In medicine, RN stands for Registered Nurse.
What is a Registered Nurse?
A Registered Nurse (RN) is a licensed healthcare professional who provides direct patient care. Their responsibilities include:
- Completing medical treatments as ordered by physicians.
- Participating in the diagnostic process.
- Observing, assessing, and recording patient symptoms and reactions.
- Providing hands-on care in various settings like hospitals, clinics, and schools.
RNs are essential members of the healthcare team, working to promote health, prevent disease, and care for ill patients. To become a Registered Nurse, individuals must graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass the NCLEX-RN examination, a national licensing exam. There are different levels of nursing education, such as an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Some RNs pursue further education to become Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), enabling them to assess, diagnose, and treat medical conditions independently.
The sources cited emphasize the crucial role of RNs in healthcare delivery, highlighting their involvement in direct patient care and their contributions to both treatment and diagnosis. RNs are the backbone of many medical settings, providing a critical link between patients and other healthcare professionals.
