7 Reasons Why you Should Become a Nurse in 2021

Nursing is more than just a career path. For many people, it is a calling. Caring for others is at the heart of this noble profession, and as such, it often attracts those with a high level of empathy and compassion. However, the nursing profession also has many other additional benefits that correspond to provide you with a fulfilling career and a good standard of living. If you are considering becoming a nurse, but are yet to make a decision, here are seven reasons why you should become a nurse in 2021.

• Help in the Fight Against Covid-19

As you are no doubt all too fully aware, for the past eighteen months, the world has been engulfed by the devastating coronavirus pandemic. This disease has swept through towns and cities and rendered hundreds of people in need of medical assistance, with a huge spotlight being placed on the nursing and other healthcare staff tasked with caring for patients. One thing the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted is how important nurses are to a healthy society and the deficit in trained nursing staff. As such, by joining this profession, you can be certain that you are actively playing your part in the fight against Covid-19 to look after the health of your community. Even if by the time you graduate as a nurse, this doesn’t cause the same level of devastation, there is always the risk that another similar problem could occur in the future, and you could play a part in helping fight it. 

• Opportunities for Further Education

To become a registered nurse, you are required to complete either an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in nursing before sitting and passing your state licensure exam. Nursing is a perfect career path for those with an enquiring mind who enjoy furthering their own learning, as you will continue your nursing education throughout your career. If further down the line you wish to specialize in a particular area of medicine, such as family nursing, you can continue your education with online master’s degrees in BSN to NP programs. Furthermore, continuing education credits are required in order to retain your license, as this will ensure that you remain fully up-to-date with new research and treatment methods so that you continue to provide your patients with the highest standards of care. 

• You will Never be Out of a Job

Thanks to the growth of technology, many jobs are now at risk of becoming obsolete; however, unless you are fired due to malpractice, you will never be out of a job in the nursing profession. This is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, in terms of technology, most people would prefer the human touch and compassion of being cared for by a nurse rather than a machine. Furthermore, it is estimated that the US will require a large number of additional nurses over the next few years in order to provide care for the aging baby boomer population who are likely to require an increasing amount of medical care and to replace the current generation of nurses who are nearing retirement age. 

• Nursing is an Exciting Job

If you are tired of the mundane nine-to-five of an office job, nursing would make an ideal change for you: with new patients coming and going and different situations to respond to, no two days are ever the same in the nursing profession. In this way, you will find that your shifts pass by exceedingly quickly, and you are hardly ever left with nothing to do other than watching the hands of the clock crawl by. Challenges you might face on any given shift might range from taking an entire ward’s vital signs to responding to a patient having a medical emergency. It is a physically and mentally stimulating career path that will provide you with an exciting adrenaline rush each time you go on shift. 

• Variety of Working Environments

A career in nursing does not limit you to only working in traditional healthcare settings like hospitals and clinics – though you can spend your entire career in such places and be fulfilled. Medical emergencies can occur to anyone at any time and in any place, and as such, there are a huge variety of working environments in which a registered nurse can work. For instance, if you are passionate about caring for kids and educating them on health issues, and leading a healthy lifestyle, you could work in a school as a school nurse. 

• Help to Empower and Educate Communities

Your responsibilities extend far beyond simply providing patients with care and medical intervention as a nurse. Whether you are working with individuals or in a wider community setting, you can provide education to empower people to take control of their own health and therefore go on to lead healthier lifestyles. This might especially be the case if you are a family nurse practitioner serving an isolated community who doesn’t have access to other healthcare facilities. There are a number of health issues currently affecting society that are serious but can be avoided. These include the dangers of smoking and drinking to excess, and obesity, and any resultant conditions like diabetes and heart disease. By educating individual patients and communities about such conditions and what can be done to prevent them, you are helping to empower individuals so that they can take control of their own lives and lead happier healthier lifestyles. 

• Nursing is a True Calling for Empathetic People

You might be someone who has a high level of empathy and compassion for others and find the constant chasing after the profit of traditional business self-serving and unfulfilling. With a career in nursing, on the other hand, you can be certain that you are making a real difference every day to the lives of your patients. With long shifts, some on major holidays and weekends, and a financial investment into your training, becoming a nurse requires a certain amount of dedication and selflessness. However, the sense of fulfillment you will get by caring for patients and helping them to get back to their maximum health will be worth the long shifts and early starts.