Why is Nursing a Good Career Choice?
By: American Nurses Association
Making a career choice can be a daunting prospect. What you do for a living has a significant impact on your health, happiness, and your family, so it’s important to find what’s right for you. There are many advantages to a career in nursing that set it apart from other options. Flexibility. Security. Satisfaction. Nursing provides all of these. Let’s explore what makes nursing such a great career choice.
1. The Number of Nursing Job Opportunities
A key consideration in choosing your career is how easy it is to find a job. Nursing is an ever-growing field. Current predictions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predict that the number of Registered Nurse positions in the US will grow 12% between 2018 and 2028. Nurse Practitioner is the ninth fastest-growing profession in the US, predicted to grow by 26% between 2018 and 2028.
A bar chart titled ‘Nursing Job Growth 2018-2028 illustrating nursing job growth in the US
Other nursing-related healthcare opportunities are seeing similar levels of growth, which far exceed the national average. With over 3 million Registered Nurse positions already existing across the US, the growth means there’s plenty of opportunities for new nurses entering the field.
2. There’s So Much Opportunity to Specialize
Throughout your nursing career, you’ll find ample opportunity to develop knowledge in areas you’re passionate about. You can select the type of institutions you want to work in, from hospitals to care homes or even the US Army Nurse Corps. You can also choose the type of nursing care you want to specialize in, whether that’s pediatrics, emergency care, or medical-surgical.
On top of subject specialization, there’s so much opportunity to work towards your ideal role. This could be a Registered Nurse, Nurse Anaesthetist, Nurse Practitioner, or a host of other positions. To find out more about what doors a career in nursing can open for you, subscribe to our Nurse Focus student newsletter, produced with experts from ANA.
3. Flexibility
The high demand for nurses means a nursing career can offer a lot of flexibility. The national demand for people working in the sector means it’s easy to move to a new city. You can work part-time, full time, or work as a contract worker! Your expert skills and training will mean you can take a career break for family or travel and return to the field when you want. There are so many ways nursing can benefit your lifestyle.
4. Earning Potential
As a nurse, your earning potential will be substantial. Average annual earnings for a Registered Nurse in 2018 stood at $71,730, according to data for the BLS. For Nurse Practitioners, this number jumps up to $113,930. Compared to the 2019 US average annual wage of $47,060, a career in nursing offers far more lucrative opportunities than many other career paths. This earning potential offers opportunities to build great lives for you and your family and enables you to attain the lifestyle you want.
As a nurse, your earning potential will be substantial. Average annual earnings for a Registered Nurse in 2018 stood at $71,730, according to data for the BLS. For Nurse Practitioners, this number jumps up to $113,930. Compared to the 2019 US average annual wage of $47,060, a career in nursing offers far more lucrative opportunities than many other career paths. This earning potential offers opportunities to build great lives for you and your family and enables you to attain the lifestyle you want.
5. Job Security
Nursing is an age-old profession. As long as humans have been providing healthcare, nurses have been there in some way, administering treatment, caring for patients and supporting their recovery. The enduring need for nurses means you’ll have a lot of job security in this profession.
Even in times of economic instability, nurses are always sought after and there are few other jobs that can offer this level of reliability. Especially as the US population continues to age, the need for nurses will only grow, cementing this career as a fantastic long-term choice to help you build and support your family.
6. Strong Personal Satisfaction
Doing a job where you know you’re making a real difference in people’s lives is a powerful thing. Famous nurses such as Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole have gone down in history as pioneers of care and nursing.
There are few careers that offer the chance to truly help people as much as nursing does. No matter the specialty you choose, you can take from your work the strong sense of satisfaction that only comes from knowing you’ve really made a difference to someone’s life. Whether you work in midwifery, pediatrics, emergency, palliative care, or anywhere else in the healthcare sector, your job offers the chance to help a wide range of people.
In addition to a sense of doing something meaningful, nursing offers fantastic opportunities for advancement, so you won’t feel like you’re standing still in your career. You can climb the ladder to Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse Midwife, or any other of a wide range of nursing positions.
Nursing is an exciting, rewarding career choice. It offers flexibility to do what you want, income to support your family, and security for your peace of mind. If you want to know more about how to become a nurse, sign up for our student newsletter.
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