For many people, considering a career in healthcare often has them thinking about becoming a nurse. Nursing has long since established itself as a smart career choice, and there are over 5 million people in the field nationwide who would agree.
The nursing workforce makes up the largest percentage of all healthcare professions, and for good reason. Nurses touch every aspect of the industry and represent a critical role in any health system. From bedside care, to research, to organizational leadership, nurses are needed across a spectrum of roles and responsibilities.
If you’re interested in a professional life that will allow you to help others while you cash in on great pay, stability, and endless opportunities, nursing may be in your future!
Competitive Salary & Benefits
One of the first things people think about when pondering future career paths is how much money they’re going to make. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a registered nurse is about $81,000 annually. This will, however, depend on the area you choose to work in, as pay is often adjusted for things like the cost of living.
Regardless, nursing also offers the opportunity to negotiate your salary. Nurses are in high demand, and as you develop experience, skills, and specializations over time and through continuing education, the field offers an ongoing opportunity to improve your position.
You will often be able to negotiate non-salary benefits as well, and many healthcare organizations offer nurses great opportunities like:
- Sign-on bonuses
- Employer loan repayment
- Shift differential
- Continuing education and tuition reimbursement
Job Outlook
The current demand for nurses is huge, and it’s only going to keep growing. With a 6% projected growth for the nursing profession over the next decade, it is estimated that there will be about 200,000 openings for nurses annually. Advances in healthcare and cutting-edge medicine have people living long into their golden years, and they will need care availability to keep up with them.
One of the greatest parts about becoming a nurse is diving into a profession that offers endless opportunities to specialize. While most nurses are working inside hospitals, others have established roles in clinics, aircraft, schools, research, community health, law, and life coaching. And if you love variety and the open road, travel nursing has become an increasingly popular and flexible option that allows for a much wider and diverse experience of nursing in different communities.
Lateral movements to new specialties can offer a great way to try out something new, and vertical opportunities for leadership roles provide a chance to operate on a larger scale.
You Get to Make a Difference
Above and beyond great pay and limitless opportunities, people are drawn to healthcare because they want to help others and make a difference in their lives. While many other roles in healthcare bring professionals into contact with people, nobody is spending as much time with a patient as their nurse.
Nurses also support people through some of the most challenging points in their lives. Doing their best to optimize their health in the face of illness or injury is a fulfilling and rewarding privilege that few professions allow, and they often get to go home at the end of a shift feeling like what you accomplished matters. It’s no surprise that nursing has been voted the most trusted profession for the last 21 years in a row!
You Won’t Get Bored
While there is a certain degree of routine in any industry, nursing is far from monotonous. Every patient encounter is unique, and everyone comes with their individual backstory and needs. This always helps keep things interesting, and if you’re someone who hates getting stuck in a rut, nursing definitely won't disappoint.
On top of their daily responsibilities, nurses are life-long learners. Whether it’s an on-the-job experience working with an interesting patient, managing atypical circumstances, or taking advantage of great learning opportunities like those offered by Premiere, you’ll never find yourself grinding away with no possibilities on the horizon.
Talk To A Nurse
Of course, the best people to ask if you’re wondering “Is it worth becoming a nurse?” are—naturally—nurses! Whether you’re considering a career change or just getting curious about what might be in store, getting the scoop firsthand will balance out the benefits with the ups and downs that come with any field.
The fact is, while nursing is an honorable profession, it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Seeing people on their worst days and helping them through situations that impact their loved ones can take a toll on anyone.
Nursing is real life, and not all endings are happy. Being prepared to witness tragedy and maintain your professionalism while completing your duties is essential as a nurse, but you must also have the capacity for resilience. Helping others at the expense of yourself is not a sustainable plan.
Talking to other nurses will also give you some insight into how hard you might have to work. Staffing challenges and patient populations that seem to become more complex as the years go on are something to consider. You will be paid well, but you will be working hard for that money.
There Are So Many Reasons To Become a Nurse
Choosing a career path is not something to be taken lightly. You want to find a profession that fits you as a person and is something you like doing. Is it worth becoming a nurse? Absolutely, if you’re ready for an exciting, everchanging, people-first environment that offers unlimited opportunities to grow and develop!
Because it’s such a diverse and developing field, continuing to educate and improve your skills is critical to success. It’s a lifelong activity, and every year new technologies and techniques are changing the face of healthcare for the better. Keeping up requires the willingness to adapt and constantly hone your skills, and the cutting-edge learning opportunities offered by Premiere are designed by industry-leading experts to keep healthcare professionals at the top of their field.
We’re here to support nurses throughout their careers, and with our Unlimited Nursing CEU Subscription you’ll never find yourself outpaced by the industry. We’re delivering content for nurses, by nurses, to make sure the bedside caregivers of tomorrow are empowered to drive better health outcomes into the future, one patient at a time.
