Learn About Different Types of Jobs and Careers for Nursing Majors

Your nursing career choices range from those that take about a year to train for, up to some that require eight or more years of college education. The different types of nursing careers include licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs), who perform routine tasks such as monitoring vital signs and helping patients with personal hygiene. Registered nurses (RNs) provide the bulk of front-line care, administering medications and assisting doctors with the treatment of injuries and diseases. Advanced practice nurses may manage a nursing staff or have advanced training in a particular area of the field, such as anesthesia. LPNs and CNAs usually earn a certificate from a vocational school. RNs must complete either an associate's degree program at a community college or a bachelor's degree in nursing at a four-year institution; those who earn bachelor's degrees generally get better jobs and advance more quickly. Advanced practice nurses must earn Master's of Science in Nursing degrees.