The Nursing Field is Booming
Health care is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is estimated that there are currently 2.5 million jobs in the health field. That 2.5 million is expected to continually rise over the next 10 years. It’s no wonder why people are flocking to nursing schools and nursing programs as a viable option for those that have had an interest in the medical field, but for whatever reason, never pursued it.
The job market for other industries is the worst it has been in more than two decades. However, the market for nurses, especially Registered Nurses (RN’s) has never been better. Nursing is the largest health care occupation, with more than 1.9 million jobs in the field. Many current nurses are ready to retire which will open up many positions for new nurses coming into the field. Additionally, as baby boomer (America’s largest segment) continues to age, experts predict there will be a nationwide shortage of approximately 800,000 nurses by 2020.
This is the opportune time to jump into the Nursing field if you were ever thinking about it. Ask yourself these questions:
- Have you considered a career in health care?
- Ever think you might have what it takes to be a successful nurse?
- Do you like to help others?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, then Nursing schools are just the place to explore those inclinations. Get equipped with the necessary tools to create a career within a world of opportunity.
Some Nursing Jobs Currently in High Demand
The career market for nurses has never been stronger in the United States. Employment has been steadily increasing every year, and even in the recession the job market for nurses has grown and grown. In fact, it is hard to be unemployed as a nurse, because so many people are competing for you to work for them. There are dozens of different fields that nurses can go into, and each field poses a new set of exciting challenges for you to take on.
Ambulatory Care – Care for patients that are in the hospital and out of the hospital in less than 24 hours. These nurses specialize in out patient care, and they encounter a wide variety of patient.
Anesthesia – Work for all types of medical professionals helping to supervise and implement anesthesia so patients have pain free experiences during child birth and during surgery.
Cardiac Care – As the name suggests, Cardiac Care nurses supervise patients who have been admitted to the hospital for hear problems. These nurses face challenges that many other nurses do not, including providing life sustaining emergency care.
Emergency – Emergency nurses are the front lines in the medical world, helping doctors and other professionals deal with crisis patients under high risk.
Geriatric – Geriatric nurses deal with the nation’s aging population, which is growing larger every year as baby boomers start to reach the retirement age. Geriatric nurses can find work in retirement homes and in a wide variety of medical facilities.
Midwifery – Do you love babies and mothers? You might want to consider special training in the midwifery, helping women give birth and even delivering babies without physicians present if you have attended special classes.
Military – Military nurses work in the armed forces to make sure our heroes get the care they so richly deserve. Military nurses wear the uniform of our country, and they are vital to our defense and to the health of our men and women in service.
Pediatric – Pediatric nurses deal with children and their various ailments. They must be able to be very compassionate and good with kids that may be scared of simple medical procedures. If you can calm down a crying child that has a fear of needles, you might be perfect for this rewarding field.
Travel Nursing – One of the highest paid fields of nursing, travel nurses typically work for agencies that send nurses to places that are experiencing nursing shortages. They must be flexible, but they get huge bonuses to make up for the extra work and dislocation.
Areas with Best Nursing Salary
With the wide range of specialties offered by nursing schools these days, it is sometimes tricky to choose your major. As always the case with any job, students and professionals as, how much do the jobs pay?! Well, here are 5 of the better paid jobs you can find in nursing. Keep in mind that these are the average national wages and they can vary from one state to another or even among two medical facilities in the same area.
Graduating in one of the specialties below doesn’t necessarily mean you will be offered a job paying that exact amount.
1. Certified registered nurse anesthetist—$135,000 per year
A certified registered nurse anesthetist delivers anesthesia to patients who are to undergo surgical interventions. Most states request RNA’s to be supervised by a medical doctor during the procedure, but there is an emerging trend of allowing the nurses to deliver anesthesia unassisted.
2. Nurse researcher—$95,000 per year
As the name says, nurse researchers publish research studies based on data gathered from the medical facilities they work for. A PhD or DNS (Doctor of Nursing Science) is usually required for such a salary.
3. Psychiatric nurse practitioner—$95,000 per year
A psychiatric nurse practitioner offers assistance to patients suffering from psychiatric and mental disorders. You would most often find such a job with mental sanatoria or other facilities specialized in dealing with mental health conditions.
4. Certified nurse midwife—$84,000 per year
A certified nurse midwife is to provide women with assistance before and after birth. Services range from family planning to gynecological exams. Due to the unpredictable evolution of each advanced pregnancy, a common practice related to patient is that each pregnant woman should have her CNM throughout her whole stay in the medical facility. This is why a certified nurse midwife usually has to work unpredictable hours and be at the patient’s disposal 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
5. Pediatric endocrinology nurse—$81,000 per year
A PEN takes care of young children with endocrine system disorders. Next to the hands-on medical treatment, a Pediatric Endocrinology nurse has to provide the children and their families with advice on why the condition occurs and how it can be dealt with. The nurse has to explain the childrens’ physical and sexual development and the issues that might arise due to their condition.
