6 Great Reasons to Choose a Nursing Career

6 Great Reasons to Choose a Nursing Career

Most people know that nursing can be a very stressful career, but it’s also a hugely important one that can be extremely rewarding as it is one of the highest paying careers. Nurses have a unique opportunity to work in a career where they are making a difference to the lives of others every day. Nurses are often the first person that somebody will be cared for by when they are sick or injured, and nurses play a vital role in making sure that patients are provided with the best standards of care, treated with empathy and respect, and in with the best chance of making a full recovery. Whether you are graduating high school and at the beginning of your career journey or are looking to make a career change in the near future, if you are a caring, compassionate person who wants to do something meaningful with your choice of career, nursing could be a great option for you. Here are some of the main reasons to consider working as a nurse.

High Demand for Nurses

Most people want a career where it is not difficult to find work, and this is one of the certainties that come with training as a nurse. Once you have a BSN, you will be able to find employment almost anywhere in the country, as long as you pass the state’s licensing exam. In addition, nurses aren’t just in high demand in the US; there is a demand for nurses wherever there are people, meaning that finding work around the world is also entirely possible for those in this profession. Currently, the demand for nurses in the US is higher than ever due to a shortage of these professionals. Studies have found that after graduating with a BSN, 90% of newly qualified nurses go on to find employment in the first six months or even sooner.

Range of Education Opportunities

Becoming a nurse is now easier than ever, especially for career changers. While there’s no denying that going to nursing school will be a lot of hard work, online and part time nursing programs have made it more flexible and more accessible for people who may have otherwise struggled to attend traditional, campus-based classes. All nursing degrees do include an in-person element as part of the program will involve getting clinical experience as a student nurse, but when studying online, you can sit through lectures and classes at home, often on your own schedule rather than being required to attend at set times. Along with making it easier for student nurses who need to work full time while getting their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), this can also work out much more cost-effective.

Career Advancement

There are very few career options in the world that have as many different career advancement and progression opportunities as nursing does. Registered nurses have a huge range of options to choose from whether they want to move sideways in the role into a more specialized nursing area or up the career ladder into advanced nursing roles such as a family nurse practitioner. Nurses also have the option to take on more desk-based and administrative senior roles such as a nurse manager, nurse executive, or nurse educator. Once you have a BSN and some experience behind you, there are various study options that you can pursue to help you get into these advanced nursing roles such as an online master’s of science in nursing or a doctor of nursing practice program from Marymount University.

Earning Potential

High demand for nurses and a generous amount of job security are just some of the career benefits that nurses can enjoy. Along with that, nurses also earn a competitive salary, with an average of $60k annually according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Along with generous salaries, many nurses also benefit from several career perks including employer-funded health and life insurance for themselves and their families. Advanced nursing career roles are even more competitive when it comes to pay and benefits, with nurse practitioners earning an average of $30k more than registered nurses yearly.

Different Work Environments

Nurses might be commonly found in hospitals, but this is not the only setting in which nurses are needed. Once qualified as a nurse, you can find nursing roles in a variety of different workplace settings to suit you. The ER might be an ideal place to work for a nurse who enjoys the fast-paced side of things but, on the other hand, working as a nurse in a doctor’s office or school might be an ideal choice for somebody who prefers to work standard business hours and wants to stay away from the emergencies. Nurses are also required in outpatient clinics, care homes, prisons, and various other places within the community where they advocate for and provide the best standards of care to their patients.

Personal Reward

While nursing is a career with many coveted job benefits, many nurses will agree that the main reason they do this job is because of the high level of job satisfaction and personal reward that it brings. Nurses have a very important and special role in the healthcare industry, and they are necessary to ensuring that patients are provided with the best standards of care. The work that nurses do is able to directly impact the lives of others, even in a small way. Many patients who went to hospital where they were treated by nurses at some of the worst times of their lives will always remember the kind, caring nurses who helped them through and offered unconditional empathy and support regardless of the situation. This aspect of the nursing career is often why it is so attractive to people who are called to do something more meaningful with their lives and want to have a strong sense of purpose when it comes to the work that they do.

Whether you’re deciding on your future career as a young person or want to do something different in your professional life, there are many reasons why a career in nursing is an ideal choice for anybody who cares about others.