What It Takes to Become a Nurse
Becoming a Nurse: Taking the First Step Towards Pursuing Your Passion for Helping Others
Nursing is thought to be the career of the future and has more benefits than you can imagine. At this time there is an unprecedented, immediate need for nurses and that shortage is expected to increase steadily until at least 2020.That means that if you start on the path to becoming a nurse today, your job will always be needed, you’ll have ample job opportunities in any state, an amazing potential to earn a high salary and unlimited growth potential.
How many people do you know in today’s economy that have been laid off and can’t find work? Chances are, more than you want to think about, but the fact is, with the current nurse shortage, there’s no reason for you to end up as one of those statistics. There is simply no other industry in the US that is flourishing at the rate of the health care industry, and nurses are needed in every single field. If you’re ready to become a nurse, we can help you take the first step.
The Big Decision
The first step of this or any career choice is to research all of the job opportunities available to you within the field. One good thing about nursing is that even if you start on one path it’s quite easy to change courses or continue your education and become specialized. But the first step is deciding to become a nurse. Go ahead and think about it, and once you’ve made the decision, you’ll likely feel the excitement racing through your blood in anticipation of the thrill and reward you’ll feel on a daily basis as a nurse. After all, how many people can say that they’re excited to go to work and love what they do? Soon, you’ll be telling people just that and be the envy of them all.
Entering the Work Force as a Nurse
Some people want to enter the work force as soon as possible, and some people want to get as much education under their belt as they can before starting. There is no right or wrong way to go about it, in fact, it’s all about personal preference. Obviously the more education you have the more job opportunities will be available to you when you start. But once you start working, you’ll begin to gain invaluable work experience in the field. In addition, you’ll be able to take classes while you work in order to further your education. Let’s take a look at just a few of the possibilities you’ll be able to choose from when it comes to education and entering the work force within the general field of nursing.
- Certified Nurse Assistance (CNA) – If you are looking to start working as soon as possible this is the best route. Although you won’t be a certified nurse, you will work with trained registered nurses and physicians in their daily care for patients. This is a great place to start if you aren’t 100 percent sure that you’ll love nursing. You can be working in as little as two months as a CNA.
- A Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) – Also known as a Licensed Vocation Nurse (LVN), it’s the easiest form of nursing you can get into with a certification. This path will have you working in the field in just over a year, and although you’ll work under the supervisor of RNs and doctors, you’ll perform many duties on your own.
- Registered Nurse (RN) – This title requires the completion of a three to four degree, and you’ll get to work alongside doctors, doing the work as a full-fledged nurse regarding treatment plans and follows ups. You’ll be required to report the patient’s progress to their doctors.
The longer you take to educate yourself before entering the workplace, the more money you’ll make when you enter the profession. Salaries will always vary depending on which state you work in, the type of facility that employs you and how much experience you have. But no matter what type of nurse you work as, you’ll always be able to expect yearly salary increases.
But your path to becoming a nurse doesn’t just stop once you enter the workplace. During the course of your entire career, you’ll be able to continue to change paths, continue your education and even choose to become specialized. Once you start working as a nurse you might find that you love working with children or in the emergency room, so you can choose to follow your heart and transfer to the specific unit of your choice. Nurses aren’t limited to hospitals either. Nurses work for the government, in schools, in nursing homes and even in spas.
No one will ever tell you that becoming a nurse is easy but any nurse will tell you that it’s definitely worth it. It doesn’t matter if you help someone with an ear infection, delivery their baby or save their life, you’ll be a hero and your patients will never forget you. Imagine waking up excited to go to work and returning home fulfilled – even if you are exhausted. That’s the life of a nurse. Are you ready to start down that path today?
Is Nursing Right For You? Learn More…