Most nurses who decide to go into this career choose to do so because they enjoy caring for others. If you have a lot of empathy and compassion and want a career that allows you to be there for and support other people in their time of need, working as a nurse could be one of the best choices you will ever make. Nursing is not only emotionally rewarding, knowing that the work that you do is making a difference to others and contributing to their health and wellbeing, but nurses also enjoy excellent job demand, respect, countless career progression opportunities, flexible working hours, and excellent rates of pay.
Nursing can be a fantastic career for your professional and personal growth, with several opportunities to specialize in certain areas of the profession or move up the ranks into managerial and leadership positions. So, what are some of the main reasons to consider a career as a nurse?
Reward and Satisfaction
Most nurses will report that the reward and satisfaction of their career is what keeps them going. Nursing is one of the most highly rewarding careers worldwide; it’s one of the few job choices where what you do has a real impact on the lives of others and is able to directly impact the health and wellbeing of the people that you work with on a regular basis. Knowing that you are instrumental in helping people through some of the toughest times of their lives and providing support for people who are scared and in pain can be highly rewarding and satisfying. If you need to work in a career where you feel like you have a true sense of purpose and are doing something meaningful every hour that you are on the job, nursing could be the perfect choice of work for you.
Specialty Options
Nursing is a very diverse career with hundreds of specialist areas that you can consider. Once you are qualified as a registered nurse you will be able to find a training program designed to help you learn more and specialize in any area of the profession that appeals to you. There are on-the-job training programs allowing you to learn more about a certain aspect of nursing through work experience, and training programs designed to help you focus your nursing career on a certain category of patients or a certain type of disease.
Whether you want to deal primarily with women as a women’s health nurse, deliver babies as a nurse-midwife, work as an oncology nurse to care for patients with cancer, or help patients with their mental health as a psychiatric nurse, the opportunities for taking your career in nursing in the exact direction that you would like it to go are endless. If you’re not sure whether you’d like to specialize in a certain area of nursing, the ER is an awesome place to start, since this exposes nurses to a huge range of patients, conditions, and situations and can provide the experience that you need to shape the rest of your career.
Career Progression Opportunities
Nursing is not only a career where there are tons of specialty areas to choose from and make your career into something that you enjoy; ambitious nurses have several opportunities to climb the ranks with various advanced positions that you can pursue. Nurses who enjoy leadership and managing a team might consider becoming a nurse manager, who is tasked with leading teams of nurses and ensuring that healthcare facilities are run smoothly. If you prefer the idea of working in a nursing role with more autonomy, independence, and authority while still being able to provide direct care for patients, becoming a nurse practitioner might be the ideal option for you.
In many US states, nurse practitioners have the ability to work independently of primary care physicians to diagnose conditions, prescribe medication, and provide treatment to their patients, and can often be found running clinics. If you have a master’s degree in nursing, this online MSN FNP program can be the ideal choice for a flexible fast-track route into becoming a family nurse practitioner.
Choose from a Variety of Work Environments
While nurses are often found in hospital environments, the hospital is certainly not the only place that you can find work as a nurse. Nurses are needed all around the world in a variety of different healthcare settings. Once qualified, there are various options for nurses who would rather work elsewhere. Nurses are often needed in clinics and doctor’s offices, at birthing centers, sexual health, and family planning centers, schools, within the community, in research facilities, correctional facilities, and more. Nurses have the opportunity to work in a variety of different environments throughout their careers, giving them the chance to determine where they prefer working the most and shape their future career decisions.
High Demand for Nurses
Right now, the shortage of nurses in the US means that there’s a higher demand for nurses and nurse practitioners than ever before. This demand has only been highlighted by the shortage of primary care physicians coupled with the COVID-19 crisis and is most pronounced in rural areas. As a result, those pursuing a career as a nurse can be guaranteed work wherever they go. Good medical care is needed around the clock everywhere, and there are expected to be millions of new job opportunities for nurses over the next decade. However, the demand for nurses isn’t just here in the US. Nursing has always been a high-demand career all around the world. Those who want to travel and see more of the world while working will certainly be able to find work as a nurse no matter where they go.
Flexible Work Schedule
Since nurses are needed around the clock, the majority of nurses are able to enjoy a flexible work schedule with shifts that are able to suit your needs and other commitments. Working as a nurse can be a 9-5 job in certain settings, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. Nurses who work in hospitals tend to have the most flexibility when it comes to their working hours. You can work nights and early mornings, throughout the day, weekdays, weekends, and more. If you have kids, you can choose nursing shifts that allow you to be at home before they finish school for the day, or opt for working hours that complement those of your partner to make childcare easier. If you’re not a morning person, nurses are always needed to work through the night.
Getting Qualified is Easier Than Ever
The high demand for nurses has led to a lot of investment into training options for those who want to pursue this career. There has never been a better time to consider studying to become a nurse, with more flexible training options to choose from than ever before. If you are considering a career change into nursing, the accelerated BSN degree allows you to get your degree to become a registered nurse in two years or less, provided that you already have a bachelor’s degree in another subject.
Online nursing degrees have become more popular than ever before, providing those who want to become a nurse with a flexible, self-led option for studying that can be done from home at times that suit them. Whether you’d prefer to go down the traditional route of becoming a nurse and attend classes on campus, or need a flexible option that you can fit around your commitments, there is a program option for you. Seamlessly changing your career to become a nurse has never been easier, since online study can be fit around your current full-time work.
Enjoy Competitive Salaries
High job demand and great job security are just some of the benefits that you will enjoy when you enter a nursing career. But alongside this, nurses can also benefit from a competitive rate of pay. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses can earn an average of $60k annually or even more, depending on where they work and the current demand for nurses in the area. Nurses who work to progress in their careers and move up the ranks into positions such as a nurse manager or a family nurse practitioner can expect to earn even more. Research shows that nurse practitioners enjoy an average annual salary of just over $100k – again, with the potential to earn more if you work in an area where the demand for nurse practitioners is particularly high. Nurses who work in highly specialized fields will often also earn a higher rate of pay.
Earn the Respect of Others
When working as a nurse, you’re definitely going to be in good company. Across the world, nurses have a strong reputation for being people that you can trust and rely on. Nurses consistently rank at the top of public opinion polls when it comes to professions that are seen to be honest, ethical, and compassionate. Most people are aware of what nurses do at work and may have had a positive experience with a nurse themselves; it’s difficult not to feel respect and even awe for people who choose to do this demanding yet very rewarding profession.
Enjoy Exciting Work
If you simply couldn’t imagine yourself working in a regular office job with predictable work, being a nurse could be the ideal choice for you. No two days are the same in nursing, and every day on the job will bring different experiences and challenges for you. Every day you’re going to be working with people who are from all different walks of life and dealing with different situations. Working as a nurse can be very unpredictable and you will need to be able to adapt quickly, think on your feet, and be ready for anything to happen.
It’s Socially Enjoyable
If you’re the type of person who needs to work in a social environment because you enjoy meeting and interacting with new people on a daily basis, nursing provides the perfect environment. Nurses spend the majority of their shifts interacting with other people from their patients and family members to the other healthcare professionals that they work with. Most nurses spend their entire day or night at work not only meeting new people, but building relationships with the same people too.
Find Work Quickly
For most graduates, one of the most frustrating periods is just after getting their degree where it’s often difficult to find work straight away. The good news for nurses is that there’s often work lined up for you on the condition that you get your BSN and pass the NCLEX to become a registered nurse. Most registered nurses are able to get started at work straight away and start earning money and enjoying their chosen career path. In addition to the fact that nursing is easier than most other professions to get into once qualified, nurses have the option of choosing degree programs that allow them to qualify faster, such as an accelerated BSN or a bridge program designed to enable licensed practical nurses to build on their skills to become a registered nurse.
Never Stop Learning
Nursing is an excellent career choice for people who love learning new things. If you enjoy being mentally stimulated and mastering something new, nursing definitely provides you with the option to do this on a consistent basis. Healthcare is very dynamic and is continually changing, with new technologies offering better medical equipment and tools and healthcare research that lead to new treatments and techniques that nurses must adapt to and learn quickly. Nurses are required to take control of keeping their knowledge current and up-to-date, and you’ll never fall behind with regular tests to ensure that your nursing knowledge is in line with the latest research and more. Today, the demand for nurses has never been higher, and it’s one of the best career options for those who are interested in meaningful work where they can make a real difference to the lives of others.
