Makefall.com Nursing is an essential profession that is always in demand. Nurses may value job security and good pay, but the additional intrinsic rewards mean that many nurses truly love their work. For many people, the prospect of a personally fulfilling and well-paid job is very attractive. So, for those considering pursuing a career in nursing, what are some of these intrinsic additional rewards to consider? We summarize the top reasons why becoming a nurse can be an extremely rewarding career path.
Makefall.com Nursing: A rewarding career path
Personally fulfilling aspects of nursing include making a difference, an abundance of career opportunities, and teamwork.
1. Make a difference in the lives of others With Makefall.com
Nursing is considered a noble and highly trusted profession. According to nurses, nursing can be a very rewarding job, although it can be physically and emotionally demanding at times. Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of becoming a nurse is the emotional rewards you can get from caring for patients. You support people who are at a vulnerable point in their lives with kindness, care, and respect. You have the opportunity to connect with patients and build wonderful, caring relationships, and the help you provide to the wounded and sick – potentially life-saving and healing – and their loved ones, makes a real difference in the world.
2. Opportunities for work, learning and growth
Nursing is constantly evolving and you have the opportunity to continue learning, growing, and training. Once you establish yourself as a registered nurse, you have the option of choosing different career paths throughout your career. For example, you can work in pediatrics, intensive care, geriatric care, neonatology, home care, informatics, leadership, clinical practice, ambulatory care, case management, administration, and much more. You can become a nursing coach and train other nurses on the latest best practice trends.
3. Teamwork and practical experience
Nurses have the opportunity to contribute to patient care teams. You may work with other nurses, patient care colleagues, social workers, care managers, and physicians to provide coordinated care programs for patients. These mutual collaborations with colleagues can be very satisfying as you will learn and gain insights from others with different specializations. In addition, there is an opportunity to apply practical skills and gain practical experience every day.
4. Job security and high demand
Nurses tend to enjoy high demand no matter what part of the world they work in. An aging population is just one factor behind the continuing high demand for skilled nurses in the UK. This means that job security tends to be high. If you decide to train as a nurse, knowing that you will likely benefit from stable employment and a strong demand for your skills is another advantage of choosing this career path.
Nursing jobs: beginning
Each nursing career path offers unique benefits and may require additional training or degrees. Defining your goals in advance makes choosing the right nursing path easier. Fortunately, the field of nursing provides great opportunities for professional development. Keep in mind that many nurses change specialties or work environments throughout their careers, so whatever you decide at the beginning is not set in stone.
1. Get your degree
No matter what nursing career you choose, your first step is to earn a post-secondary degree. The main options to consider on your path to becoming a nurse are:
- Licensed Practical Nursing Program: If you want to start working as soon as possible, a certificate program to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is your quickest option—you can complete it in about a year. Bridge programs can help you transition from LPN to Registered Nurse (RN) later if you decide to advance your career.
- Nursing Diploma: A nursing diploma is a quick and often affordable path to becoming a registered nurse. This type of program is often performed in a hospital setting. They’re not as common as degree programs, but if your state has one, you may be able to start working as an enrolled representative in as little as two years. However, a nursing degree does not provide college credits, so your training will not count toward a degree if you plan to further your career later. You may also earn less than you would with a college degree. However, with an RN-to-BSN program, you can accelerate your degree four years later if you want to pursue opportunities that require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
- Associate’s Degree: Earning an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) usually takes two to three years. Like a four-year degree, an ADN qualifies you to become an RN. Depending on the nursing career path you wish to pursue, you may need to earn a BSN degree later. However, the advantage of an ADN over a nursing diploma is that your credits may transfer to your BSN program, making it easier and cheaper to continue your education in the future.
- Bachelor’s Degree: Compared to other ways to become an entry-level registered nurse, a BSN degree takes longer and may be more expensive. Earning a bachelor’s degree in nursing usually takes about four years, but earning one can allow you to pursue other nursing career paths that cannot be obtained with a diploma or ADN alone. For this reason, a BSN is an investment that provides greater earning potential and more opportunities for professional growth throughout your career. Many hospitals and other healthcare employers now require new employees to have at least a BSN. Most advanced certificate and graduate programs also require applicants to have it. Obtaining a BSN is the best option if you plan a long-term nursing career or follow the RN career path with the highest earning potential.
2. Get your license
Whatever nursing degree or program you decide to pursue, you need to obtain a license before you can work as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. You must pass a licensing exam called the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX for registered nurses or NCLEX-PN for LPNs). This test checks that you have the knowledge and skills needed to start working safely and confidently as a novice nurse. Once you pass the exam, you will receive a license from your state and can begin your nursing career.
3. Securing a nursing job
Once you have your license, you are ready to look for your first nursing job. The average salary for a registered nurse is over $77,000, but starting nurses can also expect a decent wage – only about 10% of registered nurses earn less than $60,000 per year. LPNs make, on average, about two-thirds of what RNs make — $48,000 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Follow these steps to help you decide what’s next:
Evaluate your current role and level of job satisfaction
Be honest about how you feel about your current role at your workplace, your responsibilities, and your overall job satisfaction. For example, if you are completely satisfied with the responsibilities you have in your role as a nurse but don’t like the work atmosphere, finding a new nursing job may be a better idea than finding a new career.
Make a list of the pros and cons of your current role
List your current salary, perks, and benefits, the average number of hours spent working each day, commute time, tuition reimbursement, or learning opportunities. Every job and career path has its pros and cons, but if you find that the negative aspects of nursing outweigh the positive aspects, you may consider a change.
List the pros and cons of finding a new career
This can include higher salaries, benefits, and bonuses. Try to determine if you qualify for benefits such as remote work, travel opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and health and wellness benefits.
Think about your feelings after the workday
A great way to get insight into your daily feelings about your nursing career is to assess your level of stress and emotions each day when you return home. Try to determine if you are forcing yourself to complete your assigned tasks or if you are not enjoying interacting with your patients, supervisors, or co-workers.
If your work-life balance is consistently negative due to stress or feelings about your job, consider looking into alternative roles.
self-evaluation
After evaluating the different areas of your career, your work-life balance, and overall job satisfaction, you may have enough insight to decide if you want to change your career.
Why do you want to become a nurse?
Nursing is a rewarding and diverse profession, but it is essential that you clearly understand your motivations before embarking on this journey. “Why do you want to become a nurse?” It aims to reveal your passion, drive, and dedication to the profession. Here are some of the best reasons to consider:
Making a difference in people’s lives
One of the most satisfying aspects of being a nurse is the opportunity to positively impact patients’ lives. As a nurse, you will provide care, support, and education to patients and their families, helping them overcome their health challenges.
Diverse career opportunities
Nursing offers a wide range of career paths, from traditional bedside nursing to specialized roles such as CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist). You can also choose from different work settings, such as hospitals, clinics, schools, and home healthcare.
what should be done :
Make a list of the roles you prefer
You can create a list of different roles in healthcare that you are passionate about and that you would like to pursue. You can research several roles to learn more about the qualifications you might gain to move into this field.
Match your skills to the position you want
Consider writing down all the skills you have that could help you qualify for the roles you want to pursue: patient care, communication, teamwork, interpersonal and analytical skills, transferable skills, and hard skills.
Learn or improve skills needed for a new job
Try to commit to developing skills that you might learn or improve to qualify for your alternative career.
How to become a registered nurse
Many registered nurses go to nursing school to learn the basics of becoming a nurse. They may have a nursing degree such as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN).
Some programs in hospitals allow you to obtain a nursing diploma in one to two years. Once you graduate, you must pass the NCLEX-RN exam and meet any other requirements in the state in which you want to train.
RN career path
Once you become a registered nurse, you have many paths to choose from.
You can choose a specialty, such as critical care or geriatrics. You may work in a fast-paced emergency room or a relaxed family practice. You can work in a school, a nursing home, or with a home health care program. There are a wide range of paths to being a registered nurse, so be sure to take the time to think about the path that best suits your goals and personality type.
Keep in mind that you may need to continue taking courses and advancing your education to maintain your license.
If you choose to advance your career, you can become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). This usually requires a master’s degree in nursing. A nurse practitioner is an APRN who has earned a master’s degree as well as training in a specialty area. There are four types of APRNs:
- Certified nurse-midwives
- Nurse Practitioners Trustees
- Certified nursing professionals
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
