Nursing is not only the largest healthcare occupation; it is also the most varied. In 2006, registered nurses held about 2.5 million jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Almost three out of five RNs work in hospitals.

Varied Settings, Diverse Roles
The rest work in a wide variety of settings including clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, long-term care, home health or public health. Nurses also find jobs in social service organizations, government agencies and school systems.

RNs may specialize in a particular type of treatment like critical care or rehabilitation or a specific disease or condition like cancer or diabetes. Others focus on an organ or body system like the skin or the cardiovascular system or a population like children or the elderly. And some nursing specialties, like infection control or informatics, require little or no patient care.

In addition, RNs can move into the business side of health. Employers such as hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, insurance companies and managed care organizations hire nurses for health planning, marketing, consulting, policy development and quality assurance.

Many nurses "reinvent" themselves over the course of their careers. The same nurse might, for example, begin at the bedside, work in the operating room, become a staff educator, then go into administration. The possible permutations are almost endless.

Education And Outlook
Most nurses currently enter the field with a two-year associate degree. But many employers now prefer nurses with a bachelor's degree. As a result, some RNs with a two-year degree later complete a four-year program.

A bachelor's is often necessary for administrative positions, and it's a prerequisite for graduate nursing programs in research, consulting, teaching and advanced practice.

Despite the economic downturn, overall job opportunities for RNs will continue to be excellent. But opportunities will vary depending on the nursing specialty, employment setting or geographic area.

Nancy Giguere is a freelance writer from St. Paul who has written about healthcare since 1995.