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Long-Term Care Nursing
What Is Long-Term Care Nursing?
Long-term care nurses work with seniors, people who require long-term medical treatment, and physically disabled patients who are unable to perform everyday functions. With the many different types of patients and conditions they are required to treat, long-term care nurses must be versatile and highly skilled in order to be effective. For example, one long-term care nurse may be required to care for an elderly who cannot take care of himself, a young child with a brain injury, and a teenager with psychological problems. This wide range requires a very diverse skillset.
According to Johnson & Johnson, long-term care nurses are required to monitor their patient’s health and educate their patient’s families on their medical conditions. Long-term care nursing differs from many other kinds of nursing in that long-term care nurses work with same patients every day. Many nurses find building long-term relationships with their patients to be very rewarding, although it can be difficult for the nurse if a patient’s condition worsens.
What Is The Daily Routine and Work Environment For A Long-Term Care Nurse?
Long-term care nurses typically work in nursing homes, assisted living communities, and in patients’ homes. In addition to providing treatment for whatever conditions their patients may have, long-term care nurses must help patients with other daily tasks such as bathing, feeding, dressing and using the restroom. Sometimes, long-term care nurses have to motivate and encourage their patients in times of despair, which can require a great deal of patience and tolerance. Other tasks performed by long-term care nurses can include:
- Helping patients to walk without wheelchair
- Transferring patients from bed to/from wheelchair/stretcher
- Taking and recording the vital signs of the patient
- Administering medication or injections
What Are The Educational Requirements For A Long-Term Care Nurse?
To become a long-term care nurse, an individual must earn a nursing diploma, ADN, or BSN and pass the NCLEX-RN in order to become a nurse. After working as a nurse for at least two years, he or she can take the Long-Term Nurse Certification exam to become a Certified Register Nurse, Long-Term Care (CRNL).
What Is The Average Salary For A Long-Term Care Nurse?
According to Johnson & Johnson, the average annual salary of a long-term care nurse is $21,000 - $22,000. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the job outlook for registered nurses is positive, with 26% expected job growth between 2010 and 2020.