subject: Is A Nursing Career For You? [print this page] Many people are looking into nursing careers today. After all, there's little to argue with a career that's in high demand and pays well; experienced nurses with a master of science in nursing (MSN) degree, for example earn on average $72,000 per year.
Yet nurse careers are not for everyone. Nurses save lives of course, but nurses also have extremely physically and emotionally demanding jobs. A nursing career often is much different than what is depicted in movies and television. if you're thinking of pursing a career as a nurse -- perhaps by earning an MSN entry level degree -- you need to consider the good, the bad, and the ugly of nursing careers.
First, some of the good. Nurses work in hospitals, doctor's offices, nursing homes, schools and many other settings, such as schools, cruise ships, luxurious spas and resorts -- just about anywhere people can become ill and need care. Nurses also have a very portable skill, one that can take them around the globe as a traveling nurse, working for health care providers in countries rich and poor.
Nurses often need not worry about losing their jobs. The recession of 2008-10 cut back on the number of openings for new msn entry and other newly trained nurses, but many nurses are nearing retirement age and new nurses are needed to replace them. In addition, the United States' aging population will create a huge demand for nurses in the coming decades.
Second, some of the bad: Working in a nurse career means long hours, especially at the beginning. You'll work long shifts. Working nights, weekends and holidays is the norm for new MSN entry nurses.
Nursing also is physically demanding. You'll be lifting patients and moving equipment about. You'll be standing on your feet for hours at a time.
You're also going to be dealing with patients' bodily fluids, and not just blood. Feces. Urine. Vomit. If it can come from inside a patient, you probably will have to deal with it. Often several times a day.
Lastly, the very ugly: You'll see patients lose limbs, lose the ability to move on their own, lose their ability to see, hear, speak or even think. Can you deal with that? Some of your patients will be in extreme pain, pain so acute no amount of medication will be able to alleviate it. Will you be able to continue to do your job knowing you can't soothe a patient's pain?
Finally, you will see death up close and very personal. Some of your patients will die, patients to whom you may have become very close. Some of your dying patients will be children. Will you be able to function?
These are all very important questions to answer for yourself if you're considering a nursing career. Many experienced nurses will tell you, however, that all of the above is worth it because they know in their heart that they are honored to have the ability to give care to the people who need it the most.
