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At the beginning of the year, some people start to look forward and make goals to help them reach their hopes and dreams. One area where many people could be happier is with their work. Some people feel underappreciated at their jobs, want a change, pay an increase, or want more fulfilling work.
Embark on a profoundly fulfilling journey in a nursing career where every day is an opportunity to make a difference in life. Gain expert insights on excelling in patient care and learn valuable tips, including how to prepare for your interview in patient care, ensuring you're well-equipped for the challenges and rewards of a dynamic nursing profession. Explore the vast opportunities to enhance your skills and thrive in healthcare.
Discover the myriad career Paths for Nursing Degrees, each offering unique opportunities and challenges, and all contributing to the noble cause of healthcare.
Psychiatric mental health nurses provide care exclusively to patients dealing with psychiatric disorders. They see patients either at a mental health facility or work as home care nurses who travel to see their patients. An RN license and an associate degree in nursing are both required for this job title.
A physician’s office nurse will work directly with a doctor in a private practice setting. They will ensure that medical histories are accurate and take vital signs before the doctor sees each patient to make the process smoother.
A nurse case manager mainly handles administrative duties related to patient healthcare needs. They manage the patient’s needs to create and implement care plans. They are also responsible for talking to insurance providers and other healthcare professionals on behalf of the patients.
A nursing informatics specialist is responsible for working with other healthcare professionals to correlate information, knowledge, and data about a patient to increase care across multiple settings. They usually also help to develop clinical information systems.
You can also be a school nurse and work in an educational setting. In this position, you will help students address their health needs and educate them about health issues. You may often need to respond to health emergencies on school grounds.
Legal consultancy nurses work for an insurance company to organize and maintain records for legal purposes. They will prepare graphs for visual aids to use in trials. You must have an RN license and years of clinical experience before transitioning to this role.
A research nurse will focus more on data instead of patient care. They will arrange the clinical schedules and procedures, collect vitals and samples, and record data. They often work with patients in clinical trials to help create new treatment plans for diseases and other medical issues. This is a good path for those more academically inclined and interested in being at the forefront of medical changes.
Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Nursing
Nursing can be demanding and stressful at times, but it can also be gratifying. There are many reasons you may want to pursue a career in nursing, but here are a few to consider before making such an important decision.
There is a significant demand for nurses, so job security exists. Hospitals need help meeting the market as more people have access to insurance and baby boomers get older and need more care. A large number of RNs are reaching retirement age, so they will need to be replaced.
Finding meaningful work is essential, and nurses spend their time helping people get well. You can actually make a difference in the world by being a nurse. You will have some very vulnerable and sick people come into your life, and you will get to provide care for them. Nurses, of course, care for the physical needs of the patients, but they also can care for their emotional needs. This kind of impact isn’t present in many careers.
Nurses also have the potential to make a good salary. Because there is such a wide range of jobs within this career path, the earning potential is also widely varied. Even the low end of the scale is a respectable salary, and there is always room for advancement.
The field of nursing is also constantly changing because of advancements in technology. This makes it a good career path for people who enjoy a challenge and want to keep learning and growing in their field. Technology is drastically changing the way the medical field operates. Informatics is an entirely new career path open to nurses now. Informatics specialists measure data and convert it into information that is easy to use in inpatient treatment. Nurses working in this field are shaping the future of medicine.
Nurses can hold a wide range of jobs and perform many different responsibilities. They can be administrators, bloggers, professors, researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and even doctors. There are so many possibilities, that getting a degree in nursing allows you to change your job without having to change your career. Even if you start in one area of nursing and decide it is not a good fit, you can easily change to something else without starting all over again.
Nursing is also a career path with a supportive community of peers. There are organizations, interactive blogs and forums, and community boards to participate in frequently. Much more significant associations, like the American Nursing Association (ANA), also house many smaller, specialized groups. Resources like local groups, podcasts, and other communities are easy to find to get support and direction when needed.
Nursing is also an excellent field for people who want to expand their educational reach. Because there is a push to increase the quality of nursing care, there are a lot of opportunities for nurses to pursue more education. Some hospitals and other employers offer licensing programs or BSN degree support to their current staff. Sometimes, they will even provide financial assistance. These opportunities can help you transition into a specialized or management role.
Nursing can also be a pretty flexible career. Nurses can have some flexibility over their schedules, but they also have flexibility in other areas. They can choose the location they want to work, whether in a hospital, doctor’s office, home health care services, schools, or on an airplane as an emergency flight nurse. There is even the option to be a traveling nurse who rotates between different locations.
The path to becoming a nurse is also flexible. Nursing is a career path that can get you working quickly as you continue your education or certification programs. This not only helps with the cost of education but also gives you hands-on experience that can be put on a resume for a different job later.
The nursing profession is also well-respected by most people. It is something you can be proud of, and most people will recognize that your work is making a difference.
How to Become a Nurse
Because the nursing field is so varied, it is essential to research and find out which nursing path you want to start on before you get going. It would be best to think about what you would like to be doing each day and the environment in which you want to work. You can also specialize further if you are passionate about a particular area, like pediatrics or critical care.
Once you have a rough idea of your career path, you must work towards a degree. Most nursing positions do not require a Bachelor’s Degree, so you will likely only need an Associate’s Degree to start. You will probably have a period of classroom instruction, but you will also have some clinical experience. You should determine a program that will fit your life and give you the best opportunities as you move forward.
Once you have a degree, you will need to get licensed. That will start by passing an exam to ensure you have the necessary knowledge to perform a nursing job. Your state will likely require other tests for you to do, depending on the specific kind of nursing path you are on.
Once you reach this stage, you are ready to start looking for a job and getting to work. You will need some industry-specific uniforms and equipment. You can check out dickies scrubs from Uniform Advantage for all your scrub needs. You will also need a stethoscope or other medical equipment.
Even after a nursing job, your journey shouldn’t stop there. You must actively learn and stay abreast of the best ways to do your job. You should take continuing education courses, complete more certifications, or get an advanced degree to ensure you can bring the most to your job and have opportunities for advancement.