Can You Handle A Nursing Career?

If you're thinking of getting a nursing degree, you need to make sure that it is what you want. There are a lot of people nowadays who are taking up nursing for the agreeable fact that they get high compensation. What they don't realize is that there's more to high compensation in a nursing career. Some are merely considering what mommy and daddy wants for them and others just don't take it seriously. While it is true that nursing is tough job, I can say that it is fulfilling as well. 

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT IN A NURSING CAREER?

     1. High Tuition Cost 

Most colleges and universities have a little to no difference in the cost of tuition for a nursing degree. As of 2008, the estimated average cost for a 4-year nursing degree in the US was $26,000 for public universities and $100,000 for private universities. Online nursing programs may be a bit different since they only require an average of 180 credits, with each credit costing about $100 to $150.

     2.  Tougher Certification Process

In order to be certified, you need to graduate from an approved nursing degree or program and pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination-RN) which is considered the national licensing exam. Some states allow you to practice nursing using a license for another state, but some don't. In such case, you would need to be re-certified based on the standards of that certain state.

     3. Increasing Demand for Nurses

Nursing is considered as one of the fastest growing fields. If you decide to take a nursing career, you can expect a job opportunity wherever you live. Since it is a profession in the medical field, increasing demands can only be expected in the years to come. 

     4. High Compensation

To meet the increasing demands for nurses, compensation for this type of industry has to be more than enough. In some hospitals, nurses can earn from $20 to $35 per hour as starting pay. Many institutions nowadays offer a $10,000 bonus for those who are qualified. It only means that the hard work you put on while you study can be reaped once you become a registered nurse.

     5. Flexible Shifts

Despite the desperate measures from hospitals to meet the demand for nurses, shortage still continues. In order to compensate for the shortage, hospitals agree to have flexible shifts for nurses. Nowadays, it's not uncommon to find institutions that are willing to adjust in order to make the nurse's schedule more convenient while also taking such consideration on the demand for them. 

     6. A Demanding Career

We all know that nursing is as demanding (in terms of work load) as it is rewarding (in terms of compensation). The thing is, some people almost always miss out on the "demanding" part and get carried away with the "rewarding" part. People should know that nursing is never meant for the faint-hearted. Your expectations can range from eventful shifts to unanticipated challenges. Most people aren't aware of some harassment done to nurses. Despite being a professional, nurses are thought of as discreet escorts who may also tend to your sexual needs, due to their loose and sometimes revealing attires.   There had been a lot of unrelenting efforts from the nursing industry to improve retention and increase recruitment rates but it continues to either be stagnant or depleting in terms of performance and satisfaction of nurses.

     7.  Nursing Offers a Variety of Career Choices

Some people might conclude that once you graduate and be a certified nurse you'll only get a job in a hospital. This assumption had been proven wrong by more than 200 specialties nursing career has. Some of the usual specialties taken by nurses can range from: 

• Maternal and Child Health Nursing to Geriatric Nursing
• Medical Nursing to Surgical Nursing
• Home Care or Community Nursing to Hospice Nursing
• Case Management Nursing to Psychiatric Nursing, among others

Some specializations require additional certification while others do not. In specializing you can also be guaranteed of better compensation depending on the field you want to pursue.  

HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE UP FOR IT?

Ask yourself these simple questions that might help you determine if nursing is the right path to choose:

1. Do the things I love doing coincide with the nursing program I'm about to take?
2. Can I pay for the nursing program I plan to take?
3. Do I give up easily when given a hard task?
4. Do I love studying?
5. Can I take the pressure of taking a licensure exam?
6. Do I think before I act?
7. Do I love reading?
8. Will I be an asset to the health care community?
9. Am I faint-hearted?
10. Do I love taking care of sick people ranging from children to older adults?
11. Am I physically, mentally and emotionally healthy?
12. Can I handle stress while at work?
13. Can I maintain composure and professionalism when confronted with unusual situation?
14. Do I consider other people's feelings first before mine?
15. Am I sensitive enough to reach out to those in need?
16. Is my personality strong enough so as not to be taken away by my how much I earn?
17. Am I humble?
18. Do I easily get affected by what others think of me?
19. Am I a pretentious type of person?
20. Do I consider nursing as merely a job or a profession?
21. Can I handle bullies? Or Am I a bully?
22. Do I prefer working in a busy environment?
23. Do I love criticizing rather than appreciating?
24. Do I complain a lot that I sometimes don't get the job done?
25. Which nursing specialization best suits me?
26. How do I define nursing?
27. Can I take the possibility that half of my life may be taken away from me in being a nurse?
28. Do I get sick easily?
29. Can I handle shifting schedules that can mess up my biological clock?
30. Do I love nursing?

If your answers turn to a more positive outcome, then it means you're ready to face the challenges of  nursing career, otherwise, you should try to consider other careers.