Become an Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) Nurse in 3 Steps

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

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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 

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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.

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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!

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