Registered Nurse career guide

What a Registered Nurse does

A Registered Nurse (RN) assesses patients, provides and coordinates care, and monitors changes in their health. RNs work in settings such as hospitals, clinics, community health services, schools, and aged-care facilities.

Depending on the role and local rules, an RN may:

• Check symptoms and vital signs.
• Give medications and treatments.
• Help patients understand their care and recovery.
• Keep health records and communicate with the care team.
• Support patients and families through difficult situations.
• Respond to emergencies and changes in a patient’s condition.

A typical day

The workday depends on the setting and shift. In a hospital, an RN might:

• Receive updates from the previous shift and review patient needs.
• Assess patients and plan or update their care.
• Give medications, perform treatments, and document care.
• Coordinate with doctors and other health professionals.
• Explain care plans to patients and families.
• Hand over important information to the next shift.

Some roles follow regular daytime hours; others involve nights, weekends, or rotating shifts.

Skills you need

• Clinical judgment: Notice changes and decide when to act or seek help.
• Communication: Explain information clearly and listen carefully.
• Empathy: Treat people with respect and compassion.
• Attention to detail: Follow procedures and record information accurately.
• Teamwork: Coordinate care with other health professionals.
• Organization: Prioritize tasks when several needs arise at once.
• Resilience: Manage emotional demands and changing situations.
• Adaptability: Work with different patients, conditions, and care settings.

How to become one

Requirements vary by country or region, so check the nursing regulator where you plan to work.

Education

Most routes require completing an approved nursing program. Depending on the location, this may be a university degree or another recognized qualification. Programs usually combine classroom learning with supervised clinical placements.

Certifications and registration

After qualifying, you generally need to apply to the relevant nursing regulator and meet its registration or licensing requirements. This may include passing an exam, completing a background check, or demonstrating language proficiency. Requirements differ by jurisdiction.

Some employers require additional training for particular duties, such as emergency care or working with specific patient groups. These qualifications are usually role-dependent and may be completed after becoming an RN.

Entry routes

• Direct study: Apply to an approved nursing program after meeting its admission requirements.
• Related health-care experience: Work in a support role while preparing to apply for nursing education. Experience may help you understand the work, but it does not replace RN education or registration.
• Route for qualified nurses trained elsewhere: If you trained in another country or region, contact the local regulator to learn about assessment, bridging education, or other requirements.

Career path

A common progression is to begin in a general nursing role, build experience, and then move into a specialty or leadership position. Possible directions include:

• Specialty nursing: Develop expertise in areas such as emergency, mental health, or community care.
• Advanced practice: In some jurisdictions, further education and authorization can lead to advanced clinical roles.
• Leadership: Take on responsibilities such as shift coordination, team supervision, or nursing management.
• Education: Support students or staff through teaching and clinical guidance.
• Research or quality improvement: Help evaluate and improve care practices.

Available roles and required qualifications vary by location and employer.

Is it right for you?

Nursing may suit you if you want practical work that involves helping people, solving problems, and collaborating with a team. It can also involve physical demands, emotionally difficult situations, time pressure, and shifts outside standard business hours.

Before choosing the career, consider speaking with RNs, learning about local education requirements, and finding out what clinical placements or entry-level health-care experience are available.

Current pay is in the salary guide.