must be calm and organized, able to make quick decisions independently to save lives in critical situations.

Emergency room nursing responsibilities include:

• Administering medications
• Assisting doctors with procedures
• Seeing to patient needs
• Taking medical histories

ER nurses must hold a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in nursing and may need to complete specialized courses, such as the Emergency Nurses Association’s Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).

Family Nurse Practitioner

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) stand in for doctors in many medical practices. As advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), FNPs are positioned to complete many of the functions of a medical doctor, including performing exams, diagnosing illness or disease, and prescribing treatments and medications. Family nurse practitioners complete a master’s degree in nursing program and pass certification examinations to practice in clinical settings, such as family practice, pediatric primary care, or school or college health offices.

Healthcare Policy Nurse

A non-clinical specialization, healthcare policy explores the intricacies of healthcare in America, preparing nurses to work within government agencies and nonprofit organizations to influence policy with the greater system. Healthcare Policy is a specialization within some Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs. Graduates are advanced nurses who understand how to drive policy decisions that lead to better patient care and outcomes.

Home Health Nursing

Home health nurses care for patients in their homes, usually to aid in recuperation from a traumatic medical event or illness. Home health nurse responsibilities may include administering medication, assessing patient mobility or independence, discussing future treatment plans with patients and families, and caring for patients over long illnesses.

Home nurses are RNs and may hold a BSN degree. Besides completing nursing training, they must pass the NCLEX-RN exam.

Nephrology Nursing

Nephrology is the study and treatment of disorders of the kidneys. Nephrology nurses earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and complete specialized coursework and training on the kidneys. A nurse with nephrology training may work with patients across the lifespan or in collaboration with healthcare professionals within other specialty areas, such as oncology or pediatrics. Nephrology nurses may learn how to work with dialysis patients or those at risk for kidney disease.

Nurse Administrator

Nurse administrators lead nursing departments in hospitals and other settings. Nurse administrator responsibilities may include:

• Staffing and scheduling nurses
• Representing the nursing department to institutional leadership
• Advocating for nursing team needs
• Ensuring patient care within the department

Nurse administrators work across medical disciplines and settings. To become a nurse administrator, you will need to earn your MSN and pass certification exams.

Nurse Anesthetist

A nurse anesthetist is a nursing specialist trained to administer anesthesia to patients before or during a surgical procedure. Nurse anesthetists work under the guidance of an anesthesiologist and play a critical role in monitoring patients’ vital signs during and after procedures. Nurse anesthetists must hold a degree in nursing and pursue specialized study and training in anesthesiology.

Nurse Educator

Nurse educators hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and are specialists in nursing pedagogy, instruction and research methodology. If you wish to teach nurses or to take on a leadership role in nursing higher education, you should explore nurse educator MSN programs.

Nursing Informatics

Informatics is the science of using data and analytics to solve complex challenges. In the nursing profession, that might mean managing patient medical data, analyzing patient outcomes or supporting the implementation of systems that lead to greater efficiency. Nursing informatics is an MSN specialty that may appeal to solutions-oriented nurses who do not wish to practice in a clinical setting.

Nursing Leadership

There are certainly leadership roles for nurses at the master’s level, but for those who aspire to become transformative leaders in healthcare, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is the highest level of study. To enter a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, you must already hold a master’s degree in nursing and have experience working as a nurse. DNP programs are research-based, allowing you to pursue advanced coursework and complete a final project on a nursing topic that appeals to you. In a Doctor of Nursing Practice program, you will:

• Explore strategies to lead teams and influence patient outcomes in healthcare systems
• Examine a healthcare challenge and consider solutions in a research-backed dissertation
• Learn how to mentor and develop future nurses
• Study how diverse populations experience care and the factors that create inequity in healthcare

With a DNP, you will be prepared to work in clinical practice or to pursue roles in non-clinical settings such as universities, government agencies or research institutions.

Perioperative Nursing

If you have experience as a registered nurse (RN) and can stay calm under pressure, you may consider a career as a perioperative nurse. Perioperative nurses assist surgeons, nurse practitioners and anesthesiologists in operating rooms. They are critical members of surgical teams, and perioperative nurses’ responsibilities span the preoperative to postoperative phases of care:

• Assessing patients and taking medical histories
• Speaking with patients and families about procedures and expectations
• Preparing surgical sites
• Passing instruments to doctors and NPs throughout procedures
• Monitoring patients during surgery and in recovery
• Arranging postsurgical care plans for patients

Perioperative nurses may be expected to earn a BSN degree, take specialized courses and pass the NCLEX-RN certification exam. They may also need to complete required clinical hours in an operating room setting.

Population Health

Population health is a non-clinical specialization that take a macro view of healthcare, looking at community health through a big-picture lens. Nurses who specialize in population health work to address systemic health issues, creating programs that lead to healthier lifestyles across a large population. Population health is a master’s-level specialization for nurses with experience working as RNs.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)

Psychiatric-mental health nurses are specially trained nurse practitioners who focus their studies on mental disorders. To practice as a PMHNP, you will need to complete a master’s program in nursing and complete coursework that prepares you to sit for specialized national certification exams. Psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners work with patients across the lifespan to address mental health needs, and may work in emergency care settings, hospitals, mental health facilities, or for nonprofit or government agencies.

How to Become a Nurse

If you are interested in becoming a nurse or exploring nursing specialties, you should consider earning your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Chamberlain University. With online and on-campus hybrid programs and a range of specializations, Chamberlain has the largest nursing program in the country. Ready to get started? Chamberlain’s Enrollment Representatives are available to answer your questions about admission requirements and walk you through the application process. Get started by calling 877.751.5783 or request information online.

Chamberlain University, an accredited institution, offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and certificate programs in nursing and healthcare professions. With a growing network of campuses and robust online programs, Chamberlain continues to build on more than 130 years of excellence in preparing extraordinary healthcare professionals.

By Chamberlain University