No one can say that nursing is an easy career. Nurses sacrifice a lot when it comes to their career. We often hear about the negative aspects of nursing, but what about the positive aspects? These positive aspects of the career often get ignored, but they are no doubt present and motivate nurses around the world to continue to do what they love.
Health eCareers’s contributor Anita Ginsburg touches on 10 of the positive “perks” of being a nurse and sheds a little light on the great parts of this rewarding career.
1. SHIFTS
While the basic work day for most people is an eight-hour day, five days per week, the average for nurses in long-term health facilities or hospitals is 12 hour shifts, three days per week. While this structure does include longer work hours, the fact that they are condensed into three days means more time to spend doing the things you want to do on your days off. Every facility may vary in shifts, but longer work days working also means longer days off.
2. OPPORTUNITY FOR OVERTIME
Most nursing jobs offer plenty of opportunities to get overtime work – which comes with a nice pay increase! Hospitals and other facilities need nurses around the clock, so it’s usually easy to pick up an extra shift when you need one.
3. ADVANCEMENT
Advancing in your career as a nurse is easier than in many other occupations. If you are an asset to the facility you work for, it’s likely that they will provide tuition benefits for furthering your nursing education. And of course, along with career advancement comes an increase in pay.
4. FLEXIBILITY
Nurses are needed everywhere, so you should be able to find a job anywhere you might go. You should also be able to retain your experience levels and certifications pretty easily wherever life might lead you.
5. ACTIVITY
Nursing is a very active job. Not only must you be mentally engaged at all times, but you also have to be physically engaged. Nurses have to walk a lot from room to room. They must also be able to physically move a patient or equipment when the need arises. You’ll burn plenty of calories and probably have an easier time staying in shape. This is a great job for those who don’t want to sit in front of a computer all day.
6. VARIETY
There are many different areas of nursing to work in. If you find that trauma care nursing is not for you, then it should be relatively easy to move into another field such as psychiatric care or labor and delivery nursing. You can work in several different areas throughout your career.
7. PAY
For nurses, the pay is actually pretty good. As a registered nurse with an associate’s degree, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the median annual salary at $65,000. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree in nursing can earn more than an associate’s level nurse because they have the training necessary to become administrators and leaders. Getting a bachelor degree of science in nursing is a great way to advance your career.
8. JOB SECURITY
There always seems to be a nursing shortage, so hospitals and nursing facilities are always hiring. The BLS indicates that the need for nurses is expected to increase at rates higher than the national average over the next decade.
9. PEOPLE
Nurses will interact with a large number of people on a daily basis, including patients and colleagues. Healthcare workers share the same goal of improving the lives of others and making a difference, making it a great way to be a part of a dedicated team. Many nurses really care about their patients and enjoy helping them reach their health goals.
10. MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Nurses have more direct contact with patients than most other medical specialists. In general, it is the quality of the nursing staff that will have the most effect on a patient’s experience in the healthcare setting. Nurses save lives and improve the quality of life for their patients.
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