As you consider entering the ever-changing world of nursing, it’s important to be sure of your decision. You might be wondering, “Is nursing a good career?” or “Is nursing for me?”
Our nursing educators at Felician University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program firmly believe nursing is a worthwhile career. Every day we help students make the 16-month or 18-month journey to earning their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree that will allow them to embark on a passion-filled nursing career.
Here are some things to consider as you decide if a career in nursing is right for you:
Is Nursing for Me?
Start by asking yourself these questions to help decide whether nursing fits well with your personality and strengths:
- Do you enjoy helping people and showing empathy?
- Do you have an interest in science and biology?
- Are you comfortable helping people who are sick?
- Do you like working in a physical role on your feet?
- Do you enjoy navigating complex, sometimes stressful, situations?
- Are you a team player?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, your passions may be aligned with nursing. It’s worth continuing your research into this career to see how it suits your career aspirations.
Why Is Nursing a Good Career?
As you consider the question “Is nursing a good career?” here are several advantages of the profession to think about:
1. Nurses Have Job Stability
Nursing is one of the most reliable and stable careers out there. That’s because nurses are always in demand, and the need is only growing as more baby boomers retire and require more healthcare. On top of that, many of our nation’s current nurses are nearing retirement age, and we’ll need new nurses to fill those gaps.
Given this, it’s no surprise that the field of nursing is on the rise, expecting to grow at a rate of 6% between 2021 and 2031 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This means you’ll have plenty of jobs to choose from when you graduate from nursing school and enter the workforce.
2. Nurses Earn Competitive Pay
Another reason why being a nurse is worth it is because nurses make a good living. The average salary for a registered nurse in the United States is $77,600 per year, according to BLS data from May 2021. This is just the mean salary. So, if you pursue a sought-after nursing specialty like emergency nursing or critical care nursing or an advanced nursing specialty like nurse anesthesia, you can expect a pay boost.
On top of their salary, nurses also generally receive comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement contribution, paid time off, and maternity leave.
3. Nurses Have a Rich Purpose
Since the time you were a child, people may have told you to choose a career you love. Nursing is hard work, but those who enter the field love working with patients and have passion for their work.
Nurses see their purpose come to life every day. As a nurse, you’ll get to positively influence patients, whether that’s through providing comfort to a cancer patient, guiding a patient through surgery, or helping a patient recover from an injury. Additionally, nurses get to form meaningful connections with patients, and these relationships can be another fulfilling aspect of their careers.
4. Nurses Can Advance Their Careers
Nursing is a bustling field with ample career opportunities. Nurses with a BSN have the opportunity to grow their careers through leadership positions, certifications, and advanced degrees. If you enjoy leading people, you could become a nurse manager or healthcare administrator. If you like working in clinical nursing, you could earn more advanced certifications and specialize in more niche nursing roles.
Finally, if you want to go back to school to earn another degree, you could pursue one of several options, such as:
- Nurse practitioner
- Nurse anesthetist
- Nurse midwife
- Nurse educator
- Clinical nurse specialist
As you can see, nursing offers an excellent path for career growth, which makes it a fantastic option for those who aspire to climb the ranks in their profession and take on greater responsibility over time.
5. Nurses Have Many Scheduling Options
Nursing is a unique career field in its ability to offer many options for your work schedule. Depending on where you work, your schedule can vary greatly. For example, clinics and outpatient care centers have traditional weekday hours, so nurses who work in these places have traditional weekday hours.
However, if you opt to work in a hospital or nursing home, these facilities need nurses 24/7, so you could work day or night shifts during the week or on the weekend. Hospitals often have nurses work 12-hour shifts, which means full-time work is only three shifts per week.
Furthermore, many nurses choose to work part-time or on an as-needed basis, which offers more flexibility if they have children or other commitments.
6. Nurses Enjoy a Collaborative Team Environment
Another reason why nursing is a good career is that it is dynamic and team-based. You do not work in a bubble, but rather as a part of a fluid healthcare team, all working together to achieve success for patients.
You’ll work alongside nurses, physicians, therapists, dietitians, and more, each uniquely contributing to patient care. If you enjoy collaborating and connecting with coworkers daily, nursing may be an excellent career for you.
Accelerate Your Nursing Career at Felician!
Now that you know nursing is a good career, it’s time to earn your degree, and Felician is a great place to start. If you have a minimum of 60 non-nursing college credits or a bachelor’s degree in another area, you can earn a degree in less time than a traditional nursing program.
We offer a 16-month Hybrid ABSN program in Parsippany, New Jersey, and an 18-month On-Ground ABSN program in Rutherford, New Jersey. The difference between the two programs is that the Hybrid ABSN uses online courses, while the On-Ground ABSN uses in-person lectures. In both programs, nursing coursework is combined with hands-on labs and clinical experiences to give you a well-rounded education.
To learn more about how Felician can help you achieve your goals, reach out to an admissions counselor by completing our online form. We’ll talk with you about your eligibility and answer any questions you have. It’s time to make your nursing dream happen, and it all starts with Felician!