Nursing
Could it be the career choice for you?

The number of career choices are increasing and can be overwhelming for high school students. Nursing is a career that is often overlooked. Some misconceptions about the field may be that nursing is very traditional, is virtuous and caring, and is only for women. The reality of nursing is very different. Nursing is the largest healthcare occupation today. Reasons to choose nursing as a career include a variety of available jobs, skills utilized, job security, flexibility, job satisfaction, diversity, and variety of education levels for entry into the profession.

Variety of Roles

People usually think of nurses as working in hospitals. A large percentage of nurses are employed in hospitals, but the number of nurses in other settings is increasing. Nurses work in many community settings such as clinics, health departments, physician offices, outreach programs, and even churches. Educational settings including public elementary schools, colleges and universities, and community health programs. For the nurse who likes independence and individual contact with patients and families, homecare is also a growing field. Occupational health nurses ensure that health care is available to the employees of various businesses and industries. Nurses work for insurance companies to review benefit claims. Some nurses work for pharmaceutical companies to get information on new drugs to healthcare providers and patients. More nurses are working on research to improve healthcare practices. Even in the hospital, nurses are becoming more specialized in their practice area as advances in medicine redefine healthcare.

Skills Involved

Nursing has grown into an exciting and demanding profession that is heavily dependent on knowledge of health sciences (anatomy, biology, genetics, and chemistry) and behavioral sciences (psychology and sociology). Nurses use a variety of skills such as prioritizing, organizing, leading, communicating and teaching. Many changes in healthcare policies and law are influenced and supported by nurses. Basic nursing skills such as wound care and IVs require good hand-eye coordination.

Job Security

Many jobs have come and gone as scientific advances in medicine have changed the way things are done. Nursing as a profession has been in existence since the 1800’s and is continuing to grow and change. Nursing has been experiencing a shortage of qualified people. The shortage is expected to continue as the demand for qualified nurses increase as our population ages.

As the general population ages, so does the population of RN’s. According to a survey from the US Department of Health and Human Services the majority (52.9 percent) of nurses in 1980 were under 40 years old. In 2000 the number of nurses under 40 years old had fallen to 31.7 percent (Registered Nurse Population, 2001). The increasing age of the registered nurse population will result in retirements and positions that need to be filled. The Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts that Registered Nursing jobs will have more jobs created in the future than any other occupation (Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004- 05).

Flexibility

A career in nursing typically allows for flexibility in working hours. The need for nurses who work part time, full time, or only occasionally is common in healthcare settings. Many employers have a variety of shifts which need covered by nurses. Nurses also have flexibility in the setting or area they work. Often a nurse will work within a particular setting for awhile and change to a different area when new opportunities present themselves. Nursing is a profession that also allows for a lot of variety in terms of lifestyle. If you are interested in regular hours during the week, an outpatient clinic may be the setting for you. If you hate mornings and like days for yourself, working afternoons and evenings may be what you are seeking. If you have always wanted to travel and see the world, the opportunities in travel nursing give you that chance.

Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is important when considering a career. Many people find nursing to be a satisfying career. The satisfaction comes from more than just having the knowledge and skills to help others. The variety of opportunities presented by nursing provides satisfaction. Nurses are in a unique position to move between settings while continuing to work with similar health issues and are in a position to make beneficial changes in health care and people’s lives.

Nursing, a traditionally female dominated profession, is becoming more diversified. According to the Registered Nurse Population March 2000 report by US Dept of Health and Human services, men represent 5.9 percent of the RN population, an increase from 4.9 percent in 1996. Because nurses care for a wide variety of people, they are exposed to a variety of cultures through coworkers, patients, and educational opportunities. Many employers are seeking RNs from diverse backgrounds to enrich the workplace.

Variety of Educational Entry Levels

The nursing profession allows for several levels of education and training prior to licensure. In some parts of the country, diploma graduates complete two to three years with a particular hospital, delivering direct patient care as they learn the sciences needed to successfully become a licensed RN. Associate degree programs are usually offered at community colleges and require two to three years to complete. Associate programs include both nursing education and general education. Associate degree programs prepare the student for direct patient care roles. Bachelor of Science degree programs generally take four years to complete. These programs are located in colleges and universities. Bachelor programs provide information on both the theories and practice of nursing. These programs provide students with the opportunity to learn direct care in cluding things such as utilization of research, basic management, and leadership. A Bachelor’s prepared nurse can work in direct patient care and also in entry level management and leadership positions. A Bachelors Degree is also required to enter a Masters Degree program. Masters prepared nurses are found in leadership roles, educational roles, and more independent roles such as nurse practitioners and nurse researchers. Many nursing schools are developing programs and working in collaboration with colleges and universities to allow nurses to move through the educational process from diploma or associate degrees to bachelor’s degree with minimal repetition of coursework. The collaborative roles allows for greater opportunity in pursing education for the RN.

Could nursing be the career choice for you? It is possible that you may find that nursing is something you would like to do because of the variety of opportunities, skills utilized, job security, flexibility, job satisfaction, diversity, and variety of education levels for entry into the profession. Nursing is a multifaceted profession with a great deal of opportunity for growth and experiences.

Editorial provided by Kathy Skarzynski, RN, MS, Outreach Coordinator RN-BSN Completion Program at Wright State University, College of Nursing and Health.

• Occupational outlook handbook (2004-05 ed.). (2004). Indianapolis, IN: JIST Publishing.
• US. Department of Health and Human Services. (2001). The Registered Nurse Population (electronic resource): Findings from the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, March 2000: preliminary findings. Rockville, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Public Health Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, Division of Nursing. Retrieved on September 16, 2005, from http://pur.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS11936