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Nurse - Registered
Nurse - Division 1 )



Duties and Tasks
Specialisations
Quick Facts
Work Conditions
Personal Requirements
Case Study
Related Industries
Labour Market
Related Jobs
Earnings
Related Courses
Further Information
State Specific Information

Occupation Video
 

Measuring a patient's blood pressure
Measuring a patient's blood pressure


Registered nurses assess, plan, provide and evaluate preventative, curative and rehabilitative care for patients in a wide variety of settings. These include public and private hospitals, nursing homes, the community and home-based services, and in industry. 

Fact Sheet

Duties and Tasks

Registered nurses may perform the following tasks:

  • provide physical and technical nursing care and support for patients
  • make sure patients receive treatment prescribed by doctors and other health professionals
  • provide emotional and psychological support and information to patients and their families
  • supervise, or carry out, nursing care of patients
  • observe, monitor, assess, report and document patients' conditions and responses to treatment
  • give medication in accordance with sound working knowledge of legislation and pharmacology
  • monitor and adjust medical equipment used in patient care and treatment, some highly technical and complex
  • prepare patients for operations or provide post-operative care such as wound care and nutritional management
  • assist in the rehabilitation of patients
  • assist with patients' discharge planning
  • provide first aid, assist in routine medical examinations, give advice on health matters and maintain sickness and accident records (where employed by large industrial or commercial organisations)
  • answer questions and provide information to patients and families about treatment and care
  • contribute to the clinical training of nursing students
  • supervise enrolled nurses and other hospital staff.

Specialisations

Areas of specialist nursing practice include mental health nursing, midwifery, child and family health, aged care, cancer nursing, intensive care, operating theatre, community health, remote area nursing, research, management, education and workplace health and safety.

Phlebotomist
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Community Health Nurse
Mental Health Nurse
Nurse Educator
Nurse Manager
Nurse Researcher
Practice Nurse
Nursing Unit Manager
Nurse Practitioner

Info Icon Quick Facts

Learning Area Biology  
Chemistry  
Work Demand Including full use of hands/fingers  
Including mainly indoor work  
Including physical effort  
Including reading or writing  
Including standing for long periods  
Work Field Health and Community Services  
Work Interest Analytic or Scientific  
Helping or Advising  
Skill Level Professional Jobs  
Quick Facts

Work Conditions

Nurses usually work according to a rotating seven-day roster which includes morning, afternoon and night shifts, weekends and public holidays.

Personal Requirements

  • good communication skills
  • able to assume responsibility and a leadership role
  • able to take the initiative in emergencies
  • tolerance, patience and tact in dealing with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures
  • able to work as part of a team
  • mentally and physically fit.

Case Study

Natural Flair For Nursing

Related Industries

Hospitals
Medical and Other Health Care Services
Residential Care Services

Labour Market

Information

Australian JobOutlook for Registered Nurses

Vacancies

Australian JobSearch for Registered Nurses (ALL AUSTRALIA)
Australian VolunteerSearch - Health/Medical and Disability for ALL AUSTRALIA
Work Opportunities websites

Related Jobs

Army Officer
Nursing Manager
Registered Midwife

Earnings


Income of persons working full-time, 2006
Registered Nurses

Income per Week Number Share (%)
$1000 or more 34,908 48.8
$400 - $599 5,754 8.0
$600 - $799 12,657 17.7
$800 - $999 16,881 23.6
Less than $400 1,294 1.8


Copyright 2007 education.au

This information is based on the 2006 census conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.


Earnings of persons working full-time and part-time, 2006
Registered Nurses

Employment Status Weekly Income ($)
Full-time 998
Part-time 638


Copyright 2007 education.au

This information is based on the Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership survey conducting annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

How Much?

Related Courses

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

See State Specific Information below for further education and training options.

Further Information

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council
Australian Nursing Federation (National)
Department of Health Western Australia
Health Professions Licensing Authority
NSW Health Department - Nursing Careers Advisor
NSW Nurses Association
Nurses and Midwives Board of WA
Nurses Board of SA
Nursing Board of Tasmania
Office of the Chief Nursing Officer
Queensland Health Career Factsheets
Queensland Nursing Council (Registration body for Queensland)

State Specific Information

New South Wales / ACT
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia

Ensuring correct doasages
Ensuring correct doasages


Occupation Video - The Registered Nurse

Video courtesy of the myfuture Student Video Competition

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