Black Intelligentsia Libraries
The New Way Of Thinking
Registered Nurse
Do you consider yourself an analytical person, a strategy thinker, and a team leader?  Do you perform well under pressure?  Regardless of the situation, could you use "best practices" to create order in chaos, even if others' lives depended on your decisions?  If so and if you genuinely love people, lead by example, enjoy studying the human anatomy, possess a comforting quality, and are responsible, hard-working, and a master at multi-tasking, then you would be the ideal Registered Nurse.

Registered Nurses assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, and disabled patients, advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention, maintain medical records, and provide case management.  In addition, RNs provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.  These licensed professionals include advanced practice nurses such as:  Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

The duties of a Registered Nurse include but are not limited to:  overseeing Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Aides, and Home Care Aides; recording patients' medical histories and symptoms; giving patients medicines and treatments; setting up plans for patients’ care and contributing to existing plans; observing patients and recording the observations; consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals; operating and monitoring medical equipment; helping to perform diagnostic tests and analyzing results; teaching patients and their families how to manage their illnesses or injuries; explaining what to do at home after treatment​; and running general health screenings, immunization clinics, blood drives, and other outreach programs.​

High school students interested in becoming an RN benefit from taking Algebra, Biology/Anatomy, Nutrition, Physical Science, and Chemistry.  Students entering Registered Nurse Bachelor's of Science (BSN) programs from high school with no previous RN training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.​  Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs and diploma programs usually take 2 to 3 years to complete.  The BSN programs are comprised of courses in Nursing, Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Nutrition, Psychology and other Social/Behavioral Sciences, as well as in Liberal Arts.  Many RNs with an ADN or diploma find entry-level positions and then take advantage of tuition reimbursement benefits to work toward a BSN by completing an RN-to-BSN program.

Ideally, students would earn their LPN prior to graduating high school, though it is not required.  This would give a Nursing student the option of working part-time as an LPN on weekends to supplement grant and scholarship income while enrolled full-time in a BSN program.  It also allows students to earn good money to pay for tuition, books, uniforms, supplies, and any required clinical equipment.  

RNs work in hospitals, Physicians' offices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities, correctional facilities, schools, summer camps, factories, warehouses, construction companies, with the military, and other physical-labor workplaces.  Specialties are categorized based on the following:  specific health condition; specific part of the body; specific demographic (age, gender); and specific workplace.  A few of over 60 available specialties are:  Addiction Nurses (substance abuse); Cardiovascular Nurses (heart disease and surgery); Critical Care Nurses (serious illnesses and injuries); Genetics Nurses (genetic disorders and diseases); Neonatology Nurses (newborn babies); Nephrology Nurses (kidney-related issues); and Rehabilitation Nurses (temporary or permanent disabilities).

Due to the large "baby-boomer" population approaching retirement age, an increased emphasis on preventative care, and technological advancements increasing life expectancy, growth in the demand for Registered Nurses over the next decade is expected to double the total growth rate for all occupations.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $65,950

Salary Range:  ~$44,970 - $96,630+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming a Registered Nurse have been to major in Nursing.  RNs usually take one of three education paths:  a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nursing (BSN), an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), or a diploma from an approved Nursing program.  RNs must also be licensed.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Bachelor's of Science Nursing (BSN) programs and Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADN, ASN) are:  Winston Salem State University (Winston-Salem, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Howard University (Washington, DC); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Dillard University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, Florida); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Coppin State University (Baltimore, Maryland); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Bowie State University (Bowie, Maryland); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Bluefield State College (Bluefield, West Virginia); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia);​ Stillman College (Tuscaloosa, Alabama); Charles R. Drew University (Los Angeles, California); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); and Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida).
Available Scholarships
​Also see the following related careers: