These men and women have earned Master’s degrees in nursing and work in advanced roles such as: Nurse Practitioner (NP); Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS); Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM); Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA); RN First Assistant; and Nurse Psychotherapist.

Nurses in this field provide care and support to individuals and families on a periodic basis outside the hospital environment. These nurses put an emphasis on pain management and patient education to keep those with chronic injuries and illnesses healthy and independent in their home surroundings.

These men and women apply their skills and training toward establishing, promoting, or consulting for business ventures in the healthcare industry. They can build on their nursing knowledge to develop medical devices or computerized systems for delivering health care, which frees staff nurses to spend more time caring for patients.

Nurses in this field work with patients and the families of patients who suffer from heart disease. While Cardiac Care Nurses are often specialized Critical Care Nurses in the hospital, they can also work with patients in the home, assisting with cardiac drug monitoring and providing care to patients who have undergone bypass, angioplasty, or pacemaker surgery.

Nurses in this field aid in the diagnosis of heart disease and help administer interventional procedures, including cardiac catheterizations, angioplasties, and valvuloplasties. These men and women are responsible for aiding doctors in the implantation of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), and must keep up on the latest technologies of this rapidly moving field.

Nurses in this field coordinate care for patients receiving long-term therapy, providing for optimal timing in all aspects of treatment. For cancer patients, for example, they coordinate primary care visits, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. A Nurse Case Manager usually specializes in one specific area such as AIDS, geriatrics, or children.

Also known as Nurse Anesthetists, these men and women administer local or general anesthesia to patients undergoing surgery or other procedures.

These expert nurses hold Master's degrees in many different nursing specialties. They assist RNs and serve as a valuable resource for all consulting health professionals when difficult nursing problems arise.

Nurses in this field work in government and private agencies, clinics, and other private settings. They focus on populations, working with individuals, groups, and families to improve the overall health of communities. They educate about health care issues, disease prevention, nutrition, and childcare, and also work with community leaders, teachers, parents, and physicians in community health education.

Nurses in this field provide care to inmates of correctional facilities such as prisons, juvenile homes, jails, and penitentiaries.

Nurses in this field care for patients of all ages who are acutely ill or in critical condition. These nurses often must use sophisticated equipment, and are also responsible for the emotional welfare of patients and their families.

Dermatology nurses provide education and care for patients undergoing investigation for, and treatment of, wounds and diseases of the skin.

Nurses in this field work with children, adults, or the elderly. They may work in clinics, shelters for the abused, or do research to prevent domestic violence. Also known as: Violence Nursing; Violence Prevention Nursing; Child Abuse Nursing; and, Elder Abuse Nursing.

Nurses in this field provide care for patients in the critical or emergency phase of an illness or trauma, and must be able to recognize life-threatening problems and rapidly arrange necessary care. These nurses are not limited to only working in the emergency room of a hospital.

Nurses in this field may serve on hospital ethics committees, or work in a legal setting.

These registered nurses have one-to-two years of advanced education beyond a Bachelor's degree and are able to diagnose illnesses and prescribe interventions through interview and physical exam, order specific labs and diagnostic testing, and, in some states, are able to prescribe medications to patients. Because FNPs are trained to provide care, promote health, and treat disease in patients from childhood through old age, they are trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases.

These nurses provide intensive nursing care while transporting critical patients by helicopter or ambulance. They may also transport less critical patients via commercial airlines.

Nurses in this field work with law enforcement officials to aid in the investigation of crimes such as sexual assault, accidental death, abuse, and assault. They also treat the victims of these crimes.

Endoscopy Nurses (also called Gastroenterology Nurses) work with patients or with healthcare providers to patients who are undergoing diagnosis or treatment for disorders affecting the digestive system, including reflux, abdominal pain, bleeding, and some cancers.

Men and women in this field provide care to people with genetic diseases and conditions. They're also involved in screening, risk identification, and treatment of these diseases, working with patients of all ages.

Geriatric/Gerontological Nursing: With more than 50% of patients in hospitals over age 65, the men and women of this specialty are a necessary force in taking care of older adults. Whether working in the hospital or in a Long-Term Care facility, these nurses have extensive knowledge about the special care needed in rehabilitating and maintaining the mental and physical health of the elderly.

A GNP is a registered nurse with a master's degree from a nurse practitioner program that specializes in the care of older adults. GNPs are educated to diagnose and manage acute and chronic diseases, taking a holistic approach to meet the medical, psychosocial, and functional needs of older patients.

Nurses in this field provide care, support, and education for female reproductive health, from a woman’s first menstrual cycle through menopause. This field of nursing is often further specialized into Prenatal Nursing and Labor & Delivery Nursing.

Nurses in this field are analysts, usually prepared at the PhD level. They provide expert analysis on the potential or current impact of health and government policies. They may work with government policy-making bodies, think tanks, or schools.

Nurses in this field provide care to people with Hemophilia, Sickle-Cell, Leukemia, and other diseases of the blood and blood forming organs. They also help to educate and care for the families of those with similar diseases. Because these diseases are closely associated with cancer, these nurses often specialize in both Hematology and Oncology Nursing.

Nurses in this field educate individuals on how to prevent the spread of HIV, and help those infected cope with the physical, social, and psychological aspects of their disease, and to minimize pain and maximize independence. They also educate and support loved ones and family members of those infected with the disease.

Nurses in this field provide a multifaceted approach to healthcare, bringing together all available resources to facilitate patient self-care, and promoting a physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well being.

Nurses in this field provide care for people in their homes, such as those recovering from illness, an accident, or childbirth. Also known as visiting nurses, these nurses improve the quality of life for thousands of people every day.

Nurses in this field provide sensitive care and pain relief to patients in the final stages of life. They protect patients from unnecessary, painful therapies, and often provide care at home, in order to maximize meaningful time patients can spend with family and loved ones.

These nurses contract with healthcare facilities to provide nursing services, usually charging by the hour. Nurse Contractors practice all aspects of the healthcare industry, including home health, nursing homes, hospitals, rehab centers and doctors' offices, among many others.

Nurses in this field identify and control infections that occur in the community or in a hospital setting. They collect data and instigate infection control and prevention measures. They also work with childhood infections, STDs, HIV, TB, and infections that occur during hospitalization.

Nurses in this field merge information technology, computer science, and nursing science as health care makes the transition from traditional record keeping and care delivery to computerized and automated systems. They implement, teach, and design vendor and IS systems to be more user friendly, with the goal of improving patient care.

Nurses in this field, also called Intravenous Nursing, provide care to patients by administering fluids, medication, or blood products through injections into patients’ veins or by maintaining arterial catheters. These nurses are also responsible for monitoring patients, maintaining their tubing and bandages, and recognizing potential drug interactions and complications. Infusion Nurses work in hospitals, long-term care centers, clinics, and home health agencies.

Nurses in this field provide care to women who are in labor or who have recently delivered, or for those who may be having complications with labor. They also work with doctors to develop a plan to aid in the safe delivery of healthy babies.

Nurses in this field help new mothers master breastfeeding and cope with problems that may arise. Additionally, they advocate for breastfeeding mothers in the workplace, and they work in the health policy arena to encourage the development of progressive breastfeeding programs and legislation.

Nurses in this field review medical records and help attorneys determine whether professional negligence has occurred in a given case.

LPNs, or Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), as they are called in Texas and California, care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. They provide basic care, taking vital signs, temperature, blood pressure, and pulse, and assist with bathing patients, monitoring catheters, and applying dressings. Most LPN or LVN programs are about a year long and are offered by technical and vocational schools.

Nurses in this field provide continuing care to patients who have been diagnosed with chronic diseases. The care is referred to as sub-acute, and usually involves elderly or disabled patients and their families.

Nurses in this field work to keep health care costs to a minimum by educating individuals and families about illness prevention and self-care, and by helping health care providers administer to the sick in an efficient manner.

The men and women in this field are registered nurses who work in hospitals, acute care units, home care, and long-term care facilities to provide care for primarily adult patients before and after surgical procedures. They also attend to those who are being treated with pharmaceuticals (medications) to manage illness.

These nurses provide medical care for fellow soldiers in all branches of the US military, including Army, Navy, Air Force, as well as in the US Public Health service.

This field allows nurses of a specific faith to combine their administration of care with their religious and spiritual calling. Unlike Parish Nursing, where nurses provide health information and care to a congregation of a similar faith, Missionary Nurses provide care to those individuals and/or communities who do not share their religious beliefs but may be open to exploring them more deeply.

Nurses in this field provide care and support for very sick or premature newborn babies and their families.

Nephrology nurses care for patients of all ages who are experiencing, or are at risk for, kidney disease.

Nurses in this field provide care and support for patients diagnosed with dysfunctions of the nervous system, including spinal cord injuries, head trauma, and seizures.

Nurses in this field have degrees in both nursing and law. They may represent health care professionals in court, or work to shape health care policy.

Nurse Educators are responsible for teaching and mentoring the next generation of nurses. Working within the classroom and in the practice setting, these nurses are responsible for preparing lesson plans, inspiring, instructing, and encouraging nursing students, and fostering in them an appreciation of the nursing profession.

Nurses in this field are in the public sector, working in local, state, or federal government to affect public health legislation.

Nurses in this field provide total care for pregnant women, from prenatal visits through to labor and delivery. They also provide primary health care throughout the course of a woman's reproductive life.

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with several years of post-baccalaureate education who are able to diagnose illness and prescribe interventions through interview and physical exam, order specific labs and diagnostic testing, and prescribe medications, while still providing health care education, counseling, and supportive care to an individual, family, or community.

Nurses in this field improve patient care by translating research findings into practice innovations at the bedside. They are responsible for conducting research, analyzing data, solving clinical problems, writing grants, and sharing their findings with the larger healthcare community.

Nurses of all specialties can promote the nursing profession in the health policy arena through legislation or through political and social campaigns.

These men and women apply their skills and training toward establishing, promoting, or consulting in business ventures in the health care industry. They can build on their nursing knowledge to develop medical devices or computerized systems for delivering healthcare, freeing staff nurses to spend more time caring for patients.

Nurse Executives are primarily involved with management and administration concerns. They provide leadership roles in the designing of care, the planning and developing of procedures and policies, and administration of budgets in hospitals, health clinics, nursing homes, and ambulatory care centers.

Those working in this field include those with degrees in nursing, business, or nursing administration, and work with the top levels of hospital and health care administration, overseeing and guiding an institution's nursing workforce.

Nursing Quality Improvement: The men and women in this field focus on improving quality of care and patient safety through taking evidenced-based practices (from computer information systems to different pain management protocols) and implementing them in Hospitals, Long-Term Care Facilities, Clinics, and Intensive Care Units.

These nurses write textbooks, articles for journals and newspapers, and books about historically important nursing figures. They may also consult for or write television shows or films about nurses.

These registered nurses provide on-the-job health care for the nation's workforce, striving to ensure workers' health, safety, and productivity.

Nurses in this field provide care and support for patients diagnosed with cancer. These nurses are responsible for administering chemotherapy and managing symptoms related to cancer illnesses.

Nurses in this field provide care and support to patients before, during, and after surgery. These nurses are responsible for maintaining a sterile environment in the operating room, monitoring the patient during surgery, and coordinating care throughout the process. They are also responsible for making sure the OR team provides the patient with the best care possible.

Nurses in this field provide care and support for patients diagnosed with disorders of the eyes, including blindness, glaucoma, or eye trauma.

Nurses in this field provide care and support for patients with musculoskeletal diseases, educating the patients and the families about self-care and available support systems.

These nurses provide care and support to patients undergoing medical and surgical procedures concerning the ears, the nose, and the throat. Also known as Head and Neck Nursing.

Nurses in these fields work at home and abroad with non-profit organizations, such as the Peace Corps, to bring basic health care to poor communities.

Men and women in this field are responsible for assessing, treating, and monitoring pain, which is often referred to as the fifth vital sign. These nurses are responsible for educating patients about the management of their pain, as well as making sure the patient is safe during the administration of treatment. Pain Management Specialists are Advanced Practice Nurses with Masters Degrees and a Nurse Practitioner Certificate. They may also have certification in Palliative Care or Advanced Oncology.

Nurses in this field have extensive education in pediatric health care and nursing, and serve as health care providers for children and adolescents. They work with pediatricians and other health care providers to promote and advance children’s health care.

These nurses specialize in the care and treatment of young patients ranging in age from infancy to late teens. They may specialize in areas such as immunology or oncology.

Plastic or Reconstructive Surgery Nursing: Men and women in this field care for patients undergoing cosmetic procedures to correct aesthetic abnormalities or perceived abnormalities. These procedures range from small and elective, such as dermabrasion, to more complicated procedures necessary for a patient’s physical and psychological well-being, such as facial reconstruction after an accident or breast replacement after a mastectomy, and everything in between.

Poison Information Specialists provide information to individuals, schools, businesses, and medical professionals regarding poison prevention and treatment. These specialists, who are either licensed pharmacists or licensed registered nurses, often work in poison control centers providing phone triage to patients who may have ingested poison. These nurses usually have backgrounds in emergency rooms and intensive care units.

Nurses in this field aid and support the mental health of patients with acute or chronic psychiatric needs.

Nurses in this field work in government and private agencies, clinics, and other private settings. They focus on populations, working with individuals, groups, and families to improve the overall health of communities. They educate about health care issues, disease prevention, nutrition, and childcare, and also work with community leaders, teachers, parents, and physicians in community health education.

Nurses in this field work with patients who suffer from diseases that affect the lungs, including tuberculosis, asthma, and cystic fibrosis, and also work with patients who are slow to be weaned off ventilators. While Pulmonary Care Nurses are often specialized Critical Care Nurses in the hospital, they can also work with patients in the home, assisting with pain management from diseases like lung cancer and emphysema.

Radiology nurses provide care and support to patients undergoing diagnosis in radiation imaging environments, including ultrasonography, magnetic resonance, and radiation oncology. Also known as Cardiac Catheterization Lab Nursing.

Nurses in this field provide physical and emotional support to patients and the families of patients with illnesses or disabilities that affect their ability to function normally and that may alter their lifestyle.

Nurses in this field provide education and support to individuals, couples, and families regarding fertility, menopause, and other reproductive concerns. These nurses work in clinics that provide treatments, in centers that match egg donors with families, or in counseling programs that help individuals and couples who are having difficulty conceiving.

Nurses in this field are dedicated to promoting the health and well being of children of all ages in an academic environment.

Nurses in this field provide comprehensive care for patients who have been hospitalized with an acute illness or injury. Oftentimes, this care is more intensive than long-term and traditional nursing home care, but less intensive than acute care.

These men and women are pain management nurses who help regulate medications and provide care for those addicted to drugs or alcohol, or who are suffering from other types of substance abuse.

Nurses in this field provide extra nursing care to hospitals or long-term care facilities when a facility's nurse staffing is low.

Nurses in this field provide care and support to patients before, during, and after surgery. Different positions include scrub nurses (who pass sterile instruments and supplies to surgeons), circulating nurses (who work outside the sterile field), and RN first assistants (who deliver direct surgical care to patients).

Nurses in this field provide care by comfortably connecting patients to machines that measure heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate, as well as blood-oxygen level and electrocardiogram information. The machines then send the data to computer screens for these nurses to monitor. Telemetry Nurses must then read and interpret this information to help better determine patient care.

Telephone Triage Nurses support, advise, and consult by phone with patients, consumers, and clients. They help determine what type of care is needed and may refer patients to a healthcare provider instead of a clinic or emergency room, thereby reducing unnecessary visits.

Toxicology Nurses work with patients or with healthcare providers to patients who have experienced a toxic or poisonous exposure. Often, these nurses will follow the progress of these patients to assist in evaluating diagnostic tests, and clinical, laboratory, and EKG findings. They are also responsible for disseminating poison prevention education. Toxicology nurses must be calm under pressure, as they may be called upon to ease fearful patients in emergency situations while at the same time providing treatment advice and/or possibly evaluating a patient's vocal quality and degree of cough.

Nurses in this field provide specific care to individuals and families of different cultural groups (often immigrants and refugees) based on the specific physical, emotional, and spiritual care needs dictated by those cultures.

Men and women in this field work in the area of organ transplantation, providing support to recipients of organs, living-donor patients offering their organs for transplant, and their families. These nurses are responsible for coordinating and administering care throughout the transplantation process: before, during, and after surgery. These nurses are also instrumental in providing education to patients and their families.

Nurses in this field provide emergency care to patients of all ages. These nurses work to maintain vital signs and prevent complications and death.

These nurses accept short or long term positions all over the world. Traveling nurses may work anywhere throughout the country and the world, and therefore enjoy a great variety of assignments.

Urologic nurses care for patients across the lifespan, providing guidance and treatment for a variety of urologic diseases and concerns. They work in all health care settings, resolving acute problems and managing chronic conditions. Urologic nurses perform exams, perform and interpret diagnostic studies (such as urodynamics), treat bladder dysfunction and incontinence, provide patient education, and teach preventive care.

Nurses in this field provide support and care for individuals with stomas, vascular and pressure wounds, draining wounds, neuropathic wounds, and fistulas, and help patients manage these conditions.