Nursing is one of the most popular professions these days. In the post-pandemic days, the importance of this career has further increased.
People have witnessed nurses offering their selfless service to help patients in crucial times. If there were no nurses assisting doctors, the challenges of the pandemic would have been insurmountable.
The pandemic has made ordinary nurses surface as the heroes of humanity. So whether you are impressed by their work in the hospital, want change in your life, or be part of a meaningful profession, acquiring a nursing education is the right path.
As a result of a nursing degree, you can help people and make a difference in society professionally. You are also assisting a sector where there is a dire need for new nurses to fulfill the shortage of skilled employees.
The more people get a nursing education, the lesser the patient-to-nurse ratio, leading to better patient care.
What educational path to take to get a nursing education?
The path to becoming a professional nurse is not complicated either. It starts with selecting the right field of study depending on your career aspirations. The next step is getting a nursing degree.
You can choose to work as a diploma nurse with a basic associate degree in nursing or start your career after a BSN or an MSN degree. In any case, you cannot work as a professional nurse until you pass the state licensing exam.
Some people choose to stick to a certain field of specialization during their MSN degree program. In this way, they are considered a pro in that area.
For instance, the MSN AGACNP program, MSN FNP program, etc., are specialized nursing degrees that focus on one area in nursing only. In this case, they focus on elderly care and family care, respectively.
Once you have the right qualification, you are good to go as a professional nurse. Now that you know how to become a professional nurse, here are some reasons that will entice you to get enrolled in nursing education as soon as possible.
1. Be a part of a diverse field
If you choose to switch to nursing from your current career, know that you are moving toward one of the most diverse fields out there.
Based on your preference, you can choose to work with children in neonatal care, cancer patients in the oncology department, focus your career on elderly care, or be a family care professional.
You can even gain experience in more than one area of nursing and increase your job prospects. The end goal of each of these fields is to make patients feel better, eliminate their grievances, and help them live better lives.
You will administer medication to your patients, take care of their food, and offer warm blankets and snacks, to name a few. Every moment of the life of a nurse in the hospital is full of adrenaline-pumping experiences.
2. Work in a variety of settings
Nurses work not just in hospitals but in a variety of other settings. You can work in private care clinics, collaborate with doctors, work in government departments or start your own practice.
Some states even allow nurses to diagnose patients, prescribe medications, and conduct tests. However, you are eligible to do this once you are a trained nurse practitioner.
Apart from clinical roles and working as RNs, nurses can work in academic positions in schools and universities. Once you are a nurse educator, you can work in nursing schools and train new nurses to assume roles in healthcare.
Today nurses are also excelling in administrative and leadership positions with the right managerial degree. Hence, the possibilities are unlimited with your nursing degree.
You can even become a flight nurse or win negotiations in boardrooms as a nurse manager. Thanks to many departments, new nurses have more freedom to work in a setting that suits their abilities and interest.
3. Be part of an in-demand career
Nurses are highly in demand, especially after the pandemic, as healthcare realized that it could no longer thrive with a constrained number of professional nurses.
More nurses are always needed to take positions in specialized nursing areas. The BLS data suggest that the employment of registered nurses will increase by 9% from 2020 to 2030. But the more educated you are, the higher your demand in nursing.
For instance, compared to RNs, the employment of nurse practitioners is expected to increase by 52% during the same period. It implies that nurses with higher education will find more career opportunities in the coming decade.
4. Make handsome money
Let’s be real; even if your motivation is to help people, as a nurse, you are still going to work because you need money. So a perk of getting a nursing education is that you can earn a good salary.
For many nurses, additional nursing education is a big bump in their pay. As for the new nurse, a high wage means being financially independent. According to national estimates, the median salary of an RN is $75,330 per year, equal to $36.22 per hour.
5. Develop new skills
Nursing education is not all about learning clinical concepts and cramming intricate medical theories; you gain soft skills too. Soft skills include communication skills, interpersonal skills, problem-solving and critical thinking ability, teamwork, and the like.
These transferable skills help you excel in all work settings and specialized fields. Your nursing education enables you to think critically in challenging situations and make life-saving decisions even with constrained information.
With communication skills, nurses can work as patient advocates and negotiate their preferences and that of their patients.
6. Have flexible work hours
As a nurse, you can work and take care of your family simultaneously. The presence of an online mode of education and flexible work hours in the care facilities have encouraged many nurse moms to resume their practice.
You can discuss your unique situation with your nurse manager and devise a work schedule to fulfill your work and home duties.
Conclusion
Getting a nursing education opens doors to a new world of opportunities for you. As the need for healthcare services grows, there won’t be a time when professional nurses won’t be needed.
In the face of rising demand, it is the right time to get a nursing education and start your career as a nurse.
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