18 Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing

A nursing career is a great choice for those who have a caring and giving nature. There are so many advantages of choosing a career in nursing, with the ability to work almost anywhere in the world to providing care to those who are most vulnerable. Nursing is an extremely rewarding role, and there are many routes that you can go down once qualified. Here are 18 reasons to choose a career in nursing.

You Can Study Online

Nursing degrees are available online, meaning that you can have much more control over when and how you study. For those who have busy family lives, studying online has many advantages. Many of the leading nursing universities have courses available online, meaning you can still gain a great degree program from a reputable university. For those who cannot travel to university, this also provides you with the option of studying at a university of your choice without having to move. Studying online may also save you money and is a better choice for those who don’t enjoy attending lectures or seminars. Furthermore, online education provides the opportunity of getting easily certified (and recertified) in crucial lifesaving skills such as CPR and First Aid.

You Will Make a Difference

Becoming a nurse means that you will make a difference to at least one life every single day. This isn’t a reward that you can get from just any job. You will be responsible for improving patient care, monitoring patients, providing basic care needs and being the reason that patient has a smile on their face by the end of the day. Going home after each shift knowing that you have made a positive impact on a patient or family’s day means a lot. This can make the rough days a little easier to swallow. If you are looking for a role where you will make a difference, nursing is it.

Nursing Can Take You Anywhere

Nurses can travel the world, and in any country that you go to, nurses are in high-demand. Whether this be the U.S, the U.K, Canada, Thailand or India, your nursing profession can allow you to travel, take in the world around you and soak up different cultures and experiences. You may also choose to become a nurse within the Armed Forces. These nurses get to travel the world doing what they love and doing their bit for their country.

Nurses also have the opportunity to work on cruises, at summer camps and in schools around the world. You may also want to choose to become a travel nurse, where you are sent to any healthcare facility that is in dire need of a nurse. You can also find quality registered nurse professional indemnity insurance to make sure to cover all of your bases, especially if traveling as a nurse. This is an exciting way to travel and gain experience at the same time.

You Are Likely to Gain a Job in Your Degree

Nurses are in extremely high-demand, meaning you are likely to be offered a job before you have even received your degree. There are so many job opportunities out there, and with so many different sectors to choose from, you will be spoilt for choice. Studying with some of the leading nursing universities will provide you with great connections when finding a role and as you will be learning while on the job, you are able to make a good impression wherever you are placed. If you really enjoy training in a certain place, speak to the management team about a job once qualified, as they may be happy to save a place for you.

Nurses Have High Job Satisfaction

Nurses tend to have high job satisfaction as they are in a career that they love. While there will be days that are difficult and hard to forget – every job has these – the benefits of nursing totally outweigh the negatives. There is nothing more satisfying about a role than coming home each night feeling rewarded by your career and what you have achieved. Within a single shift there is so much that can happen, there is plenty to be proud of. Choosing a nursing role that you want to be in and having a great nursing team around you can provide high job satisfaction.  

You May Be Able to Access Financial Aid

Some people shy away from studying due to the costs. Often with nursing, there is some form of financial aid or a nursing scholarship that you can apply for. This can come from professional organizations, universities and companies who are looking to hire more nurses. As stated earlier, nurses are in high-demand, and so many companies are willing to help out with the training of nurses so that they can enter their workforce. If money is putting you off studying, look at what is available to you.

Every Day is Different

If a 9-5 office job doing the same tedious tasks is not for you, nursing provides a different day every day. While you may be doing some of the same tasks such as taking vital observations, every patient is different, and the way you care for each patient is different. You are likely to see a variety of conditions, and no matter how long you have nursed for, there will be times where you come across a condition that you never have before.

You Will Be Respected

Nursing is one of the most well-respected industries out there and many people applaud nurses for what they do. Not everyone has it in them to become a nurse, and so if you do believe you have the right qualities and mindset, you should seriously consider a nursing career. The public understand how tough being a nurse can be and they appreciate you. Feeling appreciated within your role can further increase your job satisfaction.

Nurses Can Specialize

Once you have qualified, there are so many avenues that you can go down depending on what you enjoyed during your training. Some nurses prefer looking after the older patients, while some nurses choose to look after children. You can also specialize within these sectors, such as working with those battling with cancer or working within the surgical department. With so many different specialties to choose from, there is plenty of opportunity no matter what type of nursing you enjoy.

There are Plenty of Opportunities to Advance

Nurses have the opportunity to gain a master’s in many different avenues, depending on what suits you and what skills you want to obtain. You may want to become a leader in nursing and become a Chief Nursing Executive, or you may be interested in becoming a Nurse-Midwife and assisting pregnant mothers through pregnancy and birth. Baylor University Online provides registered nurses with online degrees in many fields such as the Executive Nurse Leadership program.

Nursing is a Stable Career Choice

Nurses are in high-demand and so this means that you will always be in a stable career. If you are looking for a role that you will always be able to find a job in, then look no further. You aren’t likely to ever lose your job as a nurse, as we will always need healthcare facilities and nurses to care for patients, no matter how much technology advances. In fact, it is estimated that the number of registered nurses will continue to grow by a whopping 15% within the next ten years – this is much more than the average job.

Your Shifts Can Be Flexible

Many people choose nursing as they can work around their own personal commitments and family. While you will be working long shifts, a full-time registered nurse usually works three days of seven, meaning you have a full four days off during the week. You are also able to work shorter shifts if this works better around your family life or some nurses prefer night shifts so that they can take their children to school in the morning and then sleep while they are at school. Colleagues will be happy to work around you and your schedule, and by working together you can all do shifts that you are happy with.

You Will Always Be Learning

If you enjoy learning something every day, you will certainly get the opportunity to do so in nursing. During your training you will only scratch the surface of the amount of knowledge and experience that is out there for you to learn. You can see a new disease every day, learn about a new medicine, a new culture, have a new experience with a patient or attend a training day. Nurses have plenty of opportunity to learn and refine their skills on what they enjoy.

There are many nursing journals that cover the current issues within nursing practice and what we as nurses can do to overcome these in practice. Your healthcare organization is likely to send you on study days to improve your knowledge and professional learning further. If you truly enjoy the learning that nursing brings, you may want to further your career and become a nurse educator, in which you assist those in nursing training to become registered nurses.

Nurses Earn a Great Salary

Registered nurses earn competitive pay and as you advance in your role the amount you can earn can increase dramatically. A registered nurse usually earns a salary of around $70,000 a year and this can go up or down depending on the organization you work for. Often those who work in the private sector can earn more. If you gain an extra degree to become a nurse practitioner, you can look at taking home over $110,000 for the year.

You Can Work in Many Environments

As a nurse, you can choose to work in a variety of different healthcare settings depending on where you feel most comfortable working. Some nurses love working on the ward in a hospital environment, while others thrive off supporting those in the community to live at home or in a care home. You may work within the government sector or a private sector, a residential facility or a doctor’s surgery.

Nurses Receive Great Benefits

Most careers offer some benefit packages, nursing being one of them. If you choose to work in the Armed Forces, you will be eligible for low-cost or no-cost insurance. For those nurses who choose to work for the government, you will gain a favorable insurance package as well as retirement benefits. For those in the private sector, what you are offered depends on the company that you work for.

You Have Life-Saving Skills

A nurse has the ability to save lives, and they do so every day. Being able to notice signs of deterioration and having the ability to perform CPR is a skill that everyone should have. These life-saving skills can be passed on to family and friends so that if an emergency situation was to arise at home or when you are out, they have the knowledge needed to do something about it. Often nurses use their skills outside of work and you never know where you may be in a situation that warrants a nurse. You will find throughout your nursing career that family and friends come to you for healthcare advice.

Nurses Build Therapeutic Relationships

If you enjoy working in an environment where you interact with people all day long, then nursing provides this. As a nurse, you are expected to build therapeutic relationships with patients and their families, and this can bring with it a very rewarding feeling. These relationships can be meaningful and are part of what makes a career in nursing so great.

You won’t just build therapeutic relationships with patients but also with your fellow healthcare professionals. As a nurse, you can interact with hundreds of people in a day, including physicians, healthcare assistants, administrative assistants, physiotherapist and occupational therapists. You all must work with each other and provide a good working relationship as this is what makes a healthcare team successful.

These are just some of the wonderful benefits that a career in nursing can provide. For those looking for a stable, well-respected and well-paid role, nursing provides just that. Furthermore, you will have plenty of opportunities to advance in your chosen specialty as well as switch specialties if you want to try something new.