The reasons to become a nurse are numerous. It’s a career that provides meaningful work, career growth opportunities, diverse specialty options, high earning potential, job stability, schedule flexibility, and more. Not only do nurses feel personally fulfilled through their work; they also reap the professional benefits throughout their career.
Why become a nurse? If you’re considering changing careers, there are many reasons to become a nurse. Benefits of the career include personal fulfillment, career growth, diverse opportunities, and more. Best of all, the Concordia University Texas (CTX) accelerated nursing track can help you earn your degree in as few as 16 months.
If you’re motivated to get started and step into the shoes of today’s registered nurse, CTX’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track may be a great option to consider. With the successful completion of any outstanding prerequisites, the ABSN track puts your existing college credits (minimum of 60) or your non-nursing degree to work so you can potentially enter the profession on an accelerated timeline.
The following 10 reasons to become a nurse give you insight into why more and more people are choosing nursing as a career.
1. Meaningful Work
Having a career you can rely on for a steady financial future is certainly important, but it’s just as important (if not more) to have one that is personally rewarding. Fortunately, a career in nursing can give you both.
Though the profession can be physically demanding, nursing is intrinsically rewarding because it offers you the opportunity to make decisions that will help people live longer, healthier lives. Your work every day as a nurse will have a tangible impact on the lives of those in your community.
Whether you’re caring for patients at the bedside or advocating for their rights, nurses are in the business of improving and saving lives, which is more than most career paths can provide.
2. In-Demand Career
Registered nurses, especially those with a BSN degree, are and will continue to be in high demand across the country. Why? Because the population is aging, chronic issues like diabetes and obesity are increasing, and there is a lack of current resources available to educate new nurses. With that said, employment opportunities for registered nurses are growing rapidly.
Why is a BSN so important for nurses? Learn more about earning a bachelor’s degree.
To give you an idea, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment of registered nurses will grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031. This means you’ll likely have ample job opportunities and be sought after by employers.
3. Diverse Opportunities
Because nursing is a constantly evolving profession, registered nurses have the freedom to work within many environments and roles. While you may choose to work in a hospital, providing direct patient care at the bedside, you could also apply your skills and knowledge beyond the bedside, in settings such as:
- Cruise ships
- Campsites
- Military bases
- Medical transport
- Correctional facilities
- Courts of law
- Health insurance companies
- Medical disaster teams
Additionally, as a nurse you’ll be able to choose from more than 90 specialty areas in nursing, including:
- Informatics nursing
- Travel nursing
- Holistic nursing
- Geriatric nursing
- Oncology nursing
- Pediatric nursing
- Critical care nursing
- Clinical nursing
Focusing on a specialized area within nursing may lead to greater responsibilities and a potentially higher salary, and you’ll feel more confident to go even further into what you love to do.
4. High Earning Potential
A career in nursing provides a steady financial future, especially if you obtain a BSN degree. While a lot can depend on your employer and the state you practice in, across the board, you can expect to earn a comfortable living. Per the BLS data from May 2021, registered nurses in the United States earn an average annual salary of $77,600. In addition, the BLS lists the annual mean wage for the state of Texas as $79,120.
5. Job Stability
Nursing is a career that’s been around for hundreds of years, and the occupation doesn’t show any signs of going away. It’s not likely to be replaced by automation or outsourced labor, either. Nurses remain an integral part of the healthcare system. Even during times of economic uncertainty, like today, their skills are in high demand. Additionally, as the baby boomer generation ages, nurses will be needed to educate and care for older clients in a variety of settings.
Why are nurses so in-demand right now? Learn why nursing offers job stability.
6. Schedule Flexibility
Perhaps one of the greatest perks of nursing is the scheduling flexibility you may find. Depending on the employer and specialty you choose, nurses have a say when it comes to working on a full-time, part-time, or on-call basis. While the basic workday for the average person is an eight-hour day, five days per week, the average workday for nurses in long-term health facilities or hospitals is 12-hour shifts, three days or nights per week. However, there are also nursing jobs out there that fit the normal eight-hour day, five days per week.
7. Collaborative Team Dynamic
Another reason to become a nurse is that nurses work together in a tight team unit. Nursing is far from a solo profession. Rather, you’ll interact and collaborate with other nurses and members of the healthcare team continually throughout the shift.
You’ll have people at your side who care about you and want to see you succeed. Because nurses work so closely with each other, they tend to form close bonds with their peers. If you’re a social person who wants a career where you can form quality friendships, nursing is a fantastic choice.
8. No Two Days Are the Same
Another benefit of a nursing career is that it offers substantial daily interest and variety. You won’t be doing the same things day after day. You’ll treat patients with unique health situations and at varying stages of life.
For example, an inpatient care nurse may work with a young patient recovering from surgery one day and an elderly patient with dementia the next day. You’ll get to perform a wide range of skills depending on each patient’s needs. Nursing is a great career if you enjoy a change of pace where each day presents new opportunities.
9. You’ll Be Respected by the Community
As a nurse, your community will look at you with respect, and you’ll have their trust. For the last 20 years, nursing has been the profession with the highest rating for honesty and ethics, according to Gallup. This is a significant achievement, and it shows how important your work as a nurse will be to the community around you.
10. You Can Begin Your Career Quickly
While many careers require a transition time of several years, nursing is a career you can enter quickly. If you have at least 60 non-nursing college credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you can consider applying to an accelerated nursing track like ours at CTX. The ABSN track offers three start dates per year, so you can begin school shortly after finishing any prerequisite courses. With an accelerated track, you can save time compared to the traditional four-year nursing school pathway. So, if you’re looking to make a career change soon, becoming a nurse at CTX is an efficient way to go.
Interested in starting a new nursing career? Follow these seven steps to become a nurse.
Pursue Your Passion as a Nurse Today!
Why become a nurse? The 10 reasons to become a nurse listed above speak for themselves. Nursing is an innovative, challenging, and rewarding career that offers many benefits — from personal fulfillment to career growth to diverse opportunities and more. Nurses bring a lot to the table, improving the lives of those in their care.
If you feel called to the nursing profession, CTX’s Accelerated BSN track can help get you there sooner. Located in Austin and Dallas, Texas, the ABSN track compresses the traditional nursing school experience into 16 months using a comprehensive learning model. Designed with career changers and second-degree seekers in mind, it’s made up of online nursing theory courses, skills and simulation labs at our ABSN site, and clinical placements inside top area healthcare facilities and community organizations. Collectively, each learning component grants you the confidence needed to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN).
What is the ABSN track like at CTX? Here’s what to expect in accelerated nursing school.
You can start today by reaching out to one of our dedicated admissions counselors. Throughout the process of application and enrollment, your admissions counselor will be there to guide you each step of the way. Fill out our online form today to get started!