19-03-2024

Education Opinion

The Best Opinion about your Education

Is a Nursing Degree Right For You?  

3 min read

 

The medical field is an important and growing field, with many degree and career opportunities. You may not be interested in spending nearly a decade in school to become a physician, but that doesn’t mean that this life-saving profession isn’t possible for you. If you like to care for people, and enjoy health and medicine, a career in nursing might be a good choice for you.

Here’s what you need to know about pursuing a nursing degree.

Nurses are useful

There will always be sick people. Whether you’re old and need a regular caretaker, or you visit the doctor regularly and only go back in cases of emergency, nurses perform an essential duty in the health care process. In many cases, they can perform similar functions as a doctor. As the population in America continues to age, nurses will be increasingly in demand, making this an appealing career choice.

Once you have your nursing degree, you have to maintain your certification as well as a clean record. However, compared to other fields, the certification is easier to transfer across state lines, and if you work for the Veterans Authority, this is not a concern.

While your certificate may not transfer internationally, you will still have an important body of knowledge that can transfer into work in home care, working with the elderly, or special needs people who require specialized attention.

There are scholarships

Nursing is a commonly offered degree, and as such, there are scholarships to be had. Some hospitals and organizations will partially pay for your tuition if you agree to work for the after you get your degree. The demand nurses also means that you’ll likely find employment shortly after getting your Associate’s Degree in nursing.

There are more than 50 types of nurses too, so you have options as far as specialty and types of patients. Some of those specialties include:

Ambulatory Care Nurse

Burn Care Nurse

Camp Nurse

Cardiac Care Nurse

Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Nurse

Nurse Case Manager

Charge Nurse

Correctional Nurse

CVOR Nurse

Dermatology Nurse

Other degree types of nursing certifications include LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), LVN(Licensed Vocational Nurse), RN(Registered Nurse), BSN(Bachelors of Science in Nursing), not to mention Masters and Doctoral Programs.

Career advancement

A nursing degree is an entryway to a multitude of medical careers. Future doctors, who have yet to take the MCAT, or didn’t pass the first time, are qualified to be nurse practitioners. This is the top of the nursing careers, among other specializations, including:

 

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Nurse Midwife

Nurse Anesthetist

If you’re passionate about medicine, but would prefer to not work at a hospital, there are plenty of options. You could be a school nurse, or work at an outpatient center. Other career paths include:

 

Clinical Nurse Educator

Public Health Nurse

Home Health Nurse

Travel Nurse

Forensic Nurse

Nurse Advocate

Hospice Nurse

Telephone Triage Nurse

As you can see, there are options when it comes to the nursing field. And if you’re people-averse, you can apply your skills to animals — they need medical care too!

The world is your oyster

Just like there are sick people everywhere, there are also nursing schools everywhere. It is very possible to study and work abroad in exotic locales, have adventures, and earn a degree at the same time.

Additionally, you can volunteer to nurse for international medical aid organizations like Doctors Without Borders.

It can be draining and emotionally taxing, but a career in nursing is a fulfilling life-long endeavor. You’ll be able to help sick people return to health, as well as care for people as they leave this world. The stability of a career in nursing can bring is also enticing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *