Careers in Demand - Nursing

If you are interested in pursuing a career that will be in high demand for a long time, and one that focuses on helping others, Nursing might be a great path for you.  Nursing accounts for the largest percentage of the jobs available in the health care industry, and it is predicted to generate more jobs than any other field by the year 2016 (U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, 2007 Occupational Outlook Handbook). 

 

There are three common ways to obtain a license to be a Registered Nurse (RN): A Bachelor’s degree, an Associate degree, or a nursing program through a nationally accredited school.  Many of these degree options are available through online study, and are often customizable to fit a student’s individual needs.  Typically, nurses receive most of their training within a Bachelor’s degree program, and go on to qualify to practice nursing by passing a national licensing exam.  As with most any professional career track, more training usually means more pay, allowing nurses to have a competitive edge in their field through specialization and advanced degrees.  The field of nursing offers a variety of specializations—from geriatrics to rehabilitation to burn care—and Nurses are often encouraged to be trained in one or more areas of specialization in addition to their general nursing requirements.  Graduate degrees in Nursing usually result in exceptional pay, and many nurses earn their graduate degree while working full-time.  Masters degrees in Nursing are generally available with two years of graduate work beyond a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN), and can increase a Nurse’s salary by as much as $7,000 a year.

 

To obtain a license to practice nursing as an RN, all graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN, a national exam for certification.  In addition, Registered Nurses must be licensed within their particular states, with some states allowing reciprocity between them (this means that a Nurse licensed in one state has permission to practice nursing in a different state).  Each state has its own laws and regulations, but all require that nurses renew their licenses periodically.

 

Again according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the median income for registered nurses in 2006 was $57,280.  This income level is expected to rise even higher, as the demand for Registered Nurses increases over the next ten years. 

 

The type of person who would best fit in the Nursing occupation is someone who has concern for the well-being of others, someone who likes to feel as if he or she is making a difference in the lives of others, and someone who has an understanding of the psychological and emotional stress that can occur when someone is sick, in pain, or facing death.  Nursing requires great sacrifice in putting the needs of others before your own, and nurses are often faced with difficult decisions when caring for patients.  The best nurses are those who sincerely wish to help others, are naturally social, and can handle the pressures of a fast-paced—and often emotionally charged—environment.

 

If you think that nursing is the right field for you, know that it will be a challenging road ahead, but one that will be immensely rewarding.  The act of helping others can change your life in many ways, and few careers offer this ability better than the career of Nursing.