Careers in the healthcare industry have always been an attractive option for people worldwide. Many reasons contribute towards this drive of thriving young students to pursue a career in healthcare. It may be the respect that accompanies the tag of a healthcare worker, financial security, job security, or the emotional fulfillment of working for humanity. However, when young minds talk about healthcare, they are mostly referring to the posts of physicians and surgeons. Unbeknownst to them, the position of a nurse is just as rewarding and beneficial and maybe more suitable for energetic individuals as compared to that of a physician or surgeon. For this reason, we will discuss the best things about being a nurse.
1. You get to help people
The main reason young and energetic individuals want a career in healthcare is to help people. They want to have a chance to impact people’s lives directly and help ease their pain and help them recover from their ailments. No other healthcare professionals are as involved in direct patient care as nurses. Your job as a nurse gives you the responsibility of aiding and assisting patients in many ways. For example, you will have to make sure that they are fed according to their needs, take the right medication at the right time, check on their health to record recovery progress, etc. Moreover, a nurse also educates patients and their families regarding hygiene and lifestyle changes to help them stay healthy. Hence, nursing is a profession that revolves around patient care.
2. Career advancement
There are ample chances for career advancement as a nurse. For example, if you start out as an RN, you can pursue higher education such as online dnp programs without clinicalsto progress your career. You can also choose to get a Master’s in Nursing Education. Moreover, you can choose to work in different specialties, such as neonatal nursing, pediatric nursing, psychiatric nursing, midwifery, aged care, etc. Of course, you will need to complete some coursework and acquire some skills to work in the specialty roes, but it also indicates that there is always some room for progress.
3. High job security
Due to the increasing population, rise in health concerns, and other factors, nursing will never go out of demand no matter how much time passes. In fact, as the baby boomer generation ages, the industry is facing an increasing shortage of nurses. For this reason, the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that there will be up to 175,000 new openings for registered nurses each year till 2029. This aspect makes nursing a safe career choice for anyone who wants to work in healthcare in the near future.
4. Have a great nurse-patient relationship
Patients tend to create a strong bond with nurses as they are the ones taking care of them all the time, so they spend more time with nurses and recover under their care. Such cases are especially true for patients recovering after a traumatic injury, illness, or operation and find themselves more vulnerable. In such cases, nurses provide holistic care and treat their patients with compassion, which leaves a lasting impact on the patient.
5. Make good money
Nurses are paid good wages as compared to other professions. The average salary of nurses per year is $80,010. However, it varies according to the nurse’s qualification, experience, certification, positions, etc. These factors ultimately determine the average salary, but nurses still earn much higher than other workers on average.
6. Transferable life skills
The skills you learn during your education and job are not limited to the healthcare facility’s premises only. In fact, these skills are highly adaptable in almost every aspect of life. For starters, nurses learn to deal with emergency situations which can be highly stressful. They maintain their calm during times of panic and carry out the necessary procedure to ensure their patient’s safety. This aspect can help a person during grief and emergency in their personal life. Moreover, nurses have excellent communication skills, which help in their personal lives as well. Moreover, the nursing knowledge you acquire during education and experience is carried with you for life, and it is helpful in numerous situations.
7. The profession commands respect
Nursing is a centuries-old profession, and throughout time, it has demanded respect and has been considered a noble profession. Hence, nurses are regarded as upstanding community members and are highly celebrated amongst people. People remain in awe of a nurse’s empathy, intelligence, compassion, and quick thinking and hold them in high regard. Most of all, people consider nurses so admirable due to their ability to devote themselves to someone else’s care and well-being so selflessly.
8. Flexible work + arrangements
Nurses work in rotation shifts, giving them more work flexibility than the standard 9-5 grind of corporate work. The time between shifts makes it easier for nurses to maintain a healthy work-life balance or continue their education in their spare time. Moreover, nurses also enjoy paid annual leave, paid parental leave, and have the choice to take a year off for higher education. This level of flexibility is undoubtedly a bonus in every aspect.
9. You can easily switch career paths
Another reason why nursing is such an attractive career choice is that it gives you the ability to change career paths without having to change your career. This means that you can work in several specialties as a nurse without switching your role drastically. As the healthcare industry is enormous and the demand for nurses is very high, you can find work as a nurse in any field you deem suitable. This means that you can go from being a pediatric nurse to being a psychiatric nurse after a bit of training and education. The primary responsibilities are almost the same, but the change in fields can give you a fresh and exciting perspective.
Conclusion
Nursing is a very appealing career choice for people who want to work in the healthcare industry and have a passion for helping people. It is a noble profession and highly celebrated in society. Moreover, technological advancements and new regulations increase nurses’ practice style and methods, which is enough to keep the profession interesting. Therefore, if you think you have the necessary skills to become a nurse, it is an excellent career choice. Not only is this profession financially rewarding, but you will also experience job satisfaction working as a nurse.
