Advantages of a Nursing Career

There are few career choices out there that you can pursue that provide as many benefits as you will find with the field of nursing. You can enjoy lots of unique opportunities in different specializations, the ability to travel and work, and even a good salary for all of the work that you do for others. 

There are many medical facilities who want to hire a nursing professional to help them get things done. If you have the right skills, you will be able to make it big in this field. Some of the great advantages that you will be able to enjoy when you decide to pursue a career in nursing will include:

Job Security and Great Salary

When you want a rewarding career that also pays well, then getting a career in nursing is one of the best options for you to choose. Nurses are always in demand and according to the BLS, there is projected to be a 9% growth rate for this field between now and 2030. Many medical facilities are facing a shortage of nurses, meaning you are in high demand. 

Because there is so much demand for these professionals, the amount of money that you are able to make as a nurse is higher as well. The exact amount you can earn will depend on where you work, your level of education, and what job you take on, but the average annual salary for a nurse across the United States is over $80,000. 

In addition to some great salary options for this field, you will also find an impressive benefits package if you work as a nurse. Some of these include good paid sick time, health and life insurance, paid family leave, tuition reimbursement, retirement benefits, paid vacations and holidays, and reimbursement for some of the certifications that you get. 

Flexible Scheduling

Another benefit to working in the nursing field is that it provides some flexible scheduling for you to enjoy. Nursing positions will provide a lot of options based on what would work the best for you. For example, you could choose between the standard 8  hour shift, or even do 12 hours and have fewer days that you need to go into work. 

Nurses can also work other types of jobs that provide more flexibility. You could be a school nurse and enjoy a few months off each summer to be with the kids. You can be a travel nurse and pick your assignment based on the shift and location. Homecare nurses are often going to work during business hours and rarely on the weekend. 

Flexibility is a huge benefit when it comes to the healthcare field. Although nurses may need to have some flexibility and change their schedule on occasion, such as taking on overtime to help the facility, there are a lot of opportunities for the professional to choose their own schedule. Some hospitals can even offer the professional self-scheduling if needed. 

Chances to Advance

A career in nursing is often going to provide many chances for you to advance and take on higher levels of work as well. Armed with your nursing degree, you can even work into a managerial position or a more advanced practice clinical position if you would like a unique challenge. 

Many nurses choose to go on and get specialized certifications to make them more attractive to their potential employer and help them get a higher salary in the process. Others like the idea of moving to a clinical field or into an administrative role. There are just so many options for careers and ways for you to advance if you choose. 

You will need to take the time to consider what degree program is right for you and then work from there. The higher the degree that you take the time to earn, the more you will be able to advance in the career of your choice. And these advancements can help to increase your salary at the same time.

Choose Your Specialty

Nurses are able to choose the area that is going to provide them with the most interest at the time. For example, you could choose to work in mental health, cardiovascular surgery, or labor and delivery just to name a few. You can take a look at the different areas of medicine and then choose which career will match up to that interest the most. 

All nurses will start out with some basic training. These nursing programs will teach you all of the foundational skills that you need to take care of your patients. after you graduate, you can go through more education or special training programs to ensure that you are prepared to take on the area of specialization that you would like. 

Nurses get a chance to choose what will interest them the most and then they can work in that field. However, it is possible when you will get burned out in that specialty. The good news is that it is easy for you to change up the specialties, without needing to attend more classes. This can be a unique benefit of working in the nursing field over some of the others. 

Whether you want to choose to travel for work or you have a specialty in mind, there are so many options to enjoy when you become a nurse. The more specialized you would like to be, the more education you must complete, but you will also be in higher demand when you decide to do this. Pick a specialization to help yourself earn more money and be more in demand. 

Choosing a Nursing Career

You will find that there are many different careers that you are able to choose, but a career in the nursing field will really make a difference and help you to succeed. Take the time to look at some of the advantages of a nursing career above and see if this is the right career choice for you.