Why Choose Nursing as a Career?
Why would a high school graduate choose nursing as a career when there are so many other choices? The person choosing nursing as a career will likely not be a typical high school graduate. Those who choose nursing will find a career that is stimulating, diverse, and rewarding. There is so much more to nursing than is seen by people outside this profession.
Nursing offers many diverse career paths for those who want to specialize or who find themselves drawn to a particular area of nursing. Some of the specialty areas include emergency room nursing, cardiac rehabilitation nursing, nephrology nursing, labor and delivery nursing, and other specialized areas. There are so many areas in a hospital where a nurse can work they are likely to find an area that is well suited to their skills and interests. Moving from one unit to another in a hospital is often fairly easy. Therefore if a nurse should become bored working in one specialty area of a hospital they can transfer to another specialty area.
Nursing is a professional that is constantly changing. There are always medical advances that will impact a nurse. Nurses need to believe in lifelong learning because nurses will always be learning about new technology, medications, procedures, processes, and other factors that impact their daily life as a nurse.
There are many options for a nurse outside the structure of a hospital. Career options outside the hospital are plentiful include public health nursing, clinic nursing, correctional nursing, school nursing, and occupational health nursing. This positions offer more autonomy and independent thinking as the nurse is generally outside the strict support system of a hospital. These settings require that the nurse be an excellent problem solver and be able to make independent rational decisions.
Worrying about job security is generally not a concern for most nurses. Not only are there ample jobs in nursing but nursing is a very portable career. Nurses can usually find jobs in any part of the United States, Canada, and even overseas. Nurses have also been able to take time off work for child bearing without this having a significant negative effect on their career. They have also had flexibility in choosing shifts that best meet the needs of their families and them.
More and more nurses are also starting their own business after a few years of working in a traditional setting. Nurses have started diverse businesses as consultants and experts. Some of these businesses include legal nurse consulting, geriatric case management, life care planning, sexual assault nurse examiner, and medical writer. The list of entrepreneur opportunities does not end here. There are endless opportunities for self employment as an entrepreneurial nurse all it takes is imagination.
Choosing nursing as a career can be the perfect option for a person wanting stimulation, a changing environment, and variety. It may even lead to self employment for some nurses. Do not dismiss nursing too quickly when considering your career options. It may just be the beginning of the exciting and rewarding career you are seeking.
