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This guide gives you a snapshot of nine popular nursing specialties, including an outline of daily duties, average salary, required education, and the type of nurse for which it might be a good fit. We hope you can use this guide as a leaping-off point for the next stage of your nursing career. 

Inside the guide, you’ll find: 

Nine popular nursing specialties 

Recommended certification 

Average salaries and required education  

Cardiac nurses work with patients experiencing acute and chronic heart conditions. Often, they work with cardiologists and cardiac nurse practitioners. Cardiac nurses are trained in the use of tools like defibrillators for use in cases of acute heart failure, heart attacks, or cardiac arrest.

What to expect in a typical day for a cardiac nurse:

Critical care nurses deal with some of the sickest patients. They often specialize in a specific critical care area. For example, intensive care units are often divided by specialties including trauma, burns, neurological, cardiac, and medical.

What to expect in a typical day for a critical care nurse:

Emergency department nurses are versatile, great under pressure, and have excellent critical thinking skills. Nurses in the emergency department can see patients with everything from the flu to a mental health crisis to severe traumas.

What to expect in a typical day for an emergency department nurse:

Flight nurses, also called aircraft, helicopter, or transport nurses, are RNs trained to provide medical care as they transport patients in either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft. Flight nurses have many of the same responsibilities as registered nurses. With additional training, they also have the option of pursuing a military or civilian career.

What to expect in a typical day for a flight nurse:

Geriatric nursing is by far the most common nursing specialty. Like critical care, geriatric nursing can be split into sub-specialties including medical-surgical nursing, oncology, rehabilitation, long-term care, and more. Nurses working in geriatric units are often experts in wound care, medication administration, and helping patients manage chronic conditions.

What to expect in a typical day for a geriatric nurse:

Pediatric nurses provide specialized care for children, typically in a setting that primarily provides pediatric care. These nurses are very knowledgeable about growth and development and often collaborate with the patient’s family to provide care for the child.

What to expect in a typical day for a pediatric nurse:

A SANE is specially trained to examine and care for a patient who has experienced a sexual assault. These nurses play an important role in not only addressing the physical needs of the patient but also in helping them work through the psychological effects of sexual assault. In addition, these nurses collect evidence to help identify the person who assaulted the patient. SANEs also work with law enforcement to ensure that justice is served.

What to expect in a typical day for a SANE:

Surgical or operating nurses help set up operating rooms for surgery, position the patient for their procedure, gather necessary supplies, and document everything that happens during surgery. Surgical nurses also care for patients before and after their surgeries and play an important part in making sure that the patient is kept safe from surgical errors, allergic reactions, and dangerous infections.

What to expect in a typical day for a surgical nurse:

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