There are plenty of great career options out there, but there is something special about nursing. You might think that it’s a role full of hardships, and while there is some truth to that, there are plenty of other great benefits to being a nurse that makes the challenging days more than worth it. If you’re on the edge of choosing nursing as a career, here is why you should take the leap.
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There are Plenty of Paths
Nursing doesn’t involve just one path – there are plenty of career options that suit all types of nurses. Some nurses prefer to work in less intense settings like family clinics; some like to work with a specific age group, whereas others might enjoy becoming nurse leaders. Travel nurses even get the opportunity to travel the world as they work. There’s a career for all preferences!
Whether you want to be a registered nurse, nurse-midwife, or family nurse practitioner, there are plenty of options to help get you where you need to be. Even if you already have a bachelor’s degree in something unrelated to nursing, you can find online accelerated BSN programs for non nurses, which allows you to qualify as a nurse without previous experience.
It is Never Boring
Despite how challenging nursing can sometimes be, it is safe to say that it is, at least, never dull. After all, when you have many patients to tend to, you don’t have a moment to be bored! Having an active and stimulating career is beneficial for multiple reasons, such as the satisfaction provided at the end of each shift.
It is a Well-Respected Career
Most people want to work a job that gains the respect of others, and nursing certainly does that. Being a nurse tells people that you are smart, resilient, and compassionate – three traits that everyone admires. If you decide to climb the ladder and pursue an advanced nursing position, that respect will only grow.
Options for a High Salary
People don’t often associate high salaries with nursing, but the truth is you can earn a lucrative six-figure salary with some of the more advanced roles. Even if you stay as an RN, you will still earn an average yearly salary of around $73K.
If you’re interested in earning six figures, then consider some of these nursing roles:
- Certified Nurse Anesthetist
- General Nurse Practitioner
- Pain Management Nurse
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
- Nurse Administrator
By choosing one of these nursing specialties, you’ll get to enjoy a more than comfortable salary alongside an excellent career.
You Meet the Best People
Nursing is full of the best kind of people. Think about it – as a nurse, you are constantly surrounded by people who chose to help people for a living, so why would they be anything but amazing? You’ll find that you meet the best friends you could ask for throughout nursing school and your career. Not only that, but you’ll also meet many wonderful and inspiring patients. When you watch a sick patient tell a joke despite the pain, you’ll be reminded why you became a nurse in the first place.
The Skills You Learn Are Transferable
The skills you learn as a nurse will help you in many areas of life. For example, you’ll learn how to manage your time better, which is just as helpful at home as it is at work. Your patience, compassion, and drive will also seep into your everyday life. Plus, if you ever decided to quit being a nurse, then your time would never be wasted, as the skills gained would be helpful in many careers.
You Can Feel Proud of Your Work
You want to feel proud of the work you produce each day, and with nursing, you can. By working hard to save lives, advise patients, and provide quality care, you can rest assured that you are contributing something wonderful to society. It might not always be easy, but that is certainly a great feeling!
The Flexible Work Schedule
Many nursing roles allow for flexibility, which helps some people manage a career and their home life. If you’re a parent, for example, you could figure out a schedule that allows you to be home in time to pick your kids up from school. This flexibility might be a cherry on top, or it might be the one thing that allows you to spend enough time with your family.
Nursing will Always be Needed
Nobody wants to end a career with an end in sight. Many factory jobs with manual workers and office roles that can be filled by tech will soon disappear, but the same does not apply to nursing. While medical technology is always getting better, the need for real faces, genuine compassion, and human-provided healthcare will never disappear. By becoming a nurse, you can rest assured that your career is stable.
The Education Never Stops
Even once you have completed your bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, your education is never truly over. That might sound overwhelming, but being a lifelong learner has plenty of benefits. Not only will your wisdom and intelligence improve over time, but you will stay up-to-date with advancements in the medical world. You get to see first-hand how new developments help save people’s lives. It’s an education that can’t be completed in a couple of years – by being a nurse, the amount you can learn is limitless.
It’s All About Helping Others
The absolute best thing about a career as a nurse is that it is all about helping people. There’s something so fulfilling and heartwarming about stepping into a career that focuses solely on making vulnerable and sick people’s lives better. It is not just a job for an easy paycheck; it’s a career that’ll make you feel proud every single day.
Moreover, despite the common belief that the nursing and caregiving industry should be dominated by females, this career path can be rewarding both for men and women. This lucrative job opportunity is becoming more and more demanded and it can be for anyone who is willing to dedicate themselves to taking care of other people. With that being said the need for male nurses is also increasing very quickly and this is also one of the reasons to pursue a career in this highly demanded industry despite stereotypes.
If you are considering becoming a nurse, use these reasons as fuel to apply for a nursing degree and achieve your dream. Nursing isn’t always easy, but it never stops being stimulating, fulfilling, and full of great people.