When you think about your career, what were the reasons behind you choosing it to begin with? Was it because it paid a good amount of money? Because it was close to your home? Because one of your parents did it and so you are following in their footsteps? Perhaps you accidentally fell into whatever it is you are doing.
For some, their career is extremely rewarding, and whether they went into it for any of the reasons mentioned above, or something else drew them to do what it is they do, they would not change their job for anything. Others are not so lucky; they have careers that they do not enjoy and do not feel fulfilled. They go to their place of work and do their job because they have to, not because they want to, and there is always that feeling that if they were not there to do their tasks, someone else could be – it would not matter if they quit.
That is not a great position to be in. We spend so much of our time at work, and it is such a major part of who we are (for good or ill) that if we do not love it, or even like it, we can feel very depressed stressed. That can have a detrimental effect on our other relationships, and anything else we do; even relaxation is difficult because we are constantly worrying about the next time we have to go back to work, and never living in the moment.
So, what can be done? The first idea most people will have is that they need to change jobs, but how can they be sure that whatever job they will find next is not going to be just as unpleasant or just as depressing? This is where good research comes in; looking around for a career that will be rewarding for various reasons is an excellent idea, and you should be able to find a few jobs that would suit this idea. Nursing is one of them. Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers there is, and if you are looking for something where you can shine and use your caring nature to help people, nursing must be something to at least look into. Read on to find out why nursing is such a rewarding career, and how to get started on your nursing journey if you feel it is the right choice for you.
Nurses Improve the Lives of Others
When you make a list of all the different careers you could have, you will find that most of them have one thing in common; they are there to improve your life. You will work in that job to make a better life for yourself, earning money and recognition, working your way up to the top (if that’s what you want), perhaps even making a name for yourself in your field.
This is not a bad thing; it is something that many people are more than happy to do. Yet if you are looking for a career that improves not only your life but the lives of others too, maybe it is time to turn to nursing. Nursing is rewarding because it enhances the lives of all those who have contact with a nurse, from patients to their families, and even your colleagues. Unlike most careers, when you are a nurse, you truly make a difference in other people’s lives, and you would be missed if you were not there anymore.
It can be terrifying if you have to go into hospital, and people are at their most vulnerable. When you are a nurse, you can help soothe people, make them calm, and help them understand more about what is happening to them. Nurses do not just care for their patients though; they will also look after the patient’s relatives and friends. They will explain what is happening to them in a way that makes it easy to understand, and they will be a sympathetic ear to listen to concerns and even help with grief. Many see nurses as absolutely invaluable because of these reasons, which makes the job a rewarding one.
Nursing Offers A Career for Life
Many careers do not offer any kind of job stability. You might go to work one day, and then discover that the company you are working for has financial troubles and you have to become redundant. Or there might be so many people working within the same field that any kind of career progression or promotion just is not likely. Knowing this can make the job feel unrewarding, and this is one of the reasons why people like to change their jobs on a fairly regular basis; they will start to get bored or worried about the sustainability of the job they are doing right now, and they will look for something new.
A job for life is such a rare thing these days that people do not tend to consider it much when they are looking for something to do. Yet nursing can be a career for life if you want it to be. Hospitals and other clinic settings are always going to need nurses, and right now there is a shortage, so it would be highly unlikely for any hospitals to turn a good, qualified nurse away if they were looking for a job.
What is exciting about being a nurse is that there are many different aspects to the job, so no matter what kind of personality traits you have, and what you are interested in doing, there is sure to be a branch of nursing that will suit you perfectly. It doesn’t matter if you come to nursing late or choose to go back to school to gain more qualifications, you will find a place in the nursing field that will see you through until retirement. Even when you do retire, there are positions available for volunteers, for example.
There Is Plenty of Career Progression
Many decisions need to be made when you are a nurse. As mentioned above, because there are so many different departments and types of nursing, you can choose from a wide range of different jobs, from working with children to the elderly, from working in a fast-paced ER to a quieter department orthopedics. Where you work, as long as you have the right qualifications and are willing to work hard, you can do well.
Other choices include deciding how to handle your career progression. You might find you are perfectly happy in the role you are working in right now, and you do not feel you want to go any further or do anything more. However, there will be others who do want to do more, and if that is your choice, you can easily do it when you pick nursing as a career. This is yet another reason why nursing is so rewarding; you can take it as far as you want to, fulfilling all your dreams and desires as you move through the different nursing levels. Or you can find a specific spot where you are comfortable and stay there, helping as many people as you can.
Of course, if you do intend to rise through the ranks,you will need qualifications as well as experience and knowledge, but that should not put you off. Thanks to online learning, you don’t have to compromise your career or take any time off work to study; you can take your DNP at home, learning in your free time, and still gain exactly the same qualification as you would have if you had started to work part-time and attended a physical college. Since nursing is such a commitment in terms of the working hours and how much effort and energy is required, being able to study at a time that is best for you, even if it means earning the degree takes a little longer, makes sense, and is a relief for those who might have worried that, despite their ambitions, they would not be able to gain the qualifications needed to progress.
Nurses Work with A Variety of People
Although you may not have considered it before, nursing can be rewarding for another reason; you will be working with a variety of different people, and that is something that not only is unusual but is exciting too. It will enhance your life, allowing you to understand many different cultures, backgrounds, ethnicities, and religious beliefs. In other words, you could become a much more well-rounded individual who is more able to help a larger group of people than you would have been if you didn’t take on the mantle of nursing.
To begin with, your patients will come from a lot of different backgrounds, and talking to them and easing them through their time at a hospital or within the clinic environment will teach you a lot (and it’s always good to keep learning). However, it is not just your patients who will teach you more about other cultures and beliefs; your nursing colleagues will too. Nurses come from many different backgrounds since the main requirement is a caring nature and a nursing degree. Nursing should be open to you if you have these things, which is why you will find people of different sexes, ages, cultures, and faiths turning to nursing as the perfect job for them.
There Is Always Someone There for You
Some people love to work alone; they find it easier to be by themselves, and they get more done that way. Even working with others in an office environment is not productive for them. While this is perfectly fine, and if it is how you work best, you should search for a job that allows it, it is not something that a nurse would do or do. Nursing is about teamwork, and if you enjoy working with others, being part of a smooth-running machine, being relied on by many other people, then nursing is a much better fit for you.
Since you will be working in a team, you will find that there are always people around you who can help you if you need assistance. If you are worried about something, or a particular case has upset you (because, although nurses should try to keep their professional persona on in front of the patients, they are still human and their emotions can still come through), or you simply need help in understanding what you need to do next, you will find someone who can advise you. You can share your concerns, celebrate your triumphs, and know that, no matter what you need, someone will be there at all times. Plus, you can be that someone for another nurse who needs help; the team will assist one another.
The Work-Life Balance
We’re often told that the work-life balance is something we need to think about more, and if we can get this right, then we’ll be happy in all aspects of our life. It is an idea that some people can live up to, and nurses are a group that, depending on their choices, can take advantage of this.
The work-life balance is the right combination of time spent at work, and the right combination of time spent with your friends, family, and doing the things you enjoy in terms of your hobbies. Doing all of this is not always possible, but in nursing, it tends to be something that can be done. Although nurses do have to work long shifts, and those shifts can cover nights, weekends, and public holidays too because people get sick and injured all the time, the time off in between shifts will leave you enough time to do everything you want to do. Just because you’re not working a standard 9 to 5 job, which doesn’t mean you can’t have a healthy family life or get involved with hobbies and sports if you want to.
This is another reason why nursing is so rewarding; you can have it all and save people’s lives on top of everything else.
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