Why Should You Become a Nurse?

---

As you may already know, nursing is a rewarding and emotionally fulfilling career that can bring numerous benefits. To begin, if you’re asking yourself “why be a nurse?” you should know that there can be numerous reasons behind this decision. For example, this occupation is growing incredibly fast. According to DiscoveringNurse.com, by 2018, the number of nursing jobs will grow by 518,500, which is quite an impressive number. Other reasons could be due to the shrinking nursing workforce and aging population, but let’s explore them more in depth in the following paragraphs.

The Salary

When the question “why be a nurse?” emerges, the discussion about a nurse’s salary also comes along. The wage for a nurse is quite appealing. As of May 2012, the average salary of a registered nurse was almost $32 per hour and $65,470 annually. The highest paid nurses work for the government and they earn about $68,540 per year. Next, there are the nurses who work in home health care services and hospitals that earn $62,090 and $67,210 annually, respectively. The lowest wages are obtained by the specialists working in physicians’ offices with $58,420 per annum, and in residential and nursing care facilities with $58,830 yearly. Finally, in May 2012, the highest payment in the industry was $94,720 per year.

The Schedule

If you are a nurse, you will be able to take up the shifts as you wish, thus, you will have a flexible schedule that not many occupations offer. However, you should know that there would be shifts of 12 hours per day. Depending on where you’re working, you might also work only 4 hours daily. If you have other occupational opportunities or side jobs, being a nurse might allow you to adjust the schedule to your needs.

The Working Environment

As a nurse, you will have the possibility to practice this career in a large variety of establishments with different work environments. Thus, nursing offers you variety. You can work with government agencies, hospitals, home care facilities, schools and many other institutions, depending on your training and wishes. Out of so many options, you will definitely find one that fits your needs.

The Rewards

As mentioned in the beginning of the article, being a nurse can be extremely rewarding. Just keep in mind that you can actually change people’s lives by offering them support and help when they most need it. A nurse should be compassionate and caring to a metaphorical extent, should be the “guardian angel” for his or her patients. If you do your job well and with passion, you will definitely have a gratifying and satisfying career.

The Career Advancements

Unlike various other occupations, in nursing, you have the possibility to advance and obtain bigger roles. For this, you will have to continue your education or take various exams and tests to obtain a better job. This is well worth taking into consideration that with the career advancement also comes the salary increase.

So, if you’re still wondering “why be a nurse?” we will offer you a few more reasons: the possibility to change specialties, you will work in a clean environment, you can build lasting relationships with your patients and you can immediately provide first aid to friends and family, if necessary.