Blog

Nurse Types / ENT Nurse

As a vital part of the healthcare team, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) nurses provide care to patients with a variety of health needs. This includes things like nasal polyps, recurrent ear infections, and thyroid cancer. 

Otorhinolaryngology (another way to say “ear, nose, and throat”) nurses can work in a variety of settings. They generally have schedules that are much more family friendly than the average hospital nurse. 

In this article, we’ll discuss the nuts and bolts of becoming an ENT nurse, including:

• What is an ENT nurse?
• What do ENT nurses do?
• Where do ENT nurses work?
• What are specific types of ENT nurses?
• How do you become an ENT nurse in 3 steps?
• What are the additional requirements of an ENT nurse?
• What are the salary and career outlooks for ENT nurses?
• FAQs

---

---

What is an ENT nurse?

ENT nurses are registered nurses who provide assessments, medication, and care for patients with medical conditions that affect the ear, nose, or throat.

Qualities of a successful ENT nurse

Because ENT nurses work with such a diverse patient population, they must possess several specific skills. Nurses who wish to work in the ENT field must be:

• Able to assist with minor in-office procedures and more complex surgeries
• Able to operate or assist with x-ray and CT scan machines
• Comfortable working with patients of all ages, including infants, young children, and the elderly
• Knowledgeable about many specific ENT conditions
• Strong team players, able to work well alongside ENT physicians, and other members of the healthcare team
• Able to teach patients and family members about their diagnoses

What do ENT nurses do?

ENT nurses perform a variety of tasks, including conducting patient assessments, taking vital signs, and speaking with patients about their concerns before the patient sees the doctor. ENT nurses who work in a physician’s office also frequently assist with minor procedures like nasal endoscopies and ear tube placement, as well as surgeries such as tonsillectomies and thyroidectomies.

A day in the life of an ENT nurse

Most ENT nurses work in the office of a physician or group practice. When these nurses arrive at their office in the morning, they may look at the patient schedule for the day to see which procedures and appointments they need to prepare for.

ENT nurses may spend time returning phone calls from patients with questions about their health, advising them whether they should visit the office. They may also call prescriptions in to pharmacies under a physician’s orders.

The nurse is usually responsible for taking patient vital signs, as well as talking to patients about their concerns and informing the physician about their symptoms. 

Most ENT practices offer minor procedures in the office, such as an ear tube placement. The ENT nurse is expected to assist the physician with these procedures. The nurse may also administer anesthetic before these procedures. 

Some ENT clinics are attached to outpatient surgery centers for more complex surgeries. Other practices require their ENT nurses to participate in outpatient surgeries at another facility.

Common conditions treated by ENT nurses

An ENT nurse may help patients of any age who experience problems that affect the ear, nose, or throat. This includes the following conditions:

• Environmental and seasonal allergies
• Ear infections
• Hearing loss
• Nasal polyps
• Sleep apnea
• Snoring
• Thyroid cancer
• Tonsillitis

Where do ENT nurses work?

Most ENT nurses work in the offices of ENT physicians in private practice. But they may also work in any of the following settings:

• Allergist offices
• Cancer centers that treat tumors in the ears, nose, and throat
• Community health clinics
• Long-term care and nursing home facilities
• Plastic surgery offices

Closely related fields

The field of otorhinolaryngology is a very specific subspecialty of medicine and nursing. But other closely related fields that may benefit nurses who are interested in pursuing a job in the ENT field include:

• Allergy medicine
• Immunology
• Plastic surgery (particularly involving the face)
• Urgent care 

---

---

How do you become an ENT nurse in 3 steps?

If you’re interested in becoming an ENT nurse, there are 3 basic steps to follow.

Step 1: Become a registered nurse

The first step in becoming an ENT nurse is to become a registered nurse, which means graduating from an accredited nursing school and passing a national board exam.

Earn a degree 

There are many paths into the nursing field. One option is to obtain an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) which usually takes 2-3 years, including prerequisite courses.

If this is your first bachelor’s degree, you can enroll in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Many universities also offer RN-to-BSN programs for nurses who currently hold an associate’s degree.

If you already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, you can complete an Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing (ABSN). This cuts down on time spent in nursing school because you already have your prerequisites completed.

Many employers in the healthcare field today prefer to hire nurses with a bachelor’s degree. You may want to keep this is mind when considering which degree path to choose.

Pass the NCLEX-RN exam

After you graduate with a nursing degree, you can apply to take the NCLEX  licensing exam. This exam is designed to help you prove that you can safely practice as a registered nurse. You will answer between 75 and 145 questions that test your knowledge of the following topics:

• Safe and effective care environment
  • Management of care
  • Safety and infection control
• Health promotion and maintenance
• Psychosocial integrity
• Physiological integrity
  • Basic care and comfort
  • Pharmacological and parenteral therapies
  • Reduction of risk
  • Physiological adaptation

After you’ve passed this exam, you can apply for licensure in your state and begin to look for a job as a registered nurse!

Step 2: Accumulate experience

Although some nurses may be able to enter the ENT field directly, many employers prefer RNs to gain some experience in an inpatient setting before transitioning to outpatient care. For example, working on a general medical-surgical floor in a hospital provides quality experience for any nurse. From gaining experience in routine procedures to time management, med-surg is a great place for a new nurse to hone their skills.

Helpful skills and experience

As you gain experience in the nursing field, focus on building your nursing assessment skills. Get comfortable providing patient education and working closely with physicians to treat the patients in your care. 

You can also seek out continuing education courses about ear-, nose-, and throat-related topics. Even if you can’t work in the ENT field currently, these skills and experiences will serve you further down the road.

Changing specialty to an ENT nurse

After you’ve earned some experience in the nursing field, you can start looking for job openings at ENT offices. Speak to the ENT physicians and nurses you know and ask them if they need help in their offices. Ask friends in the healthcare field to notify you if they know of job openings.

Step 3: Obtain certifications

Although many jobs don’t require it, earning certification from an organization such as the National Certifying Board for Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nursing can give you a leg up on your competition.

What are the additional requirements of ENT nurses?

While there are few requirements for ENT nursing certifications, honing your soft skills is important. These include:

• Communication
• Leadership
• Problem solving
• Stress management
• Teamwork

What are the salary and career outlooks for ENT nurses?

ENT nurses have the opportunity to do what they love and make an impact on the world while making a good living at the same time. ENT nurse salaries range widely from state to state from a low of $75,071 per year in North Carolina to a high of $125,121 in Washington State. The average annual salary for an RN is $82,750.

While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t track future opportunities for ENT nurses specifically, the healthcare field at large is growing. The BLS forecasts growth to be about 6% between 2021 and 2031.

Job satisfaction

Many nurses find direct patient care to be extremely rewarding. ENT specialists treat the whole family, and many times these nurses develop relationships with grandparents, parents, and children alike.

---

---

Next steps

If you’re interested in becoming an ENT nurse, join Incredible Health today to find the best nursing jobs, continuing education opportunities, and nursing advice!

FAQs

Nurse Types / HIV/AIDS Nurse

HIV/AIDS nurses serve patients whose very lives depend on accurate symptom monitoring and the right balance of prescription medications. 

HIV/AIDs has infected 38 million people globally. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 1.2 million Americans live with HIV. One of the innovative ways health care organizations have improved the lives of those living with HIV was by developing a new field of nursing professionals known as HIV/AIDS nurses.

HIV/AIDS nurses administer antiretroviral therapy and provide emotional support to patients living with this autoimmune disease as part of their duties. 

In this article you can learn:

• What is am HIV/AIDS nurse?
• What do HIV/AIDS nurses do?
• Where do HIV/AIDS nurses work?
• What are closely related fields?
• How do you become an HIV/AIDS nurse in 3 steps?
• What are additional requirements of HIV/AIDS nurses?
• What are the salary and career outlooks for HIV/AIDS nurses?

What is an HIV/AIDS nurse?

An HIV/AIDS nurse is a registered nurse (RN) who provides care for patients in various stages of HIV and AIDS. From educating the newly-diagnosed to providing hospice care for those at the end stages of the disease, HIV/AIDS nurses must be prepared to handle the full life cycle of the disease. They not only act as caregivers, but they also serve as educators and patient advocates.

Qualities of a successful HIV/AIDS nurse

Thanks to additional research about HIV/AIDS, we now know how it is transmitted. However, if you’re thinking of becoming an HIV/AIDS nurse, the most important qualities you need to be successful at your job are compassion and empathy.

Other important characteristics include:

• Attention to detail 
• Ability to collaborate with other members of the healthcare team
• Ability to communicate with patients and their caregivers 

What do HIV/AIDS nurses do?

AIDS/HIV nurses have many duties. One minute you may find yourself working with a newly diagnosed patient to help them understand their condition. The next, you could be providing emotional support and counseling services to the patient’s loved ones.

Because patients with HIV/AIDs receive potent antiretroviral therapy, HIV/AIDs nurses may monitor their treatment protocols and adjust as needed.

A day in the life of an HIV/AIDS nurse

A typical day in the life of an HIV/AIDS nurse depends on where you work. For nurses employed by acute care facilities, hospitals, and private physicians’ offices, they spend the bulk of their days:

• Conducting physical exams of new or existing patients
• Documenting medical information, including any symptom management changes
• Performing complete blood count testing
• Screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)

HIV/AIDS nurses who work in hospice or palliative care settings assist patients with daily living tasks and pain management.

---

Common conditions treated by AID/HIV nurses

In addition to treating patients for the HIV/AIDS autoimmune disorder, nurses in this field also help their patients manage a variety of illnesses that can affect them when they have HIV/AIDS. Some of the illnesses common for AIDS/HIV patients include:

• Candidiasis (thrush)
• Cryptococcal meningitis
• Pneumocystis pneumonia
• Tuberculosis

Patients also can experience side effects from the antiretroviral therapy. HIV/AIDS nurses can help with management of symptoms that include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Hair loss
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea

Where do HIV/AIDS nurses work?

HIV/AIDS nurses work in several healthcare settings accessed by patients with this autoimmune disorder. They can work in:

• Community health clinics.
• Drug and alcohol treatment centers.
• Mobile HIV/AIDS testing centers.
• State agencies specializing in HIV/AIDS care, clinical research, and education.

Long-term care facilities also hire HIV/AIDS nurses to work with patients living with the disorder to improve their quality of life.

What are closely related fields?

If you have a passion for working with people with HIV/AIDS but don’t want to pursue a nursing career, you have options. One the closely related fields is HIV/AIDS counselor.

Patients must learn to live with more than the physical effects of having this autoimmune disorder. Having HIV/AIDS can cause significant psychological issues, especially for people who have experienced discrimination because of their medical condition.

HIV/AIDS counselors must have a bachelor’s degree in counseling and pass an exam that gives them a licensed professional counselor (LPC) designation.

How do you become an HIV/AIDS nurse in 3 steps?

Becoming an HIV/AIDS nurse requires the right level of nursing education and licensure. 

Step 1 – Become a registered nurse

To work as an HIV/AIDS nurse, you must first become a registered nurse (RN). You must meet certain education requirements and pass a licensing exam before you can practice as an RN.

Earn a degree

Most people choose between an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. An ADN takes between 18 and 24 months to complete when attending full time. A BSN takes about 4 years from start to finish when attending full time.

Most nurses in this role hold bachelor’s degrees. Regardless of whether you pursue an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, you must become a registered nurse (RN).

If you’re already a registered nurse who wants to pursue an advanced degree, you can enroll in an RN-to-BSN degree program to fast-track your education.

If you hold a bachelor’s degree in an unrelated discipline and want to transition to nursing, you can enroll in an Accelerated BSN program.

Pass the NCLEX exam

After you complete your nursing education, you must pass the NCLEX exam. The NCLEX exam is designed to evaluate your nursing knowledge. Questions increase in difficulty with every correct answer you provide.

If you fail the NCLEX on your first attempt, you can take it again after a 45-day waiting period.

---

---

Step 2 – Accumulate experience

Once you’re a licensed RN, you can gain some relevant experience. Some nurses choose to work in an RN role in any healthcare setting. However, there are some healthcare settings that are more advantageous than others, like ICUs and hospice care.

Helpful skills and experience

Working in an environment where you have regular exposure to patients with infectious diseases can make you a strong candidate for HIV/AIDS nursing roles.

Changing specialty to an HIV/AIDS nurse

If you’re already working as a nurse but need a change in pace or environment, you can change your specialty to an HIV/AIDS nurse.

Let’s say you’re currently a pediatric nurse. You like working with children, but you want to challenge yourself. You can switch from pediatric nursing to an HIV/AIDS pediatric nursing specialty by taking continuing education courses that focus on HIV/AIDS treatment for this age demographic.

The final step in your transformation into an HIV/AIDS nurse requires obtaining the AIDS Certified Registered Nurse designation.

Step 3 – Obtain certifications

HIV/AIDS nurses must obtain the AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN) credential to practice in their specialty. You earn the designation by passing an exam.

However, you must first complete 200 hours of training at the HIV/AIDS level before you qualify to take the exam. The ACRN exam measures your ability to cope with the job’s emotional and physical demands.

What are additional requirements of HIV/AIDS nurses?

HIV/AIDS treatment evolves frequently. As an HIV/AIDS nurse, you must stay abreast of any changes for nursing best practices and treatment protocol for patients with this autoimmune disease. You can keep up with the latest in your specialty by taking continuing education courses.

You also must keep your RN licensure and ACRN certification updated. RN licenses must be renewed every 2 years. ACRN credentials expire after 5 years.

What are the salary and career outlooks for HIV/AIDS nurses?

The earning potential for AIDS/HIV nurses depends on experience, education, and location. Nationally, the average annual salary for this nursing specialty is $73,995 with and ADN. Those nurses with BSN degrees can expect to earn around the nurse national average of $82,750 or higher. You can use our tool to find the highest-paying cities for nurses if you need help deciding where to practice your new specialty.

Like all RNs, demand for AIDS/HIV nurses is expected to increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031.

---

---

Job satisfaction

Working with HIV/AIDS patients can be emotionally draining for nurses, especially when providing hospice care services. To ensure you don’t become burned out – and dissatisfied – with your nursing career, it’s important to engage in self-care.  

Next steps

After you’ve worked in patient care as an HIV/AIDS nurse, you may want to explore career advancement opportunities. One of the most popular avenues is to go back to nursing school to earn your Master of Nursing Science (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

With an MSN or DNP, you can work in education or research, or continue to provide clinical care to patients with HIV/AIDS.

If you’re not sure of your next steps, you can always talk with our community of experienced nursing professionals. They’re standing by and ready to answer your questions.

FAQs

---

---