Puerto Rico

A registered nurse has great freedom to choose from many specialty areas available in the present healthcare environment. Today's nurses have diversified employment settings and job opportunities, with several different options available in addition to the traditional bedside nursing role.

For example, many registered nurses (RN) who specialize in nephrology have the option to work as dialysis nurses, nurse educators, nurse researchers, or nurse managers. Some may hold positions in hospitals and clinics while others may choose to work in academia as teachers, educators as well as researchers. Nephrology nurses with several years of work experience in acute care or dialysis units are encouraged to become managers. Managerial positions are best suited for nurses with leadership abilities, who are excellent communicators, and have proven to be effective in educating and directing other staff.

As a manager your job is to oversee a hospital unit or a dialysis center. You will be responsible for adequate staffing, solving patient problems, communicating with other units, coordinating client care, and managing the unit's budget. Experienced nurse managers advance to higher roles, exerting their expertise and control over several dialysis centers and clinics.