Why Should You Choose a Nursing Career?

By  //  September 24, 2022

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When you are trying to decide which career path to pursue, it can quickly become overwhelming. There are so many fantastic opportunities out there, and some careers might appear to be more exciting than others – but can they truly give you what you’re looking for?

It is important to take some time to figure out what you want from a career to make sure you don’t end up wasting your time, but you also need to consider whether or not you are someone who could be right for a specific role. If you are an individual who is caring, compassionate and loves the idea of working to support others, then have you considered a nursing career? 

Although this job isn’t always easy, numerous benefits to working in the nursing profession make the harder times worthwhile, and below are some of the key reasons why this is a career path worth considering.

1. Nurses are in Demand

Searching for jobs can be a daunting task, particularly when you feel as though the roles you are interested in are rare and there is great competition for these coveted positions.

Although you will still need to go through the process of job applications when you do become a nurse, and there will still be an element of competition, these roles are in such high demand that it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to find employment once you have passed your licensure exams and achieved your nursing degree.

Healthcare environments rely heavily on nurses to provide the right support and care for both patients and other healthcare workers, so you will always have a place in hospitals, clinics, and other environments that need the expertise of a nurse.

2. It’s an Opportunity to Learn

If you are someone who likes to learn new things and challenge yourself academically, a nursing career can provide this for you. As mentioned above, to become a qualified nurse you will first need to earn a degree in this field, which will require dedication to your studies.

This will include both academic learning and developing your practical skills, and this educational journey can be both challenging and exciting.

If you think you would like to work as a nurse but are concerned about how returning to school will impact your current commitments, you can always look at online learning options. These second degree accelerated BSN programs online can offer a more flexible approach to getting your nursing degree, and can also allow you to achieve this in a shorter time than traditional degree programs. 

Once you have achieved your nursing degree, you will then need to sit an exam to get the license that will allow you to practice as a registered nurse. You might also choose to return to college later in your career to achieve a master’s or doctorate in nursing, or another field if you want to pursue specific roles. In addition to learning in the classroom, you will also gain a lot of knowledge from your work experience as a nurse than can benefit you professionally and personally.

3. It Can Offer You Career Stability

An important factor to consider for a lot of job seekers is knowing that the career path they choose can provide them with stability. While there might be a lot of exciting, trendy careers out there, not all of them will survive beyond the next decade, as markets and trends change.

One of the benefits of choosing a career in healthcare is that it can offer more stability than other paths, as this is a service that will consistently be relied on by society.

There will always be the need to come up with innovative ideas to enhance healthcare treatments and patient care, as well as have people working in those frontline patient-facing roles to deliver this. Working as a nurse will offer you career stability, and it is a job that you can have for life if you want to remain in this profession.

4. There are Various Career Opportunities

When you start your nursing career, you might think that your life will be spent working on hospital wards or in healthcare clinics supporting patients and doctors. This can by the way your career goes if you want it to, but nurses are not limited to this kind of work, either.

There are various career opportunities in the nursing field for you to explore, which is ideal if you want to step into a role that can give you options later in life. You may find that you would like to one day educate a new generation of nurses, passing on the wisdom of your experience and helping them to learn the essential skills they will need.

If you would rather lead a team and take on a more managerial position, you can work your way up to becoming the head nurse in your department, and be responsible for managing shifts, liaising with the hospital management team, and supporting your fellow nurses in their roles. 

Some nurses might choose to specialize in a certain area, such as working in mental health or supporting senior citizens as geriatric nurses. If you prefer working with children, you could become a pediatric nurse instead. You may decide you want to leave the traditional clinical setting altogether, and pursue a role as a nurse working for a school or college. 

Other options could be becoming a nurse practitioner, where you will have more responsibilities, such as being able to give diagnoses to patients, carry out physical examinations, and write prescriptions. In this role, you could work in a GP’s office, hospital, or another clinical setting. There truly are many different paths you can pursue when you decide to get into the nursing profession, so you can find a position that you are passionate about.

5. Financial Security

Another draw to working as a nurse is that it can offer you some financial security as well. Although it is argued regularly that nurses should get paid more for their services and expertise, there is the opportunity to earn good money, particularly if you choose to move up the career ladder into higher-paying positions.

It is important to note that the salary you do get paid will also depend a lot on the area you are working for and your level of expertise, but there are opportunities to earn more if you want to take advantage of this. While money should not be the main reason you choose to go into nursing, no one can deny that having financial security is a big factor for job seekers.

6. The Chance to Work in Other Countries

Nursing can also be a career that gives you a chance to see other parts of the world, as you can decide to volunteer your services to charity organizations and help those in need. You may also find that as there is a shortage of nurses all over the world, you can find working opportunities abroad in other hospitals to help cover temporary leave or perhaps a more permanent position.

You will need to check the regulations around this if it is something that you’re interested in and make sure you have the qualifications that are required for the country you are looking at. 

If you want to work in another state as a nurse, you may also need to take another licensure exam as these can differ from state to state. However, if you are willing to get the necessary paperwork and qualifications, this career can open a lot of doors for you and allow you to experience different parts of the world, too.

7. You Get to Help Others

One of the best reasons to pursue a career in nursing is that it’s a perfect role where you can to help others. There is no greater reward than knowing you have helped change a person’s life, or have been there to support someone through their darkest hours.

Nursing is an incredibly noble and well-respected career, and for good reason. Although it can be one of the most challenging jobs around, it is a career that you can look back on and be proud of. You could be an inspiration to your patients and colleagues and will learn a lot about yourself along the way, too. So, if you’re looking for a career path that can give you this kind of unique job satisfaction, nursing could be the perfect choice for you.

There are a lot of interesting and fulfilling career paths out there, and other jobs that enable you to help others that can be just as satisfying. However, with there being such a high demand for nurses now and as they are so important to the healthcare world, it is worthwhile considering this as a career choice. Think about all of the reasons listed above as to why you should choose to become a nurse and think about whether or not this could be the perfect role for you.