Why Should You Become a Nurse?
One of the most important aspects when choosing a career is current and future demand for qualified individuals. The demand for nurses has never been greater and it is expected to continue to grow in the future. Currently there is a shortage of over 125,000 nurses in the United States. Nurses who are currently employed are aging and a large number of them are close to retirement.
More than a third of U.S. nurses are over the age of 50 and the average age of full time nurses is 49. New nurses are needed to replace this aging and retiring population. Furthermore, as the U.S. population ages, there is increased need for RN and LPN to provide nursing care. Nursing shortage and future demand translate into multiple job offers for nurses as well as guaranteed job security.
Healthcare has become an important sector of our economy and the demand for well educated health professionals is rapidly growing. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare and without them the healthcare system would collapse. Many of us are aware of the current nursing shortage in the United States and are considering a career in nursing. This profession offers great benefits, multiple opportunities for professional growth, flexibility of work schedule, and various areas of practice.
The increased demand combined with present and future shortage of nurses created an increase in salaries and other benefits designed to attract and retain nurses. Health care facilities including hospitals, long term care and rehabilitation centers offer attractive and competitve salaries, shift differentials, substantial overtime and holiday pay. Many hospitals attract nurses with sign-on bonuses (some as high as $10,000) as well as payment of college loans. Other attractive benefits include medical and dental insurance plans, retirement and pension plans, packages for car, childcare, eldercare, and housing assistance, direct deposit of checks, and discounts on select service providers (cable TV, phone, gym membership, etc.).
There are not too many professions which offer such flexibility of work schedule as nursing. As a nurse one can choose to work day or night shift, full time, part time, and per diem, or weekends only. Full time nurses usually work three 12 hour shifts or four 8 hour shifts. Part time and per diem nurses may work between two to one day per week, or when needed. The hourly pay for part time and per diem nurses is higher than for full time nurses but they do not have health insurance benefits provided by the hospital. Most hospitals today offer self-scheduling which gives nurses the opportunity to chose work days and better manage their families and free time.
Nurses can work at more than one health care facility and can chose to stay locally or travel to a different state or country. Travel nurses usually work through an agency. The travel nurse agency offers extremely attractive salaries and it covers the expenses of transportation, housing, medical insurence, and other expenses for the duration of the assignment. Work assignments can range from weeks to months and a nurse may select to work only a few months out of the year.
Nurses work in a variety of settings, within different specialities. They may be employed by the state, military, or by private organizations and agencies. An RN or LPN may provide care in a hospital, long term care or rehabilitation facility, in the community as a visiting nurse or at a community clinic, in schools, factories, or doctors' offices, at summer camps and specialized day care centers. There are multiple specialities to choose from: medical surgical, mother and baby units, geriatrics, psychiatric, pediatric, women health, emergency, intensive care, telemetry, anesthesia, oncology, etc.
The role of nurses is constantly expanding. Educational advancement opportunities range from obtaining a diploma to an Associate, Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral degrees in Nursing. Most nurses provide bedside care and health education to patients. Some nurses become legal consultants, researchers, and representatives for pharmaceutical or medical supplies companies. One can pursue a degree for advanced practice and work as a nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or educator and teacher.
Helpful Nursing Advice and Resources
Financial Aid for Nursing Students | Online Nursing Schools and Programs | What You Should Know About the Boards of Nursing | Paying for Nursing School | Why Become a Nurse? | How to Study and Review for the NCLEX Examination | Online Master Degree Programs in Nursing | NICU Nursing Jobs | Why you Should Consider Working as a Travel Nurse | New Graduate Nurses Working in the ICU | Medical Surgical Nursing | Night Shift Nurses | Tips for Helping Nurses Get Enough Sleep | Foreign Educated Registered Nurses | What Makes a Workplace Better than Another for Nurses? | What to Do When a Patient Requires Extra Confidentiality? | About the Influence of Ethics on Nurse Retention | NCLEX Practice Tests
