7 Reasons why you Should Persevere in Being a Nurse
You might have stumbled upon this article because you’re frustrated about the large workload in nursing school or maybe, you want to explore nursing as an alternative. There are plenty of reasons to persevere and become a nurse: fantastic benefits, high job satisfaction rates, multiple opportunities, and high pay. Here are the top reasons nursing is a great career.
1. Endless Job Opportunities
Nurse shortages are all too common in multiple clinics, doctors’ offices, and hospitals worldwide. Careers are so abundant that you’ll probably get job offers while you’re studying for the NCLEX (you can find an NCLEX prep course here.) In all seriousness, nursing is one of the top occupations that will see the most job growth between 2019 to 2029. Plus, you can transition into other roles easily with a nursing certificate alone but, you can specialize to find more opportunities.
2. You Make a Difference in People’s Lives
Nurses make a difference in their patients’ lives daily. “Making a difference” is one of the biggest reasons students make this career choice because being a nurse is humbling and rewarding. Your patients will trust you and confide in you for treatment options and preventative care. Most nurses feel that this opportunity has enriched their lives. Throughout your career as a nurse, you’ll have saved thousands of lives in all sectors.
3. People Respect You
In a recent Gallup poll, nurses were ranked as the most trusted position based on ethical standards and honesty. Nurses have consistently topped the list for the past 18 years, and there’s no sign they’ll dip lower, especially during the pandemic. There are over 3 million nurses currently operating in 2021, which makes up the largest component of the health care sector. It’s pretty incredible that the vast majority of the population respects you for being a nurse.
4. High Job Satisfaction Rates
While nursing is a difficult job, nurses consistently report high satisfaction rates in the United States, as high as 94% in some cases. That makes nursing one of the most satisfying jobs on the planet. Nurses have said that this high satisfaction rate is due to the multiple opportunities for advancements. If nurses stay in their career long enough, they can deepen their knowledge and skills daily and eventually become a nurse anesthetist, which makes $181,000 per year.
5. You Received Excellent Benefits
As a member of the healthcare community, you often receive paid time off, reimbursement for continuing education, tax saving plans, pension plans, life insurance, health insurance, and schedule flexibility. Plenty of nurses have access to loan forgiveness programs or lowered tuitions because hospitals will often pay for their skillset. Hospitals want to create lifelong learners out of their staff to pursue excellence and remain accurate and safe.
6. Work Full or Part-Time
Plenty of nurses choose to work part-time due to their scheduling needs. Often, the high pay a nurse receives is enough for nurses to survive living on their own. Flexible schedules are abundant in the medical field for nurses. It’s common for them to work 4 days on, 3 days off, or a mixture of 20 hours one week, 40 hours the next. Becoming a nurse gives you the opportunity to have a fulfilling work-life balance and multiple options for growth outside of your job. If you’re already a nurse working part-time, this program can provide a flexible and convenient option for you to continue your education and advance your career without sacrificing your work-life balance.
7. You Can Travel the World
The United States has plenty of opportunities for working nurses, but there are other ways you can fulfill your need to travel while also staying employed. A travel nurse will fill the roles of a country’s health care needs, giving a lot of opportunity for growth and giving employees a new perspective. Travel nurses can learn how to be more accepting and adaptable, which is a great skill to maintain throughout their careers. You also receive higher pay and other perks.
Another advantage of this position is that travel nurses usually receive monthly compensation for their flexibility and working schedule. However, a travel nurse salary depends on their specialty, experience, and the state they are located in. The salary rates are conditioned by the cost of living and the demand for nurses in different states. California, Texas, and Washington are the highest paying states for travel nurses.