Students enrolled in nursing programs often want to know more about their future career outlook and the types of jobs available with an Associate’s in Nursing degree. Also known as an ASN degree, this is a program that students often complete in three years or less. While it might seem like all nursing jobs are the same, many employers in the medical field prefer hiring nurses with an RN degree and those who completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or BSN degree. After completing your program and passing the licensing examination, you can seek employment from various medical employers and jobs outside the medical field. However, the following jobs are available with an Associate’s in Nursing degree.
Residential and Nursing Home Jobs
Residential homes are similar to nursing homes, but these facilities let the elderly live on-site with minimal supervision. Residents have their own apartments and can make their own meals, but they can also enjoy meals in a dining hall or cafeteria. Nurses remain on call 24 hours a day and seven days a week to help those who need assistance. Nursing homes offer more supervision for patients, and these homes often monitor patients throughout the day. Nurses may work in both settings to dispense medications, take vital statistics and pass on information to doctors.
Hospital Nursing Jobs
Many nursing students dream of working in the fast paced environment of an emergency room, but many hospitals prefer nurses with more experience and a higher level of education. The nursing jobs available with an Associate’s in Nursing degree in hospitals often include nurses who step in and work on a part-time basis to cover shifts when other workers are sick or can’t work. Many of the specialized nursing jobs in hospitals, including trauma nurses, pediatric nurses and cardiovascular nurses, need a degree, a nursing license and a specialized certificate.
Home Health Aides
One job open to healthcare professionals is the home healthcare field. Instead of working in a hospital or a doctor’s office, you can work in the homes of your patients. Many aides work with one patient and provide care and general support, but other aides work with two or more patients every day or throughout the week. In addition to dispensing medication and checking vital statistics, you’ll also help patients clean and bathe themselves, use the bathroom and perform other daily tasks. Some aides also cook and clean for patients. Working as a home health aide can help you save money until you pass your nursing license examination or finish an advanced degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, home health aides make more than $20,000 a year.
Nursing Tutors
The jobs available with an Associate’s in Nursing degree include working as a nursing tutor. As the number of students enrolled in nursing programs continues rising, those students need working nurses who can assist them with their classes. You can charge an hourly fee to help students online or in person, and you can specialize in helping them with specific courses or giving them a refresher before taking their board examination.
Related Resource: Accelerated Nursing Degree
Though you’ll have more job opportunities when you complete a higher degree or finish an RN program, you still have options available to you with a shorter degree. The jobs available with an Associate’s in Nursing degree include jobs at hospitals and nursing homes and careers as nursing tutors and home health aides.
