Is Nursing A Good Career Choice?
Well, it depends on how you look at it. There are several factors that come into play when classifying a career as good or not so good. First are the individual preferences and expectations of what a career should do for you. On the other hand, your thoughts of nursing should not solely be inclined on one side of your understanding as this may bring a bias in classifying nursing as good or bad. Below, we look at the glittering and dull sides of the nursing career.
Reasons Why Nursing Is Considered A Good Career
- Countrywide and globally, qualified nurses are in high demand as the needs of caring for the aging population and disabled increase. Like in any market, when demand is high, prices shot and this is exactly what is happening in the nursing profession. Since nurses are in acute shortage, every nursing facility is trying to keep or acquire any nurses they can with an attractive remuneration package. In most cases, the attractive payment can be attributed to the large number of people joining way above the earlier decision of taking nursing as a calling/passion.
- With regard to the above note on nurse shortage, the US government sometimes provides incentives to cater for tuition fees for any citizens willing to shift their careers into nursing. Such awards and incentive saves the student money and is therefore a factor classifying nursing as a good career especially for career changers
- Until the deficit is met, it would be right to say that most career changers in nursing are likely to benefit from fast-paced schooling formats. A fast paced program means that the student take the least time in school and enter the working profession fast. This is also another plus for people who are looking forward to start earning quickly.
- For nurses who joined the profession due to passion or a calling, the act of helping sick people come into good health is also a satisfaction by itself. This by far surpasses all other kind of glittering aspects of the nursing career. Getting into a profession where you always look forward to changing people lives can have so much positive psychological reward.
- As much as nurses can be seen to be working long hours, at most, they have the option of choosing which hours suit them best. Unlike a day job, some nurses may feel more energetic to work at night and their request to work in the night shift would certainly be honored. Basically, nurses get to choose what time/shift they would be most productive.
- Most employers want their nurses to advance their education. As such, it is common observation to find employers offering scholarship programs for their nurses who wish to advance and earn bachelor or masters of Science in nursing degrees. Other employers still may offer onsite training programs to help keep their nurses abreast with emerging issues in the healthcare sector. Such special considerations are not so common in every other profession.
What Makes Nursing A Little Scary
With all the coloring on the cake about nursing as a career, there are a number of issues that makes it a no for some people.
- It is no doubt nurses have some of the oddest tasks in the health care sector. Being in contact with very sick, extremely aged or even dying patients may not be that appealing at times. Nurses may have to learn to deal with not-so good situations they come across during their duties
- Another aspect that puts-off a large number of people from nursing is the fact of being on call all the time. If you cannot sacrifice your luxury, holiday, family outing, some deep sleep because of work, then nursing is not just the right career for you. Nurses should be ready to work anytime they are called-upon especially during emergencies or peculiar situations.
- Being a nurse means being involved in some messy work. This includes but not limited to bathing, feeding and keeping the general hygiene of patients. It may involve coming across unpleasant body fluids, blood, etc. This may not be suitable for person who nauseate on small messy things.
- Different patients have different manners, behaviors and personalities. Being a nurse means that you can accommodate the ill-mannered, the high tempered the soft spoken, the ignorant and any other classes of patients. If you are not endowed with patience and emotional stability, you may end-up losing it as a nurse.