Government nursing jobs include nursing positions within the armed forces, schools, and public health agencies. Public health agencies typically describe government-funded health clinics and hospitals. Generally, government nursing jobs are available to nurses with varying levels of experience and education.
Most schools employ one or more nurses to attend to the medical needs of the students. The number of nurses necessary for a given school usually depends on the number of students enrolled in the school. A school nurse is usually expected to evaluate the condition of students who become ill during school hours in order to determine whether the student is able to continue in class. School nurses are also expected to administer first aid treatment such as attending to wounds, insect bites, or other injuries. If a medical emergency occurs during school hours, the school nurse should be able to administer care until an ambulance arrives.
In most cases, government nursing jobs available within school systems are open to nurses who have reached the level of registered nurse (RN), though in some school systems these jobs are open to licensed practical nurses (LPNs) as well. This would likely be more common in schools that employ more than one nurse, in which case, an LPN might be employed to work under the supervision of an RN. Those interested in becoming a school nurse should check with their local employment office, which typically lists all job openings available within government.
The military offers a great many government nursing jobs. In some countries, the military offers paid training for nurses in exchange for an agreement to serve within the armed forces for a specified period of time. This may be a good choice for those who wish to go into the field of nursing, but cannot afford to pay for education or to take time away from their jobs to study. Nurses within the military are usually paid a full-time salary while they train.
Most governments offer public health care of some type. This includes veteran’s hospitals, nursing homes for the elderly, and community health clinics. Government nursing jobs are generally available within all of these types of public health care.
Salaries for government nursing jobs often depend on experience and education, but in most cases, these jobs include a great many benefits. Government nurses may have the option of early retirement programs, sometimes with as little as 20 years on the job. In addition, government employment typically offers excellent health care benefits and retirement pensions.
