Nursing Specialties

There are various types of nursing, each with its own distinct focus and requirements. Different types of nurses include registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Nursing specialties can range from pediatrics to oncology, and require specialized training and education to provide expert care in their respective areas.
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12 Specialties

Certified Nurse Midwife
A Certified Nurse Midwife is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse who is specialized in women’s reproductive health and childbirth.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
A Clinical Nurse Specialist has advanced knowledge and hands-on expertise in a chosen specialty.
Critical Care Nurse
A Critical Care or ICU Nurse takes care of patients who are in a critical condition or recovering from a serious medical condition.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) at a Glance
As a career rooted in long-term, and sometimes multigenerational patient relationships, Family Nurse Practitioners are among the most compassionate and intimately connected providers in all of healthcare. FNPs are the people you’ll likely see most throughout your medical life, and are leaned on by both patients and doctors to provide individualized healthcare insights, and support. If you enjoy working with patients every day, and building meaningful relationships, earning a nurse practitioner degree, and becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner may prove to be an extremely rewarding career.
Gerontological Nurse Practitioner
A Gerontological Nurse Practitioner is a multi-disciplined primary healthcare provider who helps patients manage the physical, mental, and social effects of aging.
Informatics Nurse
An Informatics Nurse or Nurse Informaticist develops communication and information technologies, using medical data to improve patient care.
Medical-Surgical Nurse
A Medical-Surgical Nurse has extensive knowledge that can assist doctors on the medical-surgical floor of a hospital.
Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are crucial members of any surgical care team. As a CRNA, you’re responsible for bringing stellar communication skills, quality patient care, and a high level of scientific skill to each of your cases, likely to range across all disciplines. If you value human connection, independent thinking, high compensation, and on the fly problem solving, you just might be a CRNA.
Nurse Educator
A Nurse Educator teaches and trains the next generation of nurses at teaching hospitals, universities and colleges.
Nurse Practitioner
A Nurse Practitioner provides primary and specialty care, helping patients holistically through diagnostics, treatment and education.
Pain Management Nurse
A Pain Management Nurse takes care of patients who are experiencing or are debilitated by chronic pain.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a Glance
As certified advanced practice nurses, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners provide a range of mental health treatment and support services to patients and their families. In addition to working with doctors to establish a diagnosis and prescribe medication, Psychiatric NPs create holistic treatment plans that prioritize a dynamic level of educational and professional support specific to each patient’s psychiatric needs.Depending on their level of education, Psychiatric NPs can pursue additional specialties within the mental health profession, and can hold a variety of roles ranging from general psychiatric assessments and diagnoses, to working as counselors, to working in a research setting. However, no matter how you function as a Psychiatric NP, it’s important to lead with compassion for your patients who likely have little control over the way they are able to process or understand their diagnosis.
Explore These In-Demand Nursing Specialties
  • Circulating nurse at work during surgery at Bon Secours – St. Mary’s Hospital
    High Demand
    Perioperative nursing—also referred to as operating room (OR) or surgical nursing—specializes in patient care before, during, and after surgical and invasive procedures. Find out more about nursing career opportunities within this specialty here.
  • Woman in scrubs an hairnet about to receive anesthetics
    High Demand
    Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are crucial members of any surgical care team. As a CRNA, you’re responsible for bringing stellar communication skills, quality patient care, and a high level of scientific skill to each of your cases, likely to range across all disciplines.
  • Female nurse holding a newborn baby
    High Demand
    As a Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nurse, you’ll help care for mothers and newborns before, during, and after the birth. Your patients will look to you for information, reassurance and guidance in handling a delicate new life, new family member, and entirely new experience.

Take our quiz to see what nursing specialty is a good match for you.

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