A Career in Nursing

Nursing is an excellent career opportunity for men and women with many exciting different areas in which to work. It’s a job where you’ll never be bored and you can change people’s lives every day. With many job opportunities affected by the economy, nursing is one of the fastest growing and most secure careers one can choose. Although nurses are the largest group of health care professionals, it is estimated by the year 2020 there will be a shortage of 800,000 registered nurses. Nurses are the biggest component of any hospital staff but they work in other environments also, such as clinics and the community.

So what do nurses do? Nurses combine science and technology with caring and compassion. Nurses work with any age group patient from newborns to the elderly and in any setting from the emergency department to the operating room to rehabilitation or in the community as a public health nurse. Nurses can work as a flight nurse or work with computers as an informatics specialist. Nurses take care of sick people and help them get better and help healthy people stay healthy. Nurses work collaboratively with physicians and other health care professionals to care for patients and their families.

Nursing requires two to four years of college. A registered nurse can have a two-year degree as an Associate Degree in Nursing or a four-year degree as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Both programs require a general education background in science, math, and psychology as well as other courses. After graduation from nursing school a licensing examination is required. Many nurses also go to graduate school to become nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, or nurse anesthetists.

It takes a special person to be a nurse. It is important to have leadership and organizational skills. A nurse needs to have patience, flexibility, compassion, and a sense of humor. A nurse must have great problem-solving skills, the ability to think critically, and strong observational skills. The person who is going to be a nurse must be able to stay calm in a crisis situation. Remember, the nurse is the person with the patient for the most amount of time.

If you are considering a career in nursing, here are questions you should ask the counselor at a nursing school. What is your admission process? Is there a separate admission process to the School of Nursing? What is the passing rate on the licensing exam for your school? Does your nursing faculty practice? What is the deadline for applying to nursing school? What is the grade point average required for admission? Is there a required standardized nursing examination for admission to the nursing program? What is the faculty-student ratio in the clinical area?

Finally, let me assure you that if nursing interests you, visit a nursing school for more information. Nursing is a wonderful career that lets you help people and impact their lives forever. There is a wall hanging in the International Honor Society for Nursing in Indianapolis that starts out saying "Nursing is a career that is measured in moments, not in years…”.

Editorial Provided by Linda Scott, Ph.D.,RN, FNP-BC, Dean, R.H. Daniel School of Nursing, Piedmont College, Demorest, GA.