A good nurse is compassionate, caring, patient, and dedicated, able to communicate well with both patients and doctors, and is a team player

While specific responsibilities vary depending on the type of nurse you are, the general job description includes caring for patients, administering medication, recording patients’ conditions, communicating with doctors, assisting doctors during procedures, and providing education and emotional support to patients and their families.

Nurses can work in hospitals, private practices, clinics, nursing homes, retirement centers, schools, camps, home healthcare settings, and more. The wide range of settings reflects the large variety in the field of nursing itself. Some of the most common types of nurses are:

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) — entry-level nurses who generally work under RNs, performing duties such as routine tests, sample collection, and patient feeding and care.

Registered Nurse (RN) — aside from providing general patient care, RNs perform more complex tasks such as administering diagnostic tests and medications, and they’re more involved in creating the patient’s treatment plan.

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) — these are advanced-level nurses who, aside from providing care to patients in their area of specialty, also work on a macro level using theory and research to improve nursing systems. They may work as consultants to other health care professionals, developing guidelines and protocols to improve patient outcomes.

Nurse Practitioner (NP) — NPs can perform some of the physician’s responsibilities, such as prescribing medications, performing in-office procedures, and interpreting diagnostic tests. They can admit and discharge patients from hospitals, and there is a lot of collaboration between the NP and the physician.

What kind of schooling do I need?

LPNs or LVNs generally complete a one-year nursing-certification program and pass a National Council Licensure Examination for practical nurses (NCLEX-PN). RNs must complete a bachelor’s degree program in nursing and pass a national exam for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN). Advanced-practice nurses (CNSs and NPs) must also complete a master’s or doctoral degree.

A good nurse is someone who is compassionate, caring, patient, and dedicated, able to communicate well with both patients and doctors, and is a team player. A nurse also needs to have good attention for detail, be quick thinking, and have critical-thinking skills. And, of course, they need to handle themselves well in a stressful environment.

What can I expect to earn?

Salaries vary depending on the type of nurse you are, your locale, and other factors such as additional certifications, years of experience, and overtime pay. New York salaries are significantly higher than in other areas of the country.

Median salary nationwide for an RN: $73,300

Starting salary in New York: $85—90,000

Average base NY salary: $110,000 (with overtime and other add-ons, this can easily go up to $150—160,000)