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The nurse is a professional with a college degree and has a very large field of action, since she can work in several health sectors, such as hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, exam analysis laboratories, among many other areas.
But the nurse is not the only training that a professional in the field of nursing can have. Other professionals such as nursing technicians and nursing assistants also work in similar areas, but each with different forms of performance in the market. Do you want to know more about becoming a nurse? Follow the text and find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about this exciting area of the labor market.
Women in the Nursing Market
Historically, nursing is a profession associated with the female figure , whether due to the image of care or the patience that a nurse needs to have, the truth is that the overwhelming majority of professionals working in the field of nursing are women.
A recent survey shows that almost 85% of nursing professionals are women, while men represent only 15% in this area, an even higher number compared to surveys conducted in the past.
The numbers, however, can be encouraging for women who have difficulties entering the labor market. If your desire is really to work in the health field, find out here everything you need to graduate and what are the possibilities that the profession offers.
What is the Profile of a Nurse
A nursing professional usually works in the profession because she loves what she does . Firstly, to exercise this function, you must be aware that you will have to deal with different types of people and with all kinds of situations. Psychological preparation is essential to be able to perform your role successfully.
Availability of a Nurse’s Schedules
The hours of those who work in hospitals or in any area of health are not considered so pleasant . The scales are varied and occur during night periods, weekends and holidays and do not have breaks as common as other professions provide. For this reason, your profile needs to fit very well so that you do not find it strange and do not suffer when you are working in the area, whether as a nurse, nursing assistant or nursing technician.
Within the job market, a nurse is considered a professional who can work in almost any area of health, be it administrative, assistance or even managerial. But to better understand how each area can be exercised, we first need to understand that there are different backgrounds within nursing, they are:
- Nursing technician
- Nursing assistant
- Nurse
Each of these formations, enables the professional to work at a differentiated level within the health area. And it is important to know each one of them in order to know which is the one you most identify with or the one you want to exercise your function within the job market of the health professional.
Nursing technician
It is the professional who has a technical level, that is, focused on operational functions in the majority. The technical course for a professional of this type lasts an average of 2 years . Most of the time, the nursing technician performs some functions of nurses, but always with the supervision of one.
A nursing technician performs procedures such as measuring blood pressure and diabetes, makes basic collections and also assists nurses in other types of exams and care, such as dressing changes and the use of medications. Their functions are not limited to care, as nursing technicians are often responsible for administrative tasks such as checking materials and equipment at the hospital or clinic, for example.
Nursing assistant
The nursing assistant usually takes a shorter course than a nursing technician, which can last an average of 15 months . Their tasks are also more basic, although some are the same as those of nursing technicians, such as: dressing and applying simple medications.
The nursing assistant usually has more contact with patients , whether preparing them for exams to be performed or advising on food and preparing for consultations and exams. There are other functions that nursing assistants perform in conjunction with a superior (doctor or nurse) such as performing slightly more complex tests such as electroencephalographs, for example.
Nurse
The nurse is the professional trained in higher education in nursing, which has a durability of 5 years. Being the most complete type of professional mentioned here, the possibilities for this type of professional are very comprehensive and go far beyond contact with patients, being able to work within the area of hospital management, consultancy, care of people who need special care and even teaching and research for the health area.
Within a hospital or clinic, the nurse is responsible for all nursing care planning on site. The nurse is also the one who is able to assist patients at all levels, be it first aid, medication or exams.
It is the nurse’s responsibility to coordinate other team professionals as nursing technicians to assist them in these tasks. Nurses’ work is not restricted only to clinics and hospitals, as they can also serve at home or work in nursing or recovery homes. The market for this type of professional is much wider and that is why there are good opportunities for women who wish to enter the labor market in this area.
Now that you have learned the difference about each training and what each type of professional does, a question must be on your mind: How to study?
What training is needed to be a nurse?
As already mentioned above, there are several technical courses that train nursing assistants and technicians. The course for nursing assistants usually lasts a little over a year and has a lower cost, with an average monthly fee of R $ 500.00 .
It is perfect for those just starting out and need to get into the job market quickly. Once graduated, you can already act as a nursing assistant and build your career while improving your studies.
The technical course for nursing technicians is longer, with an average duration of 2 years and has a slightly higher cost. The average monthly fee is about R $ 750.00 , but some ETECS offer this technical course. For those who want to pursue a career in the field, it is a great option, as technicians are in high demand in several hospitals and clinics, but it is necessary to be willing to build your career little by little, based on a lot of study and determination.
Graduation in Nursing
In order to graduate as a nurse, several colleges offer this course. It is possible to graduate from either a public college or a private university . The best tip here is to research what best suits your situation, so that nothing comes to interrupt your studies and you can successfully advance your career.
Since the nurse is the nursing professional who has the most chances within the field, choosing the university should be seen as an investment for the future and thinking about how you can grow.
Tuition varies from college to college, ranging from R $ 700.00 to approximately R $ 2,000.00 , and it will be up to you to research and choose the best cost benefit, that is, a college that will really help you in your career and that the costs of tuition and material can be borne in a way that fits in your pocket.
A great tip is to research scholarships that several colleges offer, taking the chance to study in a renowned place, of greater capacity and with a value that will not weigh on your finances.
Main Nursing Colleges
List of the main universities that offer the nursing course in Brazil:
- State University of the Midwest – Guarapuava (PR)
- Universidade Paulista –Araçatuba (SP)
- Federal University of Goiás – Goiânia (Go)
- Paulista University – São José Dos Campos (SP)
- Paulista University – Ribeirão Preto (SP)
- Paulista University – Assis (SP)
- Federal University Of Alfenas – Alfenas (MG)
- University Veiga De Almeida -Rio De Janeiro (RJ)
- Londrina State University – Londrina (PR)
- Paulista University – Campinas – (SP)
Nursing Specializations (H2)
As already mentioned, a professional graduated in nursing can work in several areas of health. So after graduating, there are several specializations that can be done and specific areas to be followed, such as an obstetrical nurse and rescue nurse, for example.
Nurse Obstetrician
Obstetric nurse is the nurse who works with a focus on the health and care of women more precisely before, during and after pregnancy. The obstetrical nurse works alongside a doctor specializing in obstetrics.
This type of professional is able to accompany normal births when there is no risk to the health of the mother and baby. Examining the pregnant woman from the beginning of contractions until the moment of birth and helping with postpartum care as well.
Rescue Nurse
The rescue nurse, on the other hand, has another type of training , not least because this type of professional works outside the hospitals, working together with a team in an ambulance to rescue victims of accidents or problems that need emergency care.
A rescue nurse’s job consists of analyzing the victim’s situation , that is, analyzing all risk conditions and providing first aid both in cases of accidents and in cases of health attacks. The rescue nurse also accompanies the victim in the ambulance to the hospital where she needs to be taken, providing all the necessary assistance.
How Much Does a Nursing Professional Earn?
Once again the question needs to branch out, as there are three types of nursing professionals. But we must also think that, as in any other area, there are hierarchical levels and that wages can rise according to their function within the profession. Let’s talk about each of the wages separately.
How much does a nursing assistant earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,108.00
- Average salary: R $ 1,575.00
- Highest salary: R $ 2,500.00
Despite the estimates, your salary will vary a lot according to the career you want to pursue. Nursing assistants at work tend to have slightly lower salaries than nursing assistants who work in hospitals, for example.
How much does a nursing technician earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,050.00
- Average salary: R $ 2,000.00
- Highest salary: R $ 2,800.00
For recent graduates who are entering the job market , the salary is slightly lower and, like nursing assistants, they can increase according to the area they wish to pursue within nursing.
Occupational nursing technicians can have salaries of up to R $ 2800.00, while ordinary nursing technicians have their highest salaries around R $ 2600.00. But of course, this is an average and will vary depending on where you work.
How much does a nurse earn?
- Starting salary: R $ 1,440.00
- Average salary: R $ 3,450.00
- Highest salary: R $ 10,000.00
A nurse can work in different areas and the ramifications for this type of professional are much broader than those we have already mentioned here. The starting salary for nurses is around R $ 1500.00 and a head nurse can have a salary of up to R $ 4500.00.
If you want to become a nursing coordinator, your salary can come close to R $ 6000.00, while a nursing manager can get to a salary of R $ 10,000.00.
One of the ways to be able to enter the field of nursing is through public tenders. There are several throughout Brazil and for all levels of education, with salaries ranging from the lowest to the highest salary that a nurse can earn.
There are still many other possibilities of work and with different wages:
- Home-care nurse (visitator): Up to R $ 3500.00
- Obstetric nurse: R $ 3,734.00
- ICU Nurse: R $ 3,240.00
- Operating room nurse: R $ 2,725.00
There are several options for specialization in the field of nursing , and therefore the wages in the area are also diverse. It all depends on what you want for your career and what your goals are within the healthcare field.
As you can see, the nursing area is vast and has space for different types of professionals. It doesn’t matter if you fit in better with the nursing assistant profile, either because of time or because you still need to prepare to take a higher education and become a nurse, it is always important to think that every career starts at the bottom and you will conquering its space within the market according to its work and its achievements.
Although the health area is somewhat different from the corporate world, the construction of your career will be based on your evolution as a professional, so never stop studying and always try to improve yourself , do your best to multiply your knowledge and you become an increasingly complete professional.
Every profession has its difficulties and its advantages and with nurses it is no different. The truth is that you need to like what you do to live with it every day . No matter what your motivation is, if you don’t like being a nurse, it is very difficult for you to be able to have a full life doing the profession, mainly because of the schedules and tasks you need to perform.
That is why it is always very important to think and reflect on what you really want to do before entering the job market. For those who like to be nurses, it is more than a satisfaction to be inside hospitals , clinics and the like every day taking care of people and even saving lives.
See Also: What Changes in a Woman’s Life After Children?
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
