If you’ve been thinking about becoming a nurse, 2010 is the year to make your dreams a reality! Right now is the best window of opportunity for you to become part of a fulfilling and rewarding career, and here are 5 reasons why.
1. The Demand is High!
Although we are working our way out of a recession right now, the nursing industry is continuing to boom and is expected to continue to grow 23% in the next six years.
Nurse Practitioners are taking over the role of primary care doctors
According to Time, “28 states are considering expanding the authority of nurse practitioners” especially because of the recent health care overhaul. With a looming shortage of primary care doctors, nurse practitioners might soon be taking over the role of the doctor in coming years.
The retirement of baby boomers increases the demand for nurses
As the baby boomers retire, they will continue to rely on nurses like you to care for their health. Not only is the baby boomer generation going to need your help, but the growing number of elderly people due to the advancement of public health. Life expectancy continues to grow with our advances in health sciences creating a larger pool of elderly people who will rely on you to be treated.
The registered nurse (RN) workforce is diminishing
Job opportunities for RNs are expected to grow due to the aging RN workforce and the lack of young workers to fill the positions. Employers are finding it difficult to keep these positions filled, so the demand for these jobs are high.
2. Nursing is Recession-Proof
Unlike other professions, nursing is a recession-proof job because when it comes down to it, people will always get sick and will always need healthcare.
Males are seeking the nurses role
Although, currently, the nurse workforce is 90% female, the industry is turning to males to fill the dire need of nurses. Firefighters and police officers who have trained to be nurses know that nursing can be a difficult position and not a career to be stereotyped by social trends.
3. Rising Salaries
When theres a high demand for a certain position, you can be sure to see an increase in wages. With nursing being the most in-demand healthcare occupation, and one of the fastest growing careers in the nation, employers are offering big incentives like sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and flexible schedules to entice nurses to work for them.
4. Nursing is a Fulfilling and Rewarding Profession
There is no question that nursing is a difficult profession. You may have to work long hours and have to deal with irate patients, but when it comes down to it, you are caring for people. As a nurse, you will come across moments that will enrich your experience as a human being, opportunities that many professions will never come across. As a nurse, you will grow as a person, and you will also give many the opportunity to live a healthy life.
5. Great Time to Go Back to School
With the job market not looking too good right now, going back to school would be the best decision to take advantage of at this time. Before you can get a diploma in Nursing, you’re going to need a high school diploma or GED to enroll in a nursing program. When you are accepted into the program, you’ll need two to three years to earn your diploma and become eligible for RN status.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Associate of Science (AS), or Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
Usually offered at a community or technical college, you can earn an ADN within two years if you finished your science prerequisites (typically microbiology, anatomy, physiology, chemistry, algebra and psychology) in high school. If you haven’t it can take up to three to three and half years before you earn your degree. It’s after you’ve earned your diploma can you be eligible to become an RN.
Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN)
Employers prefer you earn your BSN because of it’s educational depth. It takes around the same amount of time for you to earn your BSN as it is to fulfill your science prerequisites and earn your ADN. With that said, you gain more value earning a BSN with the time spent earning it.
Accelerated Programs
If you already earned a Bachelor’s degree in a non-science-oriented field like English, you can enter an accelerated BSN program and earn your degree in two to two and a half years. If you have a Bachelor’s in a science field like biology, you can earn your BSN within 12 to 18 months.
Regular-Paced Programs
You don’t have to rush through these programs if you don’t want to. With a non science-oriented bachelor’s, you can finish your BSN in three years. With a science-oriented bachelors, two years. You’ll have to pass your state’s National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) to get your state RN license as well.
