Work Environment

Registered nurses are the largest healthcare occupation. They work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, home healthcare services, and nursing care facilities. Others work in schools or outpatient clinics, or serve in the military. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients’ homes, schools, community centers, and other sites. Nurses generally work in well-lit, comfortable health care facilities. They need physical strength and stamina to lift or move patients and must be able to cope with human suffering and frequent emergencies. Registered Nurses may spend considerable time walking and standing. The Associate of Art in Nursing Program at Glendale Career College provides the education and training needed to begin a career working in a variety of different medical and health care facilities, including:

• Hospitals and HMOs
• Nursing and residential care facilities
• Medical clinics
• Physicians’ offices
• Residential care facilities
• Outpatient clinics
• Schools
• Government health organizations
• Correctional facilities
• Home healthcare services
• Military services

Quick Facts about Vocational Nurses*

• Employment of Registered Nurses is projected to grow 15 percent nationally from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations.

• Many procedures that once could be done only in hospitals are now being done outside of hospitals, creating a greater demand for Registered Nurses in other settings, such as outpatient care centers.

• Nurses generally work in well-lit, comfortable health care facilities. They need physical strength and stamina to lift or move patients and must be able to cope with human suffering and frequent emergencies. Registered Nurses may spend considerable time walking and standing.

• Nurses are trained to operate a variety of specialized medical tools and equipment, including hypodermic needles, forceps, hemostats, catheters, and medical monitoring machinery such as acute care fetal, maternal, and cardiac output monitors.

• Because patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities need round-the-clock care, nurses in these settings usually work in shifts, covering all 24 hours. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They also may be on call.