“Nursing is a profession of compassion.” This is more than a job. As demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, nurses and other medical personnel were hailed as heroes. Despite being forced to stay at home, many nurses continued to work. Many people regard nursing as a profession that provides them with a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment. Nursing is a rewarding profession that offers numerous opportunities for advancement, stability, and compensation.
10 Reasons to consider a nurse career:
Numerous factors contribute to nursing being a satisfying profession, ranging from job stability and flexibility to competitive compensation. The following are some compelling reasons to pursue a career in healthcare:
1. Access to high-quality training opportunities.
If you already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you can earn a BSN in as little as 16 months through Marian University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. We offer accelerated programs in both hybrid (online) and campus-based formats, so you can choose the one that works best for you. If you were on the verge of completing a previous degree but life intervened—no problem! You can earn your first degree in health and human services while also completing the prerequisite courses required to apply to the nursing school through Marian’s Adult Programs. MAP is accessible, with accelerated online courses offered several times a year. This allows you to complete the courses on your own schedule.
2. Consistent industry expansion.
Due to the state’s nursing shortage, registered nurses are the most in-demand occupation in Indiana, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development’s “Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs” list. Indeed, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the employment of registered nurses will grow by 16 percent nationwide from 2014 to 2024, owing to aging and retiring baby boomers, increased access to health insurance, and advancements in healthcare that increase the average life span.
3. Exciting, active work.
Nursing is the polar opposite of a desk job—there will be no sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer screen for you! On the contrary, you’ll spend each day caring for patients and collaborating with a committed team of healthcare providers. While some aspects of the job are more interesting than others, nursing is an exciting and challenging profession.
4. A meaningful job.
It’s true—nurses do more than administer medication and treat wounds; they care about their patients, assisting them in improving their quality of life and disease outcomes. As a nurse, you will almost daily have the opportunity to make a positive difference in someone’s life.
5. Opportunities for professional development.
Because no day as a nurse is ever the same, you’re likely to learn something new every day, thanks to ample opportunities for on-the-job training and professional development. Additionally, once you earn your BSN, you can pursue advanced nursing degrees such as nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse leader, or nurse educator. (Hint: many of these advanced degrees are available at Marian University!)
6. Workplace diversity.
Your BSN degree qualifies you for positions in corporate clinics, nursing care facilities, and school systems. For the more adventurous, there are also unique job opportunities in emergency flight nursing, cruise ship nursing, and travel nursing.
7. Specialties of interest.
From psychiatric floors to emergency rooms, nurses have a variety of specialties to choose from. Furthermore, if you do not immediately find the perfect fit, do not fret! With a nursing degree, you can work in almost any specialty, making career changes simple. For instance, if you discover that caring for adult patients is not for you, you can always switch to pediatric nursing.
8. Flexibility in the workplace.
Nursing is a career that allows for a variety of scheduling options. If you work in outpatient care, your schedule will be more consistent – typically four or five days per week for eight hours at a time. Numerous nurses also prefer greater flexibility in their daily schedules. The majority of 12-hour shift nurses work three days per week, which allows them to work a few days, followed by several days off. Nurses are needed on all shifts and at all hours, so you can work full-time, part-time, or on a temporary basis.
9. A competitive salary.
Due to the current nursing shortage, you can anticipate job security and competitive compensation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for registered nurses in Indiana was $60,050 in 2016. Other advanced degrees provide even greater earnings potential, with nurse anesthetists earning an average of $148,650 and nurse practitioners earning an average of $99,240 in 2016.
10. work that is well-known.
As a nurse, you’ll be in capable hands. Nurses have a long-standing reputation as compassionate healers, and they consistently rank high in Gallup research polls for honesty and ethical standards in a variety of fields. Nurses topped the list in 2016, with 84 percent of the public rating their standards as “high” or “very high,” a position they have held for the last 15 years.
Finally, some words.
In a nutshell, nursing is a satisfying career path that offers ample opportunities for advancement, stability, and compensation. Nursing is both a vocation and a career. Nursing can be a satisfying career for a variety of reasons, including job stability and flexibility, as well as competitive compensation. Nursing is a career that allows for flexibility in scheduling. Not only that, but it is a well-known occupation that, in addition to a competitive salary, offers opportunities for career advancement and contributes to societal benefit.
