A career as a registered nurse is a great option for anyone who enjoys taking care of others and has an interest in the health care field. A college degree, either through a community college (associate's degree) or a four year university (bachelor's degree), is required to legally practice as a nurse. A registered nurse (RN) must also pass a national exam called the NCLEX and meet any other requirements that are specific to the state where they are employed. The duties of a nurse vary greatly depending upon their specialty. Nurses can choose to work with a particular type of patient, including: infants or children; the elderly; mentally ill patients; cancer patients; laboring women; or patients with a chronic disease. Common places of employment for a nurse include hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics, schools, home health care agencies, nursing homes and government agencies. Nurses are responsible for monitoring patients and updating their medical charts, working with other nurses and physicians to share patient information, providing physical and emotional comfort to patients, administering drugs, treat wounds, and sometimes providing information to the family of the patient. Specialty departments within a hospital or health care facility include the emergency room, operating room, intensive care unit (ICU), radiology, labor and delivery, and outpatient services. Some nurses work as nurse managers within a department and are in charge of delegating work and supervising other nurses. Working conditions can be very demanding for nurses, who are often on their feet for long periods of time. Nurses should also be prepared to work any type of shift and on holidays and weekends. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for a nurse in 2010 was $64,690. The projected growth rate for nursing jobs from 2010 to 2020 is 26%, which is faster than average for all other jobs. This growth is partly due to a large aging population (baby boomers) and the rise of life expectancy because of preventative care and technological advances.