The 20 Nursing Career Specialties : Demands, and Salaries

The nursing field has seen explosive growth in recent years, and this should continue for the foreseeable future. If you are intrigued by a career in nursing, you will likely find a specialty in this list.

20 Nursing Career Specialties

Neonatal Nurse

neonatal nurse

This specialty works with premature babies, most often in an intensive care setting. They provide extensive care for premature infants who usually have a variety of health problems.

Career Path: BSN, Master’s Degree, Specialized training/experience with neonates

Job Demand: will increase by 17% by 2022.

Average salary: $65,000

Nurse Midwife

This specialty is a type of advanced practice registered nurse who provides and coordinates patient care for mothers and expecting mothers.

Career Path: Many experiences as a nurse, Master of Science degree in nurse-midwifery.

Job Demand: will increase by 31% by 2022.

Average Salary: $79,000.

Clinical Nurse

This specialty treats patients who have more serious health problems in most cases. They usually work in the hospital in a clinical setting.

Career Path: BSN, MSN, Specialized, Clinical Nurse Training

Job Demand: will grow by 20% by 2022

Average Salary: $67,000.

Critical Care Nurse

Critical Care nurseThis specialty works most often in the intensive care unit or ICU.

Career Path: BSN, Worked at least 2 years in ICU.

Job Demand: will grow by 16% by 2022

Average Salary: $61,000

Dialysis Nurse

This specialty works with patients who have kidney problems and who must receive dialysis on a regular basis so that they can survive.

Career Path: BSN, Take classes in dialysis specifically nephrology and pharmacology.

Job Demand: at least 19% by 2022

Average salary: $64,000

Nurse Practitioner

nurse practitionerThese professionals work under the eye of a doctor, and they do patient exams, diagnose various illnesses and prescribe drugs.

Career Path: BSN, MSN and several years experience in the field

Job Demand: at least 25% by 2022

Average Salary: $94,000

Health Policy Nurse

This specialty works at an administrative level in various public and private organizations to come up with policies that will make people in society healthier.

Career Path: BSN, MSN, Worked in the field for years, Specialized field by participating in a health policy residency

Job Demand: at least 17% by 2022

Average Salary: $66,000

Nurse Anesthetist

This specialty provides anaesthesia to patients who are going into surgery. They also help manage patient care in the OR, and they provide follow up care for many procedures that are done on an outpatient basis.

Career Path: BSN to RN (at least 2 yrs experience), MSN in Nurse Anesthesia, Work in acute care, such as an ICU or ER

Job Demand: will grow by 22% by 2022

Average Salary: $154,300.

Informatics Nurse

This specialty collects, interprets and analyzes important medical data that comes into a health facility every day. They also train other nurses in the hospital on any new technology that is being introduced.

Career Path: BSN to RN (years of experience), Take classes in Informatics Nursing

Job Demand: Growth in this field is probably not as high as nursing overall

Average Salary: $83,000

Nurse Educator

health careThis speciality teaches other professionals to become nurses.

Career Path: BSN to RN, MSN, May need a doctorate in Nursing.

Job Demand: will grow by 19% by 2022

Average Salary: $65,000.

Nurse Advocate

This specialty represents the interests of the family and the patient in a clinical care setting.

Career Path: BSN to RN (years of experience), Continuing education classes in social and financial matters related to health care. Then you need to be employed as a nurse advocate and possibly become a consultant.

Job Demand: will grow by 19% by 2022

Average Salary: $57,000.

Nurse Researcher

This speciality works closely with various medical organizations and research organizations to do clinical studies related to health.

Career Path: BSN and MSN, Doctorate in nursing (Often required). Experience or training in clinical studies

Job Demand: will increase by 26% by 2022

Average Salary: $90,000.

Pain Management Nurse

This speciality is a type of advanced nursing and helps the patient to not become addicted to narcotics. They work with the patient to determine what is causing the pain and then works with other medical professionals to determine the best course of treatment.

Career Path: BSN to RN (years of experience at least 2000 hours related to nursing pain management)

Job Demand: at least 19% for all nurses by 2022

Average Salary: $67,000.

Psychiatric Nurse

This speciality has a high degree of expertise in mental health, crisis intervention and therapy that they use to help patients deal more effectively with mental illness.

Career Path: BSN to RN, Education in mental health and experience in the field.

Job Demand: Over 20% by 2022 in this profession

Average salary: $65,000.

Trauma Nurse

This speciality usually works in ERs, trauma facilities, and urgent care centers. This is a high demand, high-stress profession, and it is not for every personality.

Career Path: RN to BSN, Years working in a trauma center or ER, Obtain emergency nursing certification.

Job Demand: at least 20% growth in this field by 2022

Average Salary:  $65,000.

 

nursing specialty

Travel Nurse

This speciality usually works for a nursing or health care agency that covers a certain area of the US, or possibly the entire country. They provide nursing services to hospitals and medical facilities to fill a short-term need.

Career Path: BSN to RN, at least 2 years experience working in one or two facilities.

Job Demand: at least 20% growth by 2022

Average Salary:  $70,000, and the employer will pay benefits usually as well as a housing allowance.

Pediatric Nurse

This speciality works with young children, most often in a clinical or intensive care setting. They provide children with specialized care.

Career Path: BSN and some master’s degree. You need specialized training or experience working with children.

Job Demand: at least 19% by 2022

Average salary: $65,000.

Geriatric Nurse

nursing specialtyThis speciality is trained to work specifically with the elderly and to handle the challenges that these types of patients have.

Career Path: BSN to RN, Special training in working with elderly patients.

Job Demand: at least 20% by 2022

Average Salary: $65,000.

Public Health Nurse

This speciality generally focuses on preventative medicine. They primarily educate people about health issues and try to improve community health before people get sick.

Career Path: BSN to RN. Experience or training in PHN. Possibly earn a master’s degree.

Job Demand: At least 20% by 2022

Average Salary: $66,000.

Oncology Nurse

This speciality works one on one with cancer patients in a hospital, clinical care center or even at home.

Career Path: BSN and be a practising nurse for several years. Eventually, earn a certification in oncology nursing, and MSN.

Job Demand: At least 20% by 2022

Average Salary: $68,000.

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