Nursing is a career that’s expected to see a huge job growth in the next ten years, with the BLS citing an anticipated 45% job growth for nurse practitioners. When taken into consideration with the current nursing shortage, choosing to pursue a career in nursing means you’ll be filling a job opening in high-demand.
Nursing isn’t just about filling a shortage, though. There are numerous advantages of pursuing a career in nursing. If you’re interested in nursing or are currently studying to be a nurse and need a little reminder of what awaits you, check out the top eight advantages of a nursing career below.
#1. Programs Exist Everywhere
No matter where you’re located in the country (or the world, for that matter), there are nursing programs of all kinds available. Whether you want to study general nursing or specialize, you will have very little problem finding a program that interests you and is available where you are or where you want to study.
Many nursing programs are also available online, making them even more accessible. Online nursing programs make earning your degree or pursuing higher education while you work even easier. As long as the program you choose is fully accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, you’re good to go!
#2. Travel Possibilities
You may not think of nursing as a career that allows you to travel, but be prepared to be surprised: travel nursing exists and is a real profession. As a travel nurse, you can do what you love and explore the country or even the world as you do so. You won’t have to fight for vacation time in order to pack up and visit a city you’ve always dreamed of seeing!
To become a travel nurse, you’ll need to first find a travel nursing agency. Often, you’ll be sent to places where nurses are in high demand such as places that have been recently hit by a natural disaster or have a particularly low number of nurses.
You can work as a travel nurse whether you’ve chosen to specialize in something or are a general nurse. Either way, finding a travel nursing agency that will take you on shouldn’t be too hard. You may even choose to do travel nursing for a few years before settling into a long term location.
#3. High Salary
Nurses have a high salary. With Registered Nurses making an average of $88,800 annually and Nurse Practitioners earning around $120,000 annually, nurses are paid well. There’s no mistaking the fact that nursing is a difficult career and may lead to higher student debt than other careers, but it is one of the highest paying industries so you won’t be lacking once you start your career.
#4. Quick Entry into the Workforce
In some careers, you have to wait quite a while before you can enter the workforce. This is not the case with nursing. As soon as you get your associate’s degree and become a registered nurse, you can step into the workforce easily and start earning money. With many BSN programs offered online, hybrid, or part time, you can even continue working while you complete your bachelor’s degree.
While earning your BSN is recommended and increases your salary even further, it isn’t required for nurses. Nursing is one of the few careers that welcomes those holding only an associate’s degree and pays very well at around $70,000 annually.
#5. Multiple Specialities Available
Nursing is often viewed as one specific career, but it isn’t. Within nursing, there are dozens of different specialities you can pursue and the best part is that you don’t have to choose one immediately. You can start your career in general nursing and then return to school later on to earn your degree in your chosen specialty.
Choosing a nursing specialty isn’t a requirement to become a nurse, but it does improve career satisfaction and helps you better steer your career in a direction that interests you.
#6. Stable Industry
Unlike some career fields, nursing is a very stable career. There will always be a need for nurses, especially as the older generation begins to age out and retire, requiring a higher number of geriatric nurses to care for them. Even if you aren’t interested in geriatric nursing, there are still plenty of job opportunities available in this stable industry.
You won’t have to worry about being laid off due to too many nurses or a lack of work. Because of this, nursing is one of the most stable and reliable careers that you can choose to pursue.
#7. Excellent Benefits
Depending on where you work, you’ll get different benefits working as a nurse. However, there are some benefits that are offered no matter where you work such as paid sick time, retirement benefits, wellness programs, health and life insurance, and bonuses. Some workplaces may even offer paid vacation time, paid family leave, tuition reimbursement, childcare, and subsidized travel.
If working as a nurse wasn’t rewarding enough already, the additional benefits that are offered by most workplaces should be enough to convince you that this is a truly rewarding career choice.
#8. Smoother Transition
Many new graduates struggle with the transition from university to the workplace, but nurses tend to have a much smoother transition. With residency programs in place at most hospitals, transitioning from a school setting to a clinical setting is easier for new nurses and helps you gain experience that will help improve your chances of landing a good job.
Enjoy Your Career
Nursing is both a very rewarding and challenging career. There are ups and downs no matter where you work, but there are many advantages to working as a nurse that make the challenging times well worth it.
When you choose to become a nurse, you choose to join an industry centered around helping others and improving often miserable lives. You’ll make a difference in the lives of many people no matter what your specialty is, so if you want to start a rewarding and satisfying career, nursing is a great choice.
