EP 124: Why People Become Nurses
There are many reasons why people become nurses, from good pay to job satisfaction. A career in nursing is an unselfish one, to say the least.
Nursing allows for a wide variety of opportunities inside and outside of work.
Growth opportunities through education combined will allow flexible hours to pursue multiple ventures.
5 Reasons to Become a Nurse
1. Competitive compensation in a growing industry
The healthcare field is always growing and changing, it is also one of the reasons why people become nurses. The beauty of it is that it will forever be growing because we always want to improve our health as a species.
We want to live longer, more efficiently combat disease, and improve our well-being. That is why most careers in the healthcare industry are safe and consistent careers.
It is a forever-evolving industry, some jobs will be weeded out but new ones will always arise.
Medical professionals are in high demand to care for an aging population that is increasingly aware of the importance of preventative healthcare.
It is also another good reason why people become nurses.
The increased need and awareness have made registered nurses one of the top five occupations expected to add jobs from 2019-2029.*
As a result, job opportunities in this sector have never been greater!
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that the employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.
Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; increasing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as this group leads longer and more active lives [1].
2. A job that makes a difference
Nurses are often looked at as the “rock star” profession of healthcare which is why people become nurses. They’re always there for you, night and day with warm smiles on their face to comfort you when life might be rough.
They dispense comfort, compassion, and caring without even being asked.
It’s true that Nurses do more than give medicine or treat wounds they care about patients by helping them improve not only their acute hospital outcomes but their lives [2].
Every day as nurses, we get to leave our mark on someone’s life by providing them with that extra little bit of love and understanding when they need it most.
There are not many careers with the potential to change or save a life every day.
As a nurse, you will constantly have new patients with different interactions. It is an interesting career because there is always an equal opportunity to teach and to learn.
Most surveyed nurses (81%) reported satisfaction with their career choices, according to a 2019 survey conducted by AMN Healthcare and The Center for Advancement of Healthcare Professionals.
According to a 2018 survey of nurses by Medscape, 94% of registered nurses answered “yes” when asked whether they were glad they became a nurse or advanced practice nurses.
3. Active and exciting work
If you’re the type of person who likes to be on their feet all day, then nursing might just be for you.
Unlike many desk jobs where employees sit at a computer screen staring aimlessly into space until they get bored and go watch cat videos on YouTube.
Nurses are always busy doing something—even if that thing is not as fun or exciting as other tasks.
Believe it or not, it is also another good reason why people become nurses.
True, there will often come parts in your job which may seem mundane but don’t let them discourage you–because with every task comes an opportunity to learn new things!
Nurses are the backbone of healthcare. From meeting new patients to dealing with various health concerns, nurses tackle different challenge every time they step into work.
For many nurses, this can feel like an adrenaline rush as their day is full of surprises and mystery!
That’s why most embrace these challenges that come with being in such a demanding profession according to AMN Healthcare’s nursing survey.
4. Flexible schedule and variety of specialties
It doesn’t matter when you’re a nurse, as long as you have the right shift for your needs.
You can work evenings if mornings don’t agree with your sleep schedule or take on longer shifts over fewer days so that family time is yours to spend in large chunks.
Or stick to what feels more traditional and find someplace where they give their employees regular schedules without too many changes.
While there are nursing jobs out there that fit the normal eight-hour day, five days per week, the average workday for nurses in long-term health facilities or hospitals is twelve-hour shifts, three days per week.
Nursing offers a unique benefit that most professional careers don’t: job flexibility, a good reason why people become nurses.
Depending on where you choose to work as a nurse, oftentimes, you have a say when it comes to working full-time, part-time, or on-call [3].
Flexibility in location is another perk of becoming a nurse.
Nurses can work anywhere from traditional locations, such as hospitals and doctor’s offices to less-obvious ones like home health care or schools. And some nurses even choose an exciting career as a flight nurse!
If you’re ready to get away from home but not too far away; if you crave variety while still being near friends and family – then I have just what you need:
Meet “travel nurses” who literally live out fantasies by moving between hospitals around America due to a lack of staffing needs at each location. This high-in-demand job oftentimes offers lucrative paychecks.
Bedside nurses serve at the frontline, giving direct patient care. You can find them working in settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, and long-term care facilities.
As a bedside nurse with a BSN degree, you can pursue certification in the following specific areas of practice:
- Emergency care: this nurse cares for patients who require urgent treatment.
- Oncology and hematology care: this nurse cares for patients who have (or are at risk for) cancer or blood diseases or blood disorders.
- Transplant care: this nurse cares for patients donating or receiving an organ.
- Pediatric care: this nurse cares for primarily children and patients under the age of 18.
- Labor and delivery care: this nurse cares for women and babies at all stages of childbirth.
- Nephrology care: this nurse cares for patients with kidney disease or abnormal kidney function.
Another benefit of earning a BSN degree? You’re not pigeonholed into working inside of the hospital.
You can choose to apply your skills and knowledge beyond the bedside in settings such as:
- Airplanes
- Correctional facilities
- Courts of law
- Health insurance companies
- Medical disaster teams
- Laboratories
Alternative nursing careers can also be those that don’t involve direct patient care at all.
These job titles, which often require educational training outside of a BSN, include:
- Legal nurse consultant: this nurse works as a medical expert in legal cases.
- Nurse attorney: this nurse represents medical professionals in the courtroom.
- Informatics nurse: this nurse develops communication and information technologies.
- Nurse writer: this nurse writes educational materials, articles, blogs, and even Hollywood scripts.
- Nurse entrepreneur: this nurse owns his or her own healthcare business venture.
5. Professional developmental opportunities
You can explore a variety of careers by earning your Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
The BSN opens the door to new, exciting roles with higher salaries and more opportunities for career growth than ever before!
The power of education cannot be overstated–the higher your level of certification, the greater potential there is for opportunity within your profession.
When seeking out further specialization after earning a Bachelor’s degree from one school system (a “BS”), many nurses opt instead to earn their Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) from another institution (“MS”).
This postgraduate coursework provides them with valuable skills which can then translate into careers like:
- Nurse practitioner: this nurse has similar responsibilities to that of a doctor. However, it’s important to note that every state has different rules that determine the scope of practice for nurse practitioners.
- Clinical nurse specialist: this nurse brings leadership to practice settings.
- Nurse anesthetist: this nurse delivers anesthesia to patients.
- Clinical Nurse Manager: this nurse supervises the nursing staff.
Advances in technology are allowing nurses to use data analysis for the purposes of treatment and care.
It would be very surprising if this new field didn’t lead to a whole new career path, but informatics has already created one that is accessible now through nursing programs across America.
Informatics deals with measuring all sorts of things related to healthcare, including how it can help diagnose patients’ conditions or provide them access to tailored treatments at their bedside when they need it most.
Nurses who specialize in data analysis will become leaders as we forge into our future, where there’s no telling what kind of medical advances could happen next!
Becoming a nurse has many positives. It is credited with being part of an ever-evolving industry, healthcare.
Career stability and high incomes are nice benefits to have in a career.
Nursing also brings respect and ample room for growth through education and clinical skills.
Due to its flexible schedules and varying specialties, nursing is a great career path for many.
Why do people become nurses? Watch the full episodes here 👇👇👇
TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Introduction of Affiliates
0:50 Introduction of Hosts
1:58 Benefits of Becoming a Nurse
5:40 5 Reasons to Become a Nurse
5:50 1. Competitive compensation in a growing industry
9:10 2.A job that makes a difference
14:15 3. Active and exciting work
15:15 4. Flexible schedule and variety of specialties
17:24 5.Professional developmental opportunities
31:40 Hosts’ Concluding Statement