Each day can be different when you're working with patients. Whether you are working in a clinic, office, hospital, or within an organization, nursing is not dull.
Numerous surveys have proven nursing to be the most ethical and honest of professions.
Nurses are a vital part of delivering healthcare in many different settings. You can choose from over 100 types of nursing specialties, which means you'll likely never be bored. You can focus on general healthcare such as Geriatric nursing or expand your role to work as a flight nurse or transplant nurse. You can also pursue health policy careers. Another benefit is how easily you can move from one specialty to another. For example, after practicing as a dialysis nurse, you may wish to try travelling nurse jobs. If you are an experienced specialty nurse, you may be able to take your pick of assignments. If you want to move to be a labor and delivery nurse, you'll need some hands-on experience and continuing education course before finding a new position.
By 2030, the baby boomer generation will have reached age 65. Up to 85% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 60% have at least two. Nurses are in demand to care for a growing population of people with chronic disease. The expected job growth ranges from 9% for RNs to 52% for Nurse Practitioners.
Hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices may offer excellent benefits to attract and keep qualified professionals.
Benefits include:
- Excellent Salary
- Paid sick time
- Paid vacation and holidays
- Paid family leave
- Bonuses for working extra shifts or when understaffed
- Evening, night and weekend shift differential
- Health and life insurance
- Tuition reimbursement
- Retirement benefits
- Wellness programs
- Childcare
- Subsidized travel
- Student loan repayment
Nursing offers you the opportunity to adapt your professional life to fit your lifestyle. For example, you'll find work in a variety of geographical locations and work environments. You may choose to work full time or part time and may choose from shifts as short as 4 hours and as long as 12. Telehealth medicine has added the option to work from home. In your nursing career, you'll develop and hone nursing skills like critical thinking, communication, and organizational skills. You will develop the ability to remain calm and cool in an emergency. These skills can help you transition from clinical nursing to other options: nursing education, nursing administration, nursing management, public health nursing, correctional facilities, or being a missionary nurse around the world.
All nurses experience a transition as they move from an academic to a clinical setting, after graduating as a nurse. For many nurses working in large teaching hospitals, this transition may be eased by the hospital's new nurse preceptor programs designed to help new graduates successfully transition from school to various work settings for nurses. Although there is a nursing shortage throughout the world., it is still challenging to get a premium job. You can improve your success by working while you're in school to gain nursing experience and accept internships. Nursing students who gain volunteer experience and professionally network while in nursing school also have an advantage when it's time to apply for their first job.
Nurses play a unique role in healthcare. They are the only consistent healthcare professionals with the patient at their bedside, so they can collaborate with healthcare teams to coordinate patient care and improve outcomes. The bedside nurse is the hub of patient activity. They know the recommendations of each healthcare professional attending the patient. Nurses with strong organizational and critical thinking skills can make sure each knows how their recommendation affects the overall care plan.
The skills you learn caring for patients can help as you take on the charge nurse role on the unit. Charge nurses must assign patient care and monitor the staff, making adjustments as needed during the shift. Nurses who exhibit strong nursing leadership skills, may go on to take positions in administration, such as unit manager, clinical nurse specialist, or patient care director. You can also take advantage of leadership roles in clinical practice, including advanced practice nurses, clinical specialists, and case managers. Nursing offers several avenues to take additional responsibility and progress up the career ladder.
Since 1879 there has been discussions about the use of telephones to reduce the number of unnecessary office visits. For many years the use of video-type devices has been in place that enables doctors to diagnose and treat patients. Telehealth nursing has advanced significantly during 2020 when healthcare providers began treating patients at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19. For instance, the need for remote telemonitoring for patients in the intensive care unit or at home continues to grow. Remote monitoring can reduce costs for a hospital or physician's office without sacrificing patient care. Nurses are also integral to patient consultations, taking patient histories and coordinating care at home. They are often the primary source of health education and monitoring. Incorporating telehealth services has given nurses a new tool to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.
