What Future Nurses Are Choosing to Specialize in: Shiksha Poll Revealed
Nurses are a key contributor in the progress of the healthcare sector, assisting both patients and Medical Professionals in a healthcare facility. The demand for skilled and specialized Nurses is incomparable in India and around the globe.
Although every Nurse is important in a healthcare facility for providing medical care, Specialized Nurses hold more significance as they are considered experts in a specific department. They are in high demand, especially in many specialized hospitals and clinics.
According to the opinion poll run by Shiksha.com, 44% of students believe that Medical Surgical Nursing is the best Nursing specialization. This article provides an overview of the Medical Surgical Nursing specialization, along with other popular Nursing specializations. Interested candidates can continue reading the article.
Top Nursing Specializations
Pursuing a specific Nursing specialization provides advanced clinical expertise in a specialized area, better job prospects, higher earning potential, increased job security, and more. This section offers a brief overview of some popular Nursing specializations in India.
Medical Surgical Nursing
Medical-Surgical Nursing, or Med-Surg Nursing, offers medical care to pediatric and adult patients with specific conditions that may require surgery. Medical-Surgical Nurses assist Senior Doctors and Surgeons in the operating theatre. They also assist patients and doctors in a Ward and beyond.
|   Parameters  |  
       Specialization Details  |  
    
|---|---|
|   Top Colleges  |  
       Parul University, JIMPER Puducherry, Armed Forces Medical College, Amity University, SRM Medical College, etc.  |  
    
|   Course Fees  |  
       UG: INR 3,240 to INR 4.4 Lakh PG: INR 2,000 to INR 4.12 Lakh  |  
    
|   Top Job Profiles  |  
       Clinic Registered Nurse, Staff Nurse, OT Nurse, Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Specialist, etc.  |  
    
|   Average Salary  |  
       INR 4.3 LPA  |  
    
|   Top Recruiters  |  
       Apollo Hospitals, Health Care Global Enterprises, KIMS Hospital, Manipal Hospitals, Fortis Healthcare, etc.  |  
    
Note: The information is sourced from various external sites and may vary.
Medical-Surgical Nursing Roles and Responsibilities:
- Assisting professionals in pre-surgical preparation.
 - Assisting patients with post-surgical recovery.
 - Monitoring the patient's vitals and health condition.
 - Collaborate with Doctors in developing and implementing care plans for the patient.
 - Managing and updating patients' files and documents.
 
Critical Care Nursing
Critical Care Nurses are also called ICU Nurses. They are generally found in Intensive Care Units and Trauma Centers. These are highly trained professionals who provide medical care to people with life-threatening illness or injury, or recovering from one.
|   Parameters  |  
       Specialization Details  |  
    
|---|---|
|   Top Colleges  |  
       AIIMS Delhi, Parul University, JIMPER Puducherry, PGIMS Rohtak, SRM Medical College, etc.  |  
    
|   Course Fees  |  
       UG: INR 66,000 to INR 3.2 Lakh PG: INR 350 to INR 4 Lakh  |  
    
|   Top Job Profiles  |  
       ICU Nurse, Emergency Room Nurse, NICU Nurse, MICU Nurse, GNM, etc.  |  
    
|   Average Salary  |  
       INR 3.3 LPA  |  
    
|   Top Recruiters  |  
       BLK Super Specialty Hospital, Medanta, AIIMS Trauma Center, Fortis Healthcare, etc.  |  
    
Note: The information is sourced from various external sites and may vary.
Critical Care Nursing Roles and Responsibilities:
- They get involved with Doctors and Specialists in assessing, treating, and monitoring patients in critical condition.
 - They monitor the health and vitals of patients in ICUs.
 - Check their IV drips and administer medications.
 - They utilize their advanced skills in areas like mechanical ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring, and advanced life support.
 
Psychiatric Nursing
It is also called Mental Health Nursing, where the focus area of Nurses is to give care and support to people and communities suffering from mental health challenges. Mental Health Nurses work on promoting health through the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of individual responses to psychiatric disorders.
|   Parameters  |  
       Specialization Details  |  
    
|---|---|
|   Top Colleges  |  
       NIMHANS, AIIMS Delhi, Jamia Hamdard, SRM Medical College, Central Institute of Psychiatry, etc.  |  
    
|   Course Fees  |  
       INR 1,400 to INR 81 Lakh  |  
    
|   Top Job Profiles  |  
       Psychiatric Nurse, Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist, Psychiatric Nurse Lecturer, etc.  |  
    
|   Average Salary  |  
       INR 4.8 LPA  |  
    
|   Top Recruiters  |  
       NIMHANS, VIMHANS, Institute of Mental Health and Hospital Agra, Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF India), etc.  |  
    
Note: The information is sourced from various external sites and may vary.
Psychiatric Nursing Roles and Responsibilities:
- They conduct an initial assessment and screening to note the patient's wellness status and needs.
 - They also evaluate potential risks, like whether a person is suicidal or homicidal.
 - They collaborate and assist the Senior Professionals throughout the treatment.
 - They maintain the records of patients' medical history, documents, etc.
 
Pediatric Nursing
Pediatric Nursing is focused on the medical wellness of infants to adolescents. Pediatric Nurses are an essential part of the healthcare system as they assist children with several conditions in their developmental stages. They also provide pre-delivery and post-delivery care to mothers.
|   Parameters  |  
       Specialization Details  |  
    
|---|---|
|   Top Colleges  |  
       Parul University, AIIMS Delhi, JIMPER Puducherry, Armed Forces Medical College, SRM Medical College, etc.  |  
    
|   Course Fees  |  
       INR 1,400 to INR 81 Lakh  |  
    
|   Top Job Profiles  |  
       Child Health Nurses, Pediatric Nurse, ANM, Pediatric ICU Nurse, etc.  |  
    
|   Average Salary  |  
       INR 3 LPA  |  
    
|   Top Recruiters  |  
       Apollo Cradle Children's Hospital, Artemis Hospital, Rainbow Children's Hospital, Cloud Nine Hospital, etc.  |  
    
Note: The information is sourced from various external sites and may vary.
Pediatric Nursing Roles and Responsibilities:
- They administer prescribed medications, vaccinations, and treatment to children.
 - They monitor vitals and maintain records of them.
 - They provide comfort and assistance to both children and parents.
 
Shiksha’s Poll Analysis
According to the recent poll conducted by Shiksha, 44% of students out of 100 prefer Medical-Surgical Nursing amongst the three others. Meanwhile, 29% of students prefer Critical Care Nursing, 15% of students chose Psychiatric Nursing, and the remaining 12% of students chose Pediatric Nursing.
However, nursing students have plenty of specialization options other than these. Some other popular Nursing specializations include Obstetrics & Gynecology, Community Medicine Nursing, Neuroscience, Oncological, Cardiological, Orthopedic, and so on.

Akansha Bisht is an education content specialist with over 1 year of experience in student guidance and academic writing. At Shiksha.com, she is focused on helping students get the right courses by simplifying the d
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The difference between a Psychiatric Nurse and a Psychiatrist is that the Psychiatrist is a Medical Doctor who has completed a specialised degree in MD or DO, meanwhile the Psychiatric Nurse has studied the specialised Nursing field of psychiatry. Thanks!