Interested in Studying Nursing? 5 Reasons Why Nursing is an Awesome Career
By 2050, more than 80 million Americans will be 62+ years, which means there’ll be a huge demand for healthcare professionals, (particularly nurses) according to the U.S Census. If your passion lies in helping and taking care of the sick, enrolling for a nursing degree is something you should consider doing.
5 Excellent Benefits of a Nursing Career
Nurses are responsible for monitoring and taking care of patients, administering medication as well as maintaining patient’s records. As a nurse, you need emotional stability, physical stamina, and critical thinking skills to overcome workplace challenges and deal with human suffering. Despite the challenges, a nursing career carries with it lots of benefits and rewards. It is definitely impressive, and here’s why:
1. Personal Satisfaction
As a nurse, most of your days will be spent in serving people, saving lives, and alleviating human suffering. You interact a lot with patients be it when administering medication or dressing their wounds. Other than providing medical care, you also become the source of comfort and hope for both patients and their loved ones. The personal satisfaction that comes with helping others and making their lives better is unmatched.
2. Work Flexibility
Most professions require you to be in the office from 9-5 every day of the week, leaving little room for work and life balance. A nursing career, on the other hand, gives you the work flexibility you need to merge your profession and personal life seamlessly.
As a nurse, you can generally work whatever time you want: either as a part-time, temporary or full-time nurse. You even have the option of working night shifts so you can be free during the day. Regardless of the schedule you choose, you can tailor it to suit your lifestyle.
3. Job security and Career mobility
According to statistics, there is a shortage of nurses, which is mainly brought about by a large aging population and increased life expectancy. Healthcare facilities are therefore always on the lookout for nurses, which makes it easy to land and retain a job.
While working as a registered nurse may be an entry-level position, you could quickly advance your career with further education to take on a great deal of roles. After earning an Associate's Degree in Nursing, many nurses choose to return to school to earn their bachelor's or even their master's in the field.
4. Diverse Work Environment
A nursing career doesn’t mean you will only work in a hospital. You could work in managed care facilities, insurance companies, educational facilities, as well as the military. If you love traveling, you can focus on being a travel nurse. This way, you get to work in various parts of the country and the world at large while your employer takes care of your travel expenses. A nursing career has something for everyone, regardless of whether you love the quiet rural life or the bustle of the city.
5. Numerous Specialties to Choose From
A nursing career has a long list of specialties to choose from. Are you passionate about working with kids? You could specialize in pediatrics. Or maybe mental health is your forte? Then psychiatric nursing is your best option. You can always find something to focus on once you find your feet in a nursing career.
Starting a Career Path to Becoming a Nurse with Formal Education
You need to either have a bachelor’s degree which takes four years, or an associate’s degree which generally takes 2-3 years to become an RN. However, your associate degree program can take as little as 18 months in an accelerated program.
Studying for a degree generally trains you in nursing core areas like anatomy, nutrition, physiology, microbiology, and pharmacology. You should also get to cover acute care as well as medical nursing, which you would apply in your day-to-day duties as a nurse after you find work.
After graduating, you must take and pass licensing exams from the National Council of States Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to apply for licensing. Your license proves your suitability to join a nursing career in the entry-level position. If you fancy being a travel nurse, you can apply for Nursing Licensure Compact, which enables you to practice in multiple states.
Although certification is voluntary, some employers require applicants to have them. You can seek certification for your specific area of interest, which could help you later if you decide to specialize in a particular segment of nursing.
Ready to Move Forward as a Nurse?
It's no secret that numerous rewards accompany a nursing career. If you are interested in taking a nursing career path, ECPI University offers an Associate Degree of Nursing at an accelerated pace. For more information about this program, connect with a friendly admission advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
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Gainful Employment Information – Nursing - Associate’s
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