A nurse is someone who provides care to patients in a healthcare environment. This can encompass everything from a nurse giving booster shots at a pediatrician's office, to a surgical assistant who prepares instruments and assists during complex surgeries in a hospital operating room. Many different specialities exist for a nurse, from working in the NICU with the tiniest of newborn patients, to geriatrics and palliative nursing for those at the end of their lives. For the ambitious nursing student that is looking to earn a high salary, there are specialized careers such as a registered anesthetist, who might expect to out-earn a good number of doctors. Many nurses really enjoy the difference they can make in a patient's life, and the rewards for saving a patient's life or greatly improving their day-to-day life by sharing some of their skills and knowledge are one aspect of why many nurses choose this profession.