Registered nurse

Above: Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to obtain a nursing license.[1][2] An RN's scope of practice is determined by legislation, and is regulated by a professional body or council.

Registered nurses are employed in a wide variety of professional settings, and often specialize in a field of practice. Depending on the jurisdiction, they may be responsible for supervising care delivered by other healthcare workers, including student nurses, licensed practical nurses, unlicensed assistive personnel, and less-experienced RNs.

Registered nurses must usually meet a minimum practice hours requirement and undertake continuing education to maintain their license.[3] Furthermore, certain jurisdictions require that an RN remain free from serious criminal convictions.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ "Registered Nurse- Who is a Registered Nurse?". My Nursing. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  2. ^ "Definition of registered nurse – medical practitioner and medicine (US English)". Oxforddictionaries.com. 12 December 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2012.
  3. ^ "Registered Nurses". College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Criminal history registration standard" (PDF). Nursing and Midwifery Council of Australia. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Requirements for registration as a registered nurse: Information for students" (PDF). Nursing Council of New Zealand. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Registered Nurses". Institute of Health and Nursing Australia. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2022.