There is a reason why U.S News places Registered Nurse in its Top 20 Best Jobs- nursing is one of only three careers listed in the Top 20 that only requires a Bachelor’s degree, with the rest requiring Master’s or Doctorate degrees. How is it that a career that only requires a Bachelor’s degree can be so awesome? You’re about to find out!
1. Job Security
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the demand for nurses in the US to increase by 26% by 2020 (Nursejournal.org, 2019). An estimated 10,000 Baby Boomers retire each year (Friedberg, 2019). This opens up vacancies in a lot of crucially important nursing positions. Additionally, as older members of these cohorts require skilled nursing care, they will need nurses to care for them. With the population of senior citizens predicted to increase by 75% between 2010 and 2030, the Geriatric nursing specialty is in high demand (Lanigan, 2018).
2. Versatility
One of my favorite perks of nursing is the versatility of your degree! There are so many specialties within nursing. Not only does this allow you to switch specialties when you get disinterested or burnt out, but it allows you to constantly evolve within your professional practice. If you find that bedside nursing is hard on your body, you can be impactful away from the bedside with nursing research or nursing informatics! You can even be a nurse from home by being a medical transcriber or a telehealth triage nurse. Another perk- travel nursing! Say you’re sick of the joys of Ohio weather- take an assignment somewhere where the wind doesn’t hurt your face. There are so many different things you can do with nursing!
3. Community
The nursing community is quite huge- the community you find in nursing is so much more than the 250k + followers on the “Nurses with Cards” Facebook page. You’ll find so many nurse-founded and managed social media accounts sharing everything from recent evidence-based research to funny memes. Additionally, there are so many professional organizations you can join that will connect you with nurses who share the same passions as you do. I personally belong to American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), which connects me to thousands of critical care-loving nurses as well as hundreds of hours of continued education. When I speak of nursing community, I also speak of the great relationships you’ll be able to make with coworkers. In my position, I have the privilege of floating to each ICU and ED, making so many friendships along the way. The support system you’ll find in nursing is second to none, and it truly makes a difference on a difficult day.
4. Compassionate Career– Nursing is truly one of the most compassionate careers. Each day you get to help people- you see patients at their worst and have the privilege to make each day a little less difficult for them. A gesture as small as hunting for a grape popsicle or making sure the T.V is set to play Jeopardy can make the greatest impact for your patient. As we show compassion in labor and delivery, watching newborn babies experience everything for the first time and helping nervous parents through each new step, we also show compassion in palliative nursing, helping patients reminisce on a life well lived while providing comfort. The ability to make a difference each and every day, no matter how small, is so rewarding.
5. Career Advancement/Lifelong Learning
Another wonderful perk of nursing is the access you have to education. Within each specialty, there are tons of skills and competencies you’ll pick up along the way. For example, within ICU nursing, I’ve learned the following skills: Cortrak Nasoenteric feeding tube insertion and bridling, CRRT (Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy), Ultrasound-Guided IV placement, NIHSS (Stroke certification), ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support), and so much more! I was also able to achieve my CCRN certification for critical care nursing. My initial thought when presented with all of this education was “man, that’s going to be expensive”, but we actually get paid education hours to complete training and OSUNO reimbursed me for my CCRN exam cost. In addition to the education you can pursue at work, you can also pursue advanced degrees within nursing. Many health organizations will provide tuition assistance, making career development achievable for employees. With Nurse Anesthetist and Nurse Practitioner showing up on almost every list of “top jobs”, tuition assistance is a priceless perk!
Nursing has been a wonderful experience for me. As someone very much committed to professional development, lifelong education, and spreading smiles, nursing has been an outlet for all of my passions and a doorway to countless opportunities.
References
Friedberg, B. A. (2019, August 12). Are We in a Baby Boomer Retirement Crisis? Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/032216/are-we-baby-boomer-retirement-crisis.asp
Lanigan, K. (2018, January 3). 10 Fastest Growing Nursing Careers in 2018. Retrieved from https://www.nursingjobs.com/news-resources/10-fastest-growing-nursing-careers-in-2018/
Writers, S. (2019, August 26). 5 Booming Nursing Specialities Where the Demand is High – 2019 NurseJournal.org. Retrieved from https://nursejournal.org/articles/5-booming-nursing-specialities-where-the-demand-is-high/
Kate Best is a 2015 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Nursing.