Nursing as a Career
Looking for a career that allows you to give back to others?
Perhaps a career that allows you to walk into a room and feel welcomed by the smiles on faces of those awaiting your arrival is part of your dream job description?
If so, have you considered nursing?
Nursing is one of the most noble professions in our society. It is truly a selfless career option that many choose every day.
Indeed, it requires a certain mindset and of course, there are educational requirements that must be met.
These requirements, however, vary with your chosen nursing specialty. Licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, must complete a nursing program and then, based on their individual state requirements, must pass a state licensing exam in order to work as an LPN.
Registered nurses require more intense training and they too must also pass their state licensing board’s examinations. Still, the odds of finding a nurse who regrets his or her decision is rare.
Nursing Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 2.6 million nurses in the United States and they account for the largest health care occupation. Many of these nurses continue their educations and go on to become:
- Nurse Practitioners
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Midwives
- Nursing Instructors
- Forensic Nurses
Further, nurses can choose a level of specialty, such as those working with medical teams that research certain diseases or nurses who are specifically trained to provide not only care for terminal patients, but their families as well.
Many nurses prefer a classroom setting and become nursing instructors while others become critical care nurses or pediatric nurses.
The growth rate in the nursing industry through the year 2016 is expected to increase by 48% for nurses working in physician’s offices; 33% of nurses who work in the home health care industry; 25% for those opting to work in nursing home environments and 17% for those who choose hospitals as their settings.
Why Become a Nurse Now?
The reasons for choosing the nursing industry are as varied as the nurses themselves. Many wish to make a difference in another’s life while others are passionate about the medical field as a whole and want a career in medicine.
Today’s technological advances open a world of possibilities for nurses.
More procedures that were at one time completed in a hospital setting are now being performed in physicians’ offices, and let’s face it, our life expectancies continue to increase and as a result, the need for qualified and compassionate medical personnel is on the rise too.
Further, many treatments that traditionally were done in more sterile settings are now being performed in patients’ homes. This, of course, explains the need for home health care nurses.
Because of the unique work schedules, many nurses are realizing they can easily work their careers into their domestic lives.
It is not uncommon for nurses to enjoy flex-time opportunities, part-time work schedules that still provide a significant income, and there are always those who prefer to travel and become what is known as traveling nurses.
Many also opt to enter the military as nurses; this is another way nurses are able to travel while pursuing their careers.
Finally, there remains a nursing shortage in this country. Perhaps it’s because technology is growing at such rapid paces. Regardless, there remains a need for both LPNs and RNs in every medical setting.
What does this mean for those wishing to pursue a nursing career? It could mean financial incentives as you pursue your education as well as competitive salaries and bonuses for those just beginning their careers upon the completion of their educations.
Doctors, clinics, hospitals and other medical arenas are working hard to attract and retain qualified nurses. As a result, nurses are sometimes offered child care expenses, educational incentives and other hard-to-pass-up incentives.
Salary Expectations
According to BLS, the median wages for nurses as of May 2008 were just under $62,500. Of course, the region of the country you live in as well as any specialized training you bring to the table plays a role in your earning potential as well.
Those graduating their programs in the top of the class are afforded even more financial incentives, including sign on bonuses.
Other median incomes, again, according to BLS include:
- Hospitals $68,160
- Doctors Offices $63,880
- Nursing Homes $57,000
Nurses are the strength of the medical health care sector in our country. They’re the ones whose gentle hands tend to wounds and whose kind words act as the cure-all for our emotional ailments.
They are the ones who reassure our families as we heal and the ones who give comfort when a loved one is lost.
It’s a rare gift to have what it takes to become a nurse; however, those who succeed enjoy far more than the financial benefits of their careers.
Clearly, the many reasons to choose nursing are quite powerful and far outweigh the educational and time sacrifices you make. It is a lifelong role that nurses commit to on a daily basis. In a world where we often second guess our career choices, you can be sure the nurses in this country rarely, if ever, question their own choices.