Did you know that there are more than 3.8 million registered nurses across the United States?
The career of a registered nurse is immensely popular for people who want to make a difference by choosing to work in the medical field. But what are the benefits of being a nurse?
There are a lot of advantages of being a nurse that will make you want to consider choosing a nursing career. Not only will you get to help and care for others in need, but you’ll make good money doing it.
Continue reading to learn about the biggest advantages of being a nurse.
Benefits of Being a Nurse
The list of benefits that come with being a nurse is long and impressive. Some are beneficial if you want to live a more flexible lifestyle, while other benefits are geared more towards the satisfaction that helping others brings.
It is also helpful that nursing is in high demand. People are living longer than ever and there aren’t enough nurses to help everyone. This means that there is a shortage of nurses across the country.
Here is a closer look at some of the benefits of being a nurse in the United States.
Caring for Others
Choosing a career in nursing brings the benefit of getting to help other people every day. You’ll literally be saving peoples’ lives with the work that you do. It is hard to think of a career more fulfilling than that of healthcare workers.
While it might be stressful at times, you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a difference in the lives of others as well as in your community. You’ll also have a great opportunity to help others by enrolling in a nursing assistant program.
Work Shifts
While most jobs have you work eight or more hours per day for five days per week, nursing is different. Nurses usually work 12-hour shifts but only do that for three days per week. This opens up a ton of time in your schedule to have a great work-life balance.
You’ll be working longer hours, but you’ll also have two extra days that are completely open the rest of the week. This gives you more time to do the things that you enjoy when you’re away from your job.
Advancement
If you’re someone who wants to move up the ladder at their job, there aren’t many better careers to choose than a nursing career. If you do a great job and are an asset to the medical facility you work at, they’ll provide tuition help and reimbursement.
This perk of the job will help you hone your current skills and learn the new ones necessary for advancement. It also doesn’t hurt that with career advancement you’ll see an increase in the money you make.
Schedule and Location Flexibility
It is no secret that nurses are needed everywhere and your skills will help you find a job no matter where you want to live. If you want to live on the West Coast and having a nursing certification then you’ll have no problem finding work.
You’ll also have a flexible schedule. Since you have four days off every week you have a lot more time to get obligations and errands taken care of. This means you have more time to enjoy life and travel.
Active Lifestyle
Being a nurse requires you to be on your feet a lot and is a very active job. You also need to be on top of things from a mental standpoint at all times since peoples’ lives are in your hands.
There is a lot of mental and physical activity that goes into being a good nurse, so if you’re not someone who enjoys sitting at a desk for hours then being a nurse is a great career choice for you.
If you enjoy staying physically then a nursing career is a perfect occupation for burning calories and staying in shape.
Variety of Nursing Jobs
Another big benefit that you’ll get from a nursing career is the vast amount of options you’ll have to choose from when selecting the type of nurse you want to become.
Perhaps you want to be a trauma care nurse, or maybe you’d rather be a delivery nurse. It all comes down to your preferences and the types of patients you want to work with.
The skills you learn as a registered nurse will help you move between different types of nursing if one ever becomes boring or if you feel that one type is not right for you anymore.
The Pay
While it isn’t the most important thing, making money is one of the benefits of being a nurse. A registered nurse with an associate’s degree has a median annual salary of up to $75,000 per year.
If you get a bachelor’s degree you’ll make even more money than if you’ve got your associate’s degree. The best part is since advancement is accessible, you have an avenue to making a lot more money.
The People
The most important thing when it comes to healthcare workers is the people that they get to work with every day. Whether it is their coworkers or their patients, they get the joy of interacting with a lot of people from all walks of life.
It is a fulfilling feeling when you get to work with a patient and help them heal and achieve their goals on their road to recovery.
Start Your Journey To Becoming a Nurse Today
The benefits of being a nurse are second to none, especially if you’re someone who wants to make a difference in the lives of your patients as well as in your community.
You’ll also have a flexible schedule and great pay when you choose a nursing career. Best of all, you’ll have a variety of different career paths to choose from within the medical field.
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