Are you thinking about nursing? 5 reasons why it could be the career for you

If you’re thinking about breastfeeding, first of all: good for you! The fact that it occurred to you suggests that you are an empathetic, intelligent, and socially minded person; In short, exactly the kind of person who would make a good nurse. However, if you’re not sure whether it would be a good fit for you, here are some key reasons to seriously consider starting down the path to one of the most rewarding and important careers in the working world.

1. You really enjoy helping others

This is fundamentally the best reason to pursue any career, but especially one as intrinsically linked to helping others as nursing is. From both a medical and empathetic perspective, nurses are the backbone of our social support system for the sick and injured. In addition to assisting in the delivery of care in a technical sense—administering medications, taking readings, performing tests, etc.—nurses are responsible for being an interface between an often frightened patient and complicated, intimidating systems. As such, a nurse who genuinely enjoys the difficult task of helping people cope with tough treatments, terminal diagnoses and life-changing injuries is undoubtedly a suitable person for the position.

2. Nursing never goes out of style

It is the very nature of human existence that it is transitory: a candle that burns briefly in the gales of time. As such, there will always be a need for kind souls to guide us through what are often the most difficult and dark times of our experiential journey – healers, sages and caregivers have been a respected part of human society for so long. Think of famous nurses like Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton: they were pivotal figures to both the public good and the popular imagination of the time. Even in a job market increasingly plagued by automation and the role of artificial intelligence, it is almost impossible to imagine a world in which we do not need nurses and their skills in one form or another.

3. High levels of job satisfaction

Job satisfaction among nurses has traditionally been, and continues to be, high: more than 80% of American nurses surveyed reported moderate or extremely high levels of job satisfaction when asked. Despite being a time-consuming and often challenging job, nurses end their day more satisfied with their jobs than many other workers; Since how you spend your days is how you spend your life, this seems like an important metric to keep in mind. Job satisfaction is also linked to mental health, making it incredibly important for all aspects of your life and your overall well-being.

4. You want every day to be different

A change, as the old saying goes, is as good as a rest: although this may not be quite It’s true (I’m sure we’d all rather relax on the beach somewhere than go to work). It is certainly true that one of the greatest attractions of a career in nursing is that each day presents a different range of situations and problems that must be faced. you can apply it yourself. Whether it’s a busy day in the emergency room, a long day in the operating room, or a full day monitoring patients on the ward, you’re sure to face a wide range of challenges and situations every day.

5. You want to have more control of your work life

Within nursing, there are many ways to personalize both your work week and your career as a whole. There are many opportunities for specialization and additional education and training, increasing both your knowledge and skill base and your earning potential. The almost ubiquitous demand for nurses means that in all likelihood there will be a job for you wherever you want to work, which means that nursing is also a geographically flexible career, if you want to see different parts of the country or the world. maintaining a reasonably stable income. Although it is important to remember that different locations may have different licensing requirements. There are also leadership positions available and, especially since the COVID pandemic, nurses have been at the forefront of the burgeoning telehealth movement, meaning many nurses can work in a hybrid home office week.

These are just a few of the countless very strong reasons, both moral and practical, to consider becoming a nurse: it’s a flexible career full of learning, helping and empowering your fellow human beings when they need it most.