Why does a person aspire to become a nurse? One reason may be a strong desire to help those in need, or another may be a love for the field. Or simply the thrilling and challenging nature of the job. Besides these, what other reasons can you think of? Probably none! Nursing is such a demanding profession that only a few opt for it. However, this trend is changing now. With the increasing challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and baby boomers aging, healthcare will need more nursing staff to keep this system afloat.
Moreover, nursing is growing rapidly. The US Bureau of Labor projects 9% employment growth between 2020 and 2030, with 194,500 average annual openings for RNs. Also, nursing is a lucrative field that offers many more career growth opportunities to help interested students and professionals take their careers to the next level. Because of more flexible shift schedules, hundreds of specialization programs, and easily accessible higher education options, nursing has become one of the most aspired careers.
Continue reading to discover why becoming a nurse now would be a life-changing opportunity for you.
Easily accessible nursing education
Online education has made access to almost all nursing programs possible and easy. If you dropped nursing from your career choices only because of inflexible school schedules or longer study periods, now is your chance to fulfill your dream. How? The accelerated BSN programs allow even non-nursing graduates to become a nurse in a fraction of the time it usually takes. All you need to do is scour Google for ABSN programs in your region.
For example, if you are a resident of Texas, you can search for top-rated accelerated BSN programs in Texas and find the one most feasible for you. This way, you can learn the coursework focused on specific nursing skills and education in less than two years. So, what are you waiting for? Enroll in the ABSN programs and fulfill your career goals.
A chance to make a difference
The best thing about becoming a nurse is that nurses make a real difference in the lives of hundreds of people every day. They are heroes that don’t need capes or superpowers. A strong will to help people makes them able to make positive changes in their lives. This doesn’t necessarily involve a nurse’s part in a crucial surgery or giving CPR to an emergency patient. Even a small conversation with a patient, listening to their woes, and validating their concerns can work wonders in a patient’s life.
Moreover, you can work in various settings and adopt several roles to play your part. For example, you could start from clinical work, spend some time in research work, or end up in nursing education. The point is that this job allows you to feel a sense of purpose no matter what you do.
Financial stability
Nursing is among the best jobs to achieve financial stability as it offers high salaries and job security. Even entry-level jobs in nursing pay five-figure salaries to nursing professionals. These numbers go up with more education and increasing nursing shortages. Due to the expected demand for these professionals in the future, you won’t have to worry about finding a job with a nursing degree.
Even if you can’t find a job in your city, you will get various opportunities in another city, region, or country. Alternatively, if you are an ardent humanitarian, you can work in a place without healthcare facilities. Also, you can become a travel nurse who performs their duties in various settings and places worldwide. Thus, this field assures good salaries and job security in every nursing niche and role.
Hundreds of specialties
Nursing now offers a wide range of nursing specialties to choose from. This means you can still help people even if you don’t like interacting with them. How? It is possible by specializing in fields like nursing education, administration, and informatics. For example, as a teacher, you have a chance to teach junior nurses alternate ways to deliver care. You can also specialize in telehealth which doesn’t require direct interaction with patients to deliver nursing services.
If you feel more inclined toward the criminal justice system, you can work as a forensic nurse. Or in other cases, you may also work on specific issues like mental health. Thus, whether you want to work with a specific population, disorder, body part, etc., you can always find your desired niche in nursing.
Ever-increasing nursing shortages
The healthcare industry has always faced nursing staff shortages. But, this need has increased since the start of Covid-19. The pandemic made the healthcare workers worry because of the fear of infection, especially in hard-hit areas. Although the pandemic has ended, the shortage of nurses is still there. This shortage will worsen in the future as more nurses retire. Also, with the increasing diversity of illnesses and baby boomers aging, the demand for nurses will be higher than ever.
Thus, healthcare facilities are in high demand for skilled nurses. Many facilities have developed recruitment strategies to curb this shortage, such as sign-on bonuses to attract competent candidates. Thus, why not join a profession that helps you achieve your career goals and celebrates your presence?
Expected telehealth opportunities
The Covid-19 pandemic improved telehealth services that were not available to people before. Because of safety measures, nurses had to find alternative ways to help patients. As a result, telehealth has become more popular since it reduced the amount of physical contact among people. This trend is expected to grow with time because of its feasibility for patients and nurses.
These services not only reduce the workload on patients but also saves patients their time and money. Also, if you are more into mental health and awareness, you could benefit more in this field. So, get an experience in this field to benefit from it while it’s still new.
Conclusion
Nursing is a demanding yet rewarding field. It will always be a fulfilling job for you, no matter when you step into it. But, various factors, especially the Covid-19 pandemic, have enhanced the value of healthcare workers, the top of which are nurses. Without nurses, the healthcare system cannot combat global emergencies like pandemics. Thus, you can avail the opportunity of contributing to people’s lives now as time demands it the most. This article mentions why it is the best time to join this field. These include ease in access to nursing education, financial stability, expected telehealth opportunities, various specialties, etc. Read them all and make your choice now.
