5 Great Nursing Specialties - The Best Health Degrees

Nursing Specialties in Demand

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Certified Dialysis Nurse
Nurse Researcher
Certified Nurse Midwife
Nurse Practitioner

The nursing field continues to be a growing field and one constantly in demand, particularly with so many nursing students pursuing nursing specialties. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that registered nurses (RNs) should see job growth of about 15 percent between 2016 and 2026. RNs who earn certifications in different nursing specialties generally have the best career opportunities.

1. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are the most popular nursing specialties, according to Nurse Journal. CRNAs are advanced practice nurses who provide anesthetics with assistance during surgical, obstetrical and trauma care procedures. They work with not just anesthesiologists and surgeons but also with podiatrists, dentists and various other healthcare professionals. They administer anesthesia in every type of procedure and in every practice setting. According to Salary.com, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn an annual median wage of $176,212 as of March 2018.

2. Certified Dialysis Nurse

Certified dialysis nurses work with patients who use dialysis machines because their kidneys are not functioning as they should. While they typically work in hospitals and clinics, certified dialysis nurses are also high in demand on cruise ships. In addition to having to pass a certification exam, certified dialysis nurses must also have completed at least 2000 hours working with dialysis patients in the last two years. Salary.com states that certified dialysis nurses earn a median annual wage of $75,309.

3. Nurse Researcher

Nurse researchers are RNs who study different aspects of illness, health and healthcare in general. As a way to improve healthcare services and healthcare outcomes, research nurses create and implement various scientific research and studies. In addition to writing articles and reports for medical and nursing journals, they also teach in clinical or academic settings. Their careers are often started by working as clinical research monitors or research assistants. According to PayScale, nurse researchers earn an average annual wage of $104,500 as of March 2018.

4. Certified Nurse Midwife

Certified nurse midwives are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who assist and provide healthcare to pregnant women during the pregnancy as well as during the post-partem time. They may work in a clinical setting or within the patient’s home. Certified nurse midwives offer prenatal care, genealogical exams, labor and delivery assistance, and neonatal care. The demand for certified nurse midwives continues to grow every year. The American College of Nurse-Midwives predicts that one in ten babies will be delivered by midwives in the near future. Certified nurse midwives earn an annual median wage of $104,390 according to a March 2018 report by Salary.com.

5. Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners are healthcare professionals who work with patients throughout their lives. Unlike some nurse specialties that deal with a certain group of patients, nurse practitioners work with all patients. They provide physical examinations, administer immunizations, diagnose and treat common illnesses or injuries, order diagnostic tests, perform procedures and education patients and their families. In many states, they can also prescribe medications. They also assist physicians in clinics. As of a March 2018 report by Salary.com, nurse practitioners earned a median annual wage of $103,212.

Related Resource: 5 Important Characteristics of a Nurse

With the aging population continuing to need good healthcare to improve their quality of life, RNs continue to be in demand. Pursing nursing specialties can not only increase the career opportunities available to them but can also result in more rewarding work and higher wages.