With news stories mentioning a coming nursing shortage throughout the US, UK, and many other developed nations, one would think that nobody wants to be a nurse these days. However, the exact opposite is true – there are plenty of new grads and people studying for nursing degrees. The problem is the market itself is expanding rapidly along with the population, hospitals, and clinics. As new medical establishments continue to pop up they will inevitably need nurses and other qualified staff members. Such a demand represents an opportunity for students to pursue a career that offers the promise of stable employment and other benefits, including, but not limited to, the following.
1. Plenty of Degree and Study Options
One reason why many students are attracted to nursing as a career path is that there are so many options in regard to what kind of degree you can earn and which degrees you can pursue thereafter. Becoming a registered nurse takes about two years, but after that, you have the option of pursuing a nurse practitioner doctorate degree using one of the many online doctoral nursing programs available from distance learning universities.
2. High Chance of Staying Employed
Numerous studies have shown that nursing grads enjoy the lowest unemployment rate. In laymen terms, that simply means that nurses are more likely to be employed than any other professional. The fact that it only takes two years to graduate is a bonus because that means after only 24 months you can look forward to having a job with high starting pay and plenty of opportunities for advancement.
3. Gateway to Higher Paying Careers
Once you’ve become a nurse and are earning a comfortable salary, you’ll undoubtedly be envious of your higher-paid co-workers and will eventually want to climb the ranks. At that point, you’ll have the option of utilizing one of the many online doctoral nursing programs to earn the credentials needed to land more prestigious positions in the medical field.
4. Consistently Desirable Pay and Benefits
Finally, all nurses make good starting wages and receive employment benefits that can rival those offered in most other industries. When you combine that with job availability and flexibility in terms of future career paths, it’s easy to see why so many college students are choosing to pursue careers in nursing.
The Freedom to Relocate
Nurses also enjoy the perk of being able to comfortably move to any city or country with the realistic expectation that they should be able to easily find a job upon arriving. Of course, you can always line up a job position before moving, just to be sure, but even if you were to move on a whim there’s a good chance that you’d find a nursing job in your new region within six months of moving there. The ability to relocate without completely undoing everything you’ve worked towards is an appealing benefit when you compare it to other jobs that aren’t as widespread.
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