Hey everyone!
Welcome to the ultimate RN specialties guide list.
By reading this article to the end, you will have a better understanding of different nursing specialties and decide what specialty will be best for you in the future.
Our focus will be on:
- Types of Nursing Specialties
- Average Salary
- Degree Required
- Necessary Certifications Required
Without further delay, let’s get started!
Introduction to Different Types of Nursing Specialties
Nurses play a critical role in the healthcare system.
To have the best possible results, they tend to clients at the bedside, collaborate with other health care providers, and explain crucial data to patients and families.
The work of a registered nurse is diverse; nurses can pursue a variety of professional routes based on their interests and ambitions.
Some nursing programs need more experience and education.
Others provide you the chance to work with unusual patient groups.
Registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or above are eligible for several nursing specializations.
Here is a list of nursing specialties.
Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) Specialties
Further training is provided to Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to examine, diagnose, and treat people with acute or chronic conditions.
Nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists deal with many patient groups.
Average Salary: $114,510
Degree Required: Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Certifications: Varies —Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner
Family nurse practitioners (FNP) treat patients independently by examining and treating them.
FNPs visit patients at different periods of life rather than focusing on a single population.
They usually focus on preventative patient care, acute care, and chronic care.
Average Salary: $114,510
Degree Required: MSN or DNP
Certifications: American Academy of Nurse Practitioners FNP Certification
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Anesthetists are highly qualified APRNs who have significant experience giving intravenous, intramuscular, and inhalation anesthetics to patients undergoing difficult surgical operations.
The anesthesia nurse works closely with others.
Average Salary: $189,190
Degree Required: MSN; after 2025, Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) required
Certifications: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
People with mental health illnesses and drug abuse concerns are assessed, diagnosed, and treated by psychiatric nurse practitioners.
They develop psychopharmacologic nursing programs for treatment, give psychotherapy, and conduct screenings in collaboration with psychiatrists.
Average Salary: $120,000
Degree Required: MSN
Certifications: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Board Certification
Nurse Midwife
The major areas of nursing midwifery support women during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period.
Nurse-Midwives roles also include gynecological care and access to contraception, physical examination, medical care, and treatment for women’s health.
Average Salary: $115,540
Degree Required: MSN (master’s degree)
Certifications: Certified Midwives (CMs), Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs)
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical nurse specialists are skilled nurses who provide patients with direct clinical care.
They are capable of diagnosing patients and developing treatment programs.
These specialists may take on extra responsibilities due to their experiences, such as clinical consultation or research.
Average Salary: $93,860
Degree Required: MSN or DNP.
Relevant Certifications: ACCNS – Neonatal, ACCNS – Pediatrics, ACCNS – Adult-Gerontology
Registered Nurse (RN) Specialties
A Registered Nurse license is a necessity for working as a nurse.
After getting experience delivering standard nursing care, many RNs explore specialties.
The many responsibilities of an RN alter daily.
Communicating and collaborating with other healthcare team members, providing prescriptions, and evaluating and monitoring patients are some tasks involved.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Critical Care Registered Nursing, Gerontological Nursing Certification, Informatics Nursing Certification, Oncology Certified Nurse.
Degree Required: BSN
Certifications: Certified Pediatric Nurse
Neonatal Intensive Care Nurses
In neonatal intensive care units of medical centers and children’s hospitals, these highly qualified registered neonatal nurses offer prompt care for preterm and extremely unwell babies.
Average Salary: $71,040
Degree Required: MSN or BSN
Pediatric Nurse
Pediatric nurses work as children and youth advocates.
Their specific training allows them to work in institutions, clinics, and surgical facilities with children and teens.
These nurses undertake various tasks, including routine physical exams and collaborating with physicians and other healthcare experts.
Average Salary: $60,680
Labor and Delivery Nurses
During labor, delivery, and the postpartum period, an L&D nurse works under the direction of a doctor or nurse-midwife, providing primary care for pregnant women and newborns.
During childbirth, the registered nurses keep an eye on the patient’s vital signs and give supportive care.
Average Salary: $68,270.
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Obstetric Nurses
OB nurses, often known as obstetric nurses, operate in women’s health institutions and medical departments.
They perform an important role in the healthcare system caring for women during pregnancy and after birth.
Average Salary: $64,300.
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Travel Nurses
As a travel nurse, you’ll have the chance to fill open jobs in hospitals and clinics throughout the country – and the world.
Nursing staff firms place travel nurses in temporary employment and perform RN functions.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Critical Care Registered Nurse, Certified Emergency Nurse, IV and EKG Certification
Flight Nurses
Flight nurses provide emergency healthcare to clients being flown to hospitals on medical airplanes.
Some flight nurses operate in the military, providing care to soldiers who have been injured in battle.
Average Salary: $73,470
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Public Health Nurse
Public health nurses work collaboratively with other healthcare workers and community leaders to promote health and wellness.
They provide community-based healthcare education and advocacy and examine and monitor health trends such as COVID-19 infection surges.
Average Salary: $61,600
Degree Required: BSN
Certifications: Public Health Nursing
Case Management Nurses
Case management nurses assist in coordinating efficient and appropriate care for individual patients.
They strategically plan the adoption of patient resources throughout with cost minimization.
Case management nurses frequently advocate for patients and their families.
Average Salary: $74,840
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Informatics Nurses
This new nursing field integrates nursing skills and experience in computer science and information technology to administrate data and interactions in nursing.
It boosts efficiency, lowers costs, and enhances patient care quality.
Average Salary: $85,320
Degree Required: MSN or BSN
Certifications: Informatics Nursing Certification
Nurse Educator
Nurse educators teach nursing students and provide ongoing training and career path development for practicing nurses.
They plan and teach lessons, provide guidance and mentoring to students, and develop curricula in nursing schools.
These nursing educators work at hospital-affiliated nursing schools, community health centers, other medical institutions, and colleges and universities.
Average Salary: $84,060.
Degree Required: MSN, DNP, or Ph.D.
Nurse Attorney
Registered nurses that have received legal degrees are known as nurse attorneys, and they are licensed to conduct both medicine and law.
Depending on their working context, they may defend nurses and other medical workers in court matters involving malpractice, damage, or insurance claims.
They also engage in research and teaching and serve as public policy advocates for legal issues in healthcare.
Average Salary: $148,910
Degree Required: ADN, BSN, and Juris doctorate (JD) law degree
Legal Nurse Consultant
Advocates, healthcare personnel, and patients benefit from legal nurse consultants’ assistance in examining and investigating medical records and preparing testimony.
They can give evidence as expert witnesses in court matters involving medical issues, including medical malpractice.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC)
Ambulatory Care Nurses
Individuals are cared for by ambulatory care nurses, also known as outpatient care nurses, in outpatient settings, non-acute surgical and diagnostics settings, and telehealth nursing.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: Associate degree in nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Certifications: Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification
Community Health Nurses
Community health nurses play a critical role in diagnosing and treating health problems in society and providing comprehensive care to disadvantaged or at-risk groups.
These patients may be unable to pay for treatment or be in vulnerable conditions.
Average Salary: $61,720
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Community Health Nursing Certification
Specialized Nursing Specialties
Dialysis Nursing
Dialysis, which substitutes the kidneys’ filtering action, is used by those with severe renal illness.
Patients who require hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis are cared for by dialysis nurses.
Average Salary: $76,120
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Certified Dialysis Nurse, Certified Nephrology Nurse
Geriatric Nurses
Geriatric nurses specialize in dealing with senior citizens, assisting them in treating ailments, and preserving their life quality as they advance.
They aid physicians in treating patients with illnesses that affect older people, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
Average Salary: $69,210
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Gerontological Nursing Certification
Home Health Care Nurses
Home health care nurses give health care to individuals in their own homes.
They assist persons who require movement or regular treatments, such as seniors or people with impairments.
Average Salary: $65,090
Degree Required: MSN or BSN
Certifications: Home Health Nursing Certification
Certifications: Critical Care Registered Nursing-Adult, or Critical Care Registered Nursing-Neonatal
Oncology Nurses
Cancer patients are cared for by oncology registered nurses throughout their lives.
They monitor their progress, provide medicine and therapies, and provide assistance and advice to patients and their families.
They usually work in groups with doctors and nurse practitioners to provide long-term care in hospitals.
Average Salary: $76,630
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Advanced Oncology, Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse (CPON), Certified Nurse (AOCN), Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
Telemetry Nurses
Telemetry nurses operate in hospital and healthcare facilities’ telemetry units, where individuals require constant Electrocardiogram monitoring.
Average Salary: $63,080
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Dermatology Nurses
These nurses assist patients with their skincare by collaborating with dermatologists.
Dermatology nurses inform the client about their skin and treatment options.
Average Salary: $45,000-$57,000
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Nephrology Nurses
Patients with kidney illness, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, or those at risk of acquiring kidney-related disorders, are treated and educated by nephrology nurses, also known as dialysis nurses.
Average Salary: $76,230
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Radiology Nurses
Radiology nurses work in small teams alongside radiologists and radiologic technicians to care for people prior, through, and after magnetic resonance imaging, image-guided biopsies, and ultrasounds.
Average Salary: $80,010.
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Orthopedic Nurses
People with musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis are cared for by orthopedic nurses.
They provide post-operative care, assist patients in regaining strength and mobility after injuries, and give and manage pain medicines.
Average Salary: $66,030.
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Infusion Nurses
The delivery of drugs and other fluids by an intravenous line, central line, or venous access port is the specialty of these registered nurses.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Infectious disease Nurses
These nurses research, develop, and implement best practices for infection control, hygienic environments, and treating and reducing patient infections.
They train and supervise other nurses in the treatment, management, and elimination of infections.
Average Salary: $73,670
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Diabetes Nurses
Diabetes nurses require advanced nursing degrees.
They assist diabetic patients by guiding them in monitoring their blood sugar levels to avert nerve and organ failure.
They also play an essential role in education.
Average Salary: $69,740
Degree Required: MSN
Pain Management Nurses
Pain Management Nurses collaborate with physicians to develop treatment strategies for patients suffering from chronic or severe pain.
They inform patients about both pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological pain treatment options.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Pain Management Nursing Certification
Hospice Nurses
Hospice nurses give comprehensive care to patients with serious illnesses, chronic ailments, or terminal illnesses to reduce pain and ensure patients are comfortable.
Average Salary: $68,660
Degree Required: ADN or BSN, or MSN
Forensic Nursing
Forensic nurses help victims of violence in the context of abuse.
They acquire specialized training to provide treatment for these individuals.
Forensic nurses also have a multi-disciplinary role in the justice system, cooperating with enforcement agencies and giving testimony in court.
Average Salary: $67,000
Degree Required: ADN or BSN, even though some earn an MSN
Certifications: Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Advanced Forensic Nursing
Special Needs Nurses
Patients with Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome are cared for by nurses specializing in developmental disorders.
These nurses provide information about the condition to patients and their families and assistance with abilities such as speech and mobility.
Average Salary: $79,000
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Certified Developmental Disabilities Nurse
Military Nurses
Military registered nurses care for active-duty members, dependents, and veterans on military sites and other government facilities.
They offer healthcare to military soldiers as required in deployed locations and during combat.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) Specialties
LPNs can work as nurses after about a year of training, even if they don’t have an ADN or a BSN.
They support registered nurses and doctors by checking vital signs, delivering medicine, and monitoring them.
Average Salary: $48,820
Degree Required: Nursing diploma
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)
Surgical Nurses Specialties
Surgical nurses provide care to patients throughout the operation.
They help patients get ready for surgery, work in the emergency room, and watch them as they recuperate.
They collaborate with surgeons, surgical technologists, and nurse anesthetists in multidisciplinary teams.
Average Salary: $58,770
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse
Surgical Nurses Specialties
Adults with a range of complicated medical illnesses before and after surgical operations are cared for by medical-surgical nurses.
They assess patient status, prioritize patient requirements, and assist the hospital staff in arranging patient care based on the medical context.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: ADN, BSN, or MSN.
Certifications: Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN).
Critical Care Nurses
Critical care nurses operate in a variety of emergencies.
They generally work in the intensive care unit, emergency room, NICU, or burn centers, providing treatment to acutely or severely sick patients.
They perform critical services, such as managing life support systems and treating wounds to keep patients alive.
Average Salary: $73,730
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Trauma Nurses
Trauma nurses operate in intensive care units and emergency rooms, providing life-saving treatment to critically ill or injured patients.
Trauma nurses frequently assist surgeons in preparing patients for emergency surgery.
Average Salary: $77,960
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Transplant Nurses
Transplant nurses, sometimes known as transplant coordinators, are vital to organ and tissue donation.
They prepare donors and beneficiaries for surgery and keep track of their progress.
Average Salary: $79,000
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Cardiac Cath Lab Nurses
Catheterization Cath Lab Nurses typically work in catheterization labs.
They operate with doctors and other healthcare team members to complete cardiac operations.
Average Salary: $78,900
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Non-Clinical Specialities
Nurse Entrepreneur
Nurse entrepreneurs use their nursing and financial talents to start their own companies in the healthcare industry.
They start companies in various nursing fields, such as medical equipment sales and home healthcare creating nursing jobs.
Average Salary: Banks on the type of business enterprise
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Nurse Manager
Hospitals, medical centers and agencies, and residential care institutions employ nurse managers.
Recruiting and managing nursing personnel, maintaining budgets and records, creating professional advancement opportunities, and performing performance reviews are some of their responsibilities.
Average Salary: $118,800
Degree Required: MSN or MBA
Nurse Writer
Nurse writers who specialize in medical writing can provide training manuals, research papers, clinical study reviews, and regulatory documentation, among other things.
Average Salary: $80,010.
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Certifications: Medical Writer Certified
Nurse Advocates
Nurse advocates serve as a link between clients and their medical professionals, assisting them in navigating the healthcare system’s intricacies.
They help patients comprehend their diagnosis, treatment choices, medical expenses, and insurance claim processes.
Average Salary: $67,080
Degree Required: ADN or BSN
Health Policy Nurses
Nurses who work in health policy contribute their knowledge to the development of healthcare law.
Health policy nurses assist lawmakers with research and the creation of specific bills and serve as expert advisers.
Before receiving a higher bachelor’s degree and going into a policy role, these professionals frequently gain experience as registered nurses.
Average Salary: $80,010
Degree Required: BSN, even though many earn an MSN or a DNP
School Nurses
School nurses provide physical, psychological, and mental health care to children and teens.
School nurses collaborate with administrators to give feedback and facilitate dialogues within school districts.
Each day offers a new set of obligations, such as performing health tests, keeping medical data, and making recommendations.
Average Salary: $49,080
Degree Required: MSN
Conclusion
Whether you’re thinking about becoming a nurse or already have experience in the industry, it’s a good idea to look into other healthcare occupations to see if any fit your skills and hobbies.
In healthcare, there are a variety of nursing careers that might be suitable for someone who has worked as a nurse.
Because altering your job route may need further training and study, generally keeping an open attitude and exploring health care might be beneficial.
One of the most appealing parts of professional nursing is the potential to work in various settings and positions.
It is a sector that is always changing.
Registered nurses (RNs) can work at the hospital with the sick and elderly or care for those who are mainly unwell.
They can assist clients directly or indirectly by partnering with a multidisciplinary team or other healthcare professionals.
FAQs
What is a nursing specialty?
The registered nurses, graduate-level prepared nurses, and advanced nurses are all described. The utilization of the nursing practice by practicing registered nurses is a fundamental component of specialty nursing practice.
How do you choose a specialty in nursing?
Evaluate your personality and hobbies, how you prefer to interact with others, the amount of time you prefer to work, the type of working environment that is ideal for you, whether you excel under pressure or consider it unpleasant, and the average wage for the specialization.
Which nursing specialty is most competitive
A nurse anesthetic or CRNA is one of the most complex and demanding nursing specialties you may ever come across in the nursing field. However, it is also one of the highest-paid nursing specialties out there.
What traits should a nurse possess?
Attention to detail, communication, compassion, critical thinking, emotional stability, organizational skills, and physical stamina are essential attributes that may help someone succeed in the nursing profession.
Where do registered nurses work?
Depending on their job, nurses might work in various organizations and healthcare facilities. Community centers, correctional institutions, hospitals, in-home care, nursing, residential care facilities, nursing homes, physicians’ offices, schools, and military sites are all possible workplaces for nurses.
How Much Money Do RNs Make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an RN’s median compensation in 2020 was $73,300. The five highest-paying jurisdictions for registered nurses in the US, on the other hand, have average incomes ranging from $91,080 to $106,950. A variety of things influence an RN’s compensation.