5 Good Reasons You Should Consider A Nursing Career
The medical landscape is experiencing a dynamic shift, creating a higher demand for skilled nurses. The Population Reference Bureau already notes that the US has recorded a longer lifespan in the baby boomer age, and there is a need for specialized professionals to cater to different patients.
Individuals who want to shape the future of healthcare through leadership and specialized roles can consider a nursing career. Through its online programs, Baylor University offers a path into advanced clinical practice for DNP-prepared nurses, placing them at the helm of healthcare innovation and leadership. If you’re still unsure, here are five reasons why a career in nursing might be for you.
Five reasons why you should consider a nursing career
Choosing a career path can be complicated, but knowing your passion and goals can be crucial in making the right decisions. Here are five ways to tell if a career in nursing is right for you.
#1) You want to have an impact.
Nurses are the backbone of healthcare. They’re the first and usually the last point of contact for patients during medical interventions. These professionals do more than provide bedside care to patients – they also see the vulnerabilities of patients. Nurses are there during the postoperative periods, through trauma recovery and severe illnesses where patients may feel helpless or scared.
A nursing career could be for you if you like to reassure and impact people during these vulnerable moments. Being a nurse teaches you to hone your compassion, empathy, and skills to help patients during their medical processes. Your reassurance and comfort during these challenging times can make a significant difference to patients.
Besides this, nurses have countless opportunities to influence patients’ lives positively. Whether by administering the proper medications or offering a listening ear during their rough days, every shift you take as a nurse gives you a chance to affect change and improve patient outcomes. This gives you a sense of fulfillment – something you’ll enjoy if you love to impact lives.
#2) Diverse career opportunities
One advantage of a promising career is that enthusiasts have several niches to explore, and nursing has several specializations. You can choose the delicate world of neonatal care, where you assist with the first stages of life. Critical care, gerontology, and psychiatric nursing are also complexities.
These varieties mean that you don’t have to compromise your interests. Nurses interested in the human mind can choose psychiatric nursing, and those passionate about aiding older people can opt for geriatric nursing.
With nursing, your career can directly reflect your passion, ensuring that your work aligns with what you genuinely care about. Also, you don’t have to stick to traditional roles. Nurses are now venturing into leadership and policy roles, where they can make a notable impact in their organizations.
Nursing enthusiasts who want a career that melds the care principles of nursing with the decision-making capabilities of a physician can pursue the nurse practitioner (NP) path. NPs have so much potential, from their MSN to DNP, and this potential unlocks other roles for them to explore.
#3) Job security and demand
Nursing offers more than the heartfelt satisfaction of patient care. Undeniably, the climbing demand for nurses is driven by evolving medical technology, better global healthcare requirements, and the growing aging demographics.
This ever-increasing need gives nurses a secure career path in the healthcare landscape. Nurses who refine their skills and pursue further education can progress into numerous roles, from clinical specialties to researchers.
The healthcare system understands this and offers more than an attractive salary. Nurses also get comprehensive benefits packages and growth opportunities. Ultimately, nursing is a career that provides fulfillment and a secure professional trajectory.
#4) You prioritize flexibility
Flexibility is a vital requirement for a nursing career. Nursing, by design, is a round-the-clock profession. Patients always need care, so nursing staff must be available during the day, night, weekends, and holidays. While this might sound strenuous, it’s not. This gives nurses a choice.
Nurses who are night owls can take night shifts, while some may prefer the day shift. Others may even choose to be part-time caregivers in an organization. This inherent flexibility lets you tailor your work schedule to fit your personal life, promoting a work-life balance.
Nursing also offers flexibility in work environments. You can work in a bustling community clinic to deliver primary care or in a school to manage students’ medication and address minor injuries. You can also opt for private practices where you can have closer relationships with your patients. Nurses with a sense of adventure can work at military bases, go on medical missions in remote areas, and care for underserved populations.
Each setting presents unique challenges and rewards. For instance, school nursing allows you to be a foundational healthcare figure for young students, while medical missions might let you impact communities globally. Simply put, nursing offers adaptable and dynamic settings that cater to its professionals’ diverse needs and aspirations.
#5) Personal growth
Like every profession, nursing requires constant learning and experience to be effective. Nurses must prepare to evolve personally and professionally on the job. How can they achieve this evolution?
One way is to sign up for lifelong learning. The medical landscape is ever-changing. New research, methodologies, and technologies are emerging and reshaping best practices. This means that you aren’t just clocking in and out of work. Your role demands an ongoing commitment to education, which is good if you love assimilating new knowledge.
This profession also charges you emotionally. As a nurse, you’ll engage with patients and their families through moments of fear, joy, and relief. This proximity to the human experience can help nurses hone their emotional intelligence. Empathy becomes their second nature, and this helps them improve their active listening and understanding of verbal clues. This emotional attunement can also influence your relationships, making you wiser and more compassionate with the people in your life.
Nursing careers offer professional and personal growth. Nurses are now equipped with clinical and emotional intelligence to help them cater to patients more effectively. This profession may be the right choice if you want a vocation that keeps you on your toes and allows you to touch lives.
