Nursing has changed greatly since the first class of nurses graduated from Florence Nightingale's School of Nursing in 1860. Great Advances in Medicine over the past century have led to changes in the demands placed on nurses. Today, more than 3 million registered nurses work in the United States alone, and these nurses cover a wide range of specialties and have a wide range of responsibilities (Bureau of Labor Statistics). A typical day for a registered nurse can range from being involved in a medical specialty to completing a specific task. There are more than 104 nursing specialties, including anesthesia, critical care, obstetrics and gynecology, and geriatrics, to name a few (Explore Specialites). Registered nurses are specifically trained for their chosen specialty or, if they choose not to practice specialist nursing, they may care for a wide range of patients working on the floor of a hospital or of a family medicine clinic. In either case, however, a typical day for a nurse is full of hard work and responsibilities. Nursing responsibilities include taking patient histories and performing an initial patient assessment. This gives the nurse the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with the patient during which they can provide health advice and talk to the patient about their medical condition. The nurse is often the first person the patient sees. She therefore performs important health assessments and makes decisions regarding triage and next steps in patient care. Once the patient has been evaluated by a doctor, the nurse can then administer medications and certain treatments as directed by the doctor. Last but not least, the nurse is often the one who follows up with the patient regarding their problem...... middle of paper ...... builds on these high standards and applies them in healthcare settings d today and tomorrow. .Works CitedBureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 edition, Registered Nurses, December 1, 2013 “Explore Specialties.” Learn about nursing. December 1, 2013 “How to become a nurse”. How to become a nurse. November 30, 2013 “LPN Requirements”. Requirements for LPNs. December 2, 2013 “What nurses do”. What nurses do. American Nurses Association. December 1. 2013 .