What
is an RN? NP? CNA?
What is an RN?
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L-R:
Lori Huot RN, ACU nurse, Lois Skillings
RN, MS, NEA-BC, VP of Nursing and Patient
Care Services, LeeAnne Sargent RN, ACU
nurse. |
An R.N. is a registered nurse. A registered
nurse is one who has graduated from an accredited
nursing education program and has passed
a state board examination and been registered
and licensed to practice nursing. Today's
registered nurses typically have completed
an Associate's
Degree, a Bachelor's
Degree, or a Master's
Degree in Science prior to taking the
state licensing exam. The term was first
used sometime between 1895 and 1900.
What is an NP?
An NP is a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners
are registered nurses who have advanced
education and training for diagnosing and
treating health problems. They may provide
primary health care for patients, including
many tasks customarily performed by physicians.
A nurse practitioner has a Master’s
Degree in Nursing. This term was first used
between 1975 and 1980.
What is a hospitalist?
A hospitalist is a physician or a nurse
practitioner who specializes in seeing and
treating hospitalized patients. The hospitalist
program allows the physician or nurse practitioner
to become very familiar with your care and
treatment plan. They work right on the units
and work very closely with your nurses on
your plan of care. They make rounds every
day and maintain close contact with your
primary care physician, keeping them updated
on your progress.
What is a CNA?
A CNA is a certified nursing assistant.
Certified nursing assistants, also known
as certified nurses aides, have completed
an accredited CNA
program and taken a state exam to be
placed on the CNA registry. They work under
the direct supervision of a nurse and are
an important part of your healthcare team.
CNAs help patients with activities of daily
living, such as bathing, grooming and eating.
They also collect important data such as
vital signs, and intake & output and
report it to the nurse. They work hard to
make sure patients and their families are
comfortable.
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