Clinical Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities: 

Nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists are advanced practice registered nurses who have  received special courses and training. They usually work closely with doctors and can perform many high-level primary care tasks.  They often specialize in specific types of practice such as pediatrics, psychiatry, or obstetrics.  Some establish a private practices, however, most work in doctors' offices, hospitals, or neighborhood health centers. Duties often include: 

• Taking detailed medical histories and performing complete physical exams.
• Providing diagnoses and recommending treatment plans.
• Treating common medical conditions, illnesses, and injuries.
• Prescribing limited medications.
• Counseling patients and families.

Average Salary:  $39,000 - $70,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should take challenging high school courses in science, math, and English. 

Students must complete all of the education requirements to become a baccalaureate prepared registered nurse.  They must then complete additional master's level training and pass a certification examination.

                                

Clinical Laboratory Specialists

Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical Laboratory Specialists include both Clinical Laboratory Technicians and Clinical Technologists. These professions are also referred to as medical laboratory Technicians or Medical technologists.

Both Technicians and technologists perform laboratory work to identify, diagnose, and treat diseases.

Clinical laboratory technicians use microscopes, laboratory equipment, chemicals and computers to perform laboratory procedures. They also collect blood specimens and prepare culture media. They conduct tests and prepare reports for clinical technologists or physicians.