A Career in Nursing

When we meet incoming nursing majors either on spring acceptance day or summer orientation, we always say that they are extremely fortunate to be entering such an exciting field. The health professions careers seem to be the first choice for many students with a wide spectrum of opportunities including the field of nursing. Nursing is a career focused on helping individuals, families, and communities with health promotion, prevent disease, save lives, and adapt to illness. An important point to make about a career in nursing is that one has choices in the major in many specialty areas to enter into it or be successful at it.

In dealing with a more diverse America, the nursing profession needs people of all backgrounds and cultures. This career appeals to both women and men with an increase in male registered nurses now up to 2.9 million from 147,000 in 2000, according to the American Nurses Association.  The most important thing to realize about a career in nursing is that you will experience a variety of nursing opportunities throughout your clinical internships. These experiences will give you a pretty good idea that you are making the right choice. The career options in nursing are endless and range in a variety of settings from the hospital to outpatient clinics, such as, schools and universities, health-related industries and occupational settings, home care and public health, extended care centers and hospice . Nursing, has a challenging academic program however, you will achieve a rewarding career that holds the benefit of flexible hours allowing time for family and recreational pursuits.

There are many routes to becoming a registered nurse. Some will choose to complete an Associate's degree at a two year community college while others will take the path to compete a four year baccalaureate degree in nursing. The Massachusetts Association of Nurse Executives has endorsed the Bachelors Degree as the entry level into nursing and many hospitals in large cities are hiring only RNs with a Baccalaureate degree. The Registered Nurse (RN) license is awarded upon passing the NCLEX-RN examination taken after completion of the degree from an accredited RN Nursing Program. Although there is an increased cost in obtaining a four year degree in nursing, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have made funds available for students to finance their education at many schools.

Four year programs offer students a variety of opportunities including participation in any number of study abroad programs with some nursing- specific programs ranging from semester-long cultural immersions to others which are short-term (two-three weeks). During these international experiences students develop cultural awareness and sensitivity, as well as personal and professional skills that are vital for the nurse working in health care practices at home and abroad.

In the current American economy, nursing employment remains fairly strong. Nurses will earn about $60,000 in their first job out to school and with 10 years experience can earn more than $100,000. Nurses with advanced master’s degrees, such as nurse anesthetists, can earn up to $180,000. Because of the high demand for advance practice nurses, particularly in the area of education, there is an increasing availability of scholarships for students going into nursing.

Most colleges have health profession advisors who can assist you to think about a career in nursing. It is important to find out what classes and experiences are necessary to be competitive in the school admission. We urge you to investigate programs about nursing clinical internship sites, time provided in simulation laboratory with high-fidelity mannequins that enable students to experience and prepare for clinical situations, student to faculty ratios in the clinical and classroom settings, and if there is acceptance directly into the nursing program.

A career in nursing has many benefits as high pay salary, job flexibility, and job opportunities in a variety of settings and roles. This is a career choice where you will experience life-long learning and growing. For many nurses, the ability to go home at night having made a difference in many individuals’ lives and feeling good about the job that they did is the biggest benefit of all. 

Editorial provided by Kelly L. Fisher, PhD, RN, Dean and Associate Professor of the School of Nursing, Endicott College, Beverly, MA.