Assess patients, give treatments and medications, and coordinate care as part of the medical team.
You may also see this posted as: Charge Nurse, Emergency Department RN (Emergency Department Registered Nurse), Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN), Staff Nurse, Certified Operating Room Nurse (CNOR), Oncology RN (Oncology Registered Nurse).
Hospitals, clinics, and homes; fast-paced, on your feet most of the shift.
Often long shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays.
Social
helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
O*NET job zone 4 of 5
High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
BLS estimates 0.5% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Bachelor's degree
Training path: BSN — or the cheaper ADN route to the same license.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
Requires passing the NCLEX-RN and holding a state license.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
The associate-degree route earns the same RN license for a fraction of the cost.
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Standard Occupational Classification 29-1141. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.