Clearly, there are so many different career paths to go down. If you’re thinking about pursuing higher education and going to university, you’ll soon see the sheer wealth of subjects to choose from. It’s hard to single one out for yourself, so the best approach is to do some research. Consider what careers or areas may appeal to you the most. 

I’m going to help you with this decision by showcasing some subject areas that might be worth studying. As we’re in the middle of a global health crisis, many healthcare professions are under the spotlight. For me, one of the most valuable and underappreciated are nurses. Without nurses, so many healthcare institutions would cease to function. We constantly need more nurses, which is why I thought it was a good area to cover with this post. If you carry on reading, you’ll find the top reasons to study to become a nurse. 

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Demand for the roles

It’s very well-documented that the country has a shortage of nurses. There are reports of this all over the news, and even some studies on the nursing shortage. It sounds quite insensitive to say this, but that’s actually a good thing. Not for the country, but for anyone that’s thinking about becoming a nurse. It means there is a massive demand for various nursing roles. In turn, this means it’s highly likely you will find work after qualifying. There won’t be a period of unemployment that stretches out for months and months. This is often the case with many different career paths you choose. Speak to lots of university or college graduates, and they will say that they took months to find a job after graduating. With nursing, the demand is this sector is so high that you often have jobs lined up before you’ve even qualified. Then, you can seamlessly transition into your new role and start working right away. 

Plenty of different nursing careers

A common misconception about nursing is that there’s only one type of nurse out there. People always just think of nurses as taking on a general role alongside a doctor. However, there’s an abundance of different nursing roles to choose from. You can be a mental health nurse, a surgical nurse, a licensed practical nurse, and so on. In essence, you can choose to specialize in a certain area of healthcare. This is ideal if you have something that you’re really passionate about. As an example, if you are very passionate about mental health and spreading awareness, then being a mental health nurse is perfect for you. It means you get to give back to those in need while focusing on an area that means a lot to you personally. 

Lots of ways to study

Similarly, there are lots of ways you can study to become a nurse. Now, much depends on the specific nursing qualifications you’re after. If you want to become a registered nurse, you can do lots of online courses or go to college. Likewise, if you want to be a licensed practical nurse, then you have a mixture of online and practical education. In fact, there are plenty of online LPN programs that can provide you with this education. What are online LPN programs? Well, they let you study the academic side of being a licensed practical nurse from home, but you then have to seek out lab work as well. The same goes for lots of different nursing programs and degrees. There’s almost always the ability to either do all the work online or to split it 50/50 between online and actually attending seminars. As such, this is a career that offers flexible study options!

Room to grow

The sheer abundance of nursing roles also means you have room to grow within this career. Many people start off as a registered nurse or a general nurse, then develop their skills to take on a higher role. This could include being a senior nurse in an institution who overlooks the other nurses. It may include doing some extra studying to focus your work in a more specific and complex area – like surgery. The bottom line is that you can progress your career as a nurse very well. The sky’s the limit, so you aren’t stuck in the same job for years on end without going anywhere. This is another common misconception about nursing. People assume you have the same job forever when the reality is that there is a nursing hierarchy that you can climb. 

A very rewarding career

When you think about choosing a career, there are plenty of factors to consider. Naturally, money is one of the main ones. People want a job that can make them financially stable and independent. However, happiness is another huge aspect of a good career. As it happens, lots of people aren’t happy or satisfied with their jobs. Why? Because they don’t feel like what they do is very rewarding. Sitting in an office all day typing up work may pay the bills, but you never get the sense that you’re making a difference in the world. By contrast, nursing is one of the most rewarding careers out there. You help people in their time of need. Many people rely on nurses when they’re sick. It’s your job to keep patients happy and to help them any way that you can. You’re often rewarded with kind words and words of thanks from patients and their family. It fills you with warmth and pride. Not many careers can offer the same level of emotional reward as nursing. 

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Flexible working patterns

Becoming a nurse offers you the chance to have a flexible career. Most jobs are quite rigid in their structure. You work full-time, you’re in from 9-5, and that’s your life. With nursing, things are more flexible and unstructured. There are full and part-time jobs available, along with temporary ones. Nursing is more shift-based, which means you can work at any time of the day. It allows you to plan your life around your career a lot better. With a part-timer role, you can still look after a family or perhaps have a second job. Even a full-time role offers more flexibility as you can try to work shifts that appeal to you more than others. There isn’t the same strict 9-5 structure as some of the more traditional careers out there!

Financially rewarding

While money isn’t everything, it certainly helps to have a job that pays well. Now, nurses do tend to be well paid in the US. In fact, it’s third on the list of countries with the highest-paid nurses. The average salary is above the median income threshold for the country. Plus, the added career progression and diversity of roles means you can keep earning more money as you move through your career. It’s not one of the highest-paid careers in the country, but it is above average and can provide you with financial stability. So, if money is a big deal, then nursing should satisfy most people. 

Overall, you can see this is a great career option. I think the coronavirus outbreak has shone a light on how important nurses are to the healthcare system. Not only that, but it’s also shown us how beneficial it is to have more nurses out there. If you’re feeling inspired by the hard work of others, then perhaps this is the right career move for you. Hopefully, the points in this post have given you something to mull over and provided more of an insight into the benefits of becoming a nurse.