Nursing
Great career opportunities for both men and women in healthcare’s largest career field.
With more than 2.5 million jobs, registered nursing today constitutes the largest healthcare occupation. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 587,000 new jobs will be added to this field from 2008 to 2018. This 22% growth rate is much faster than average for all occupations. The demand for more nurses is due to two major factors:
- The aging population will result in more patients, and a larger number of nurses will be retiring from the workplace
- New medical procedures will require greater nursing involvement
Today, registered nurses do more than ever before. Their responsibilities include recording patient health histories and symptoms, helping perform diagnostic tests and analyzing results, operating medical equipment, administering treatments and medications, and assisting with patient follow-up and rehabilitation.
Entry-level nursing positions require at least an associate degree. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree however, provides more career opportunities as well as the option to advance into graduate programs to pursue advanced practice, management, and nursing faculty positions. Nurses at all levels have a broad array of career opportunities available in virtually every type of health care facility including primary care offices, clinics, hospitals, special care units, nursing homes, health departments, occupational health programs, school health services, mental health centers, home health, hospices, assisted living centers, research labs and more.
If you want to get in on the cutting edge of patient care, this is the field for you.
A degree in Nursing could be right for you if you want to:
- Learn and work with new health care technologies
- Help patients understand their health issues and treatments
- Experience new challenges and opportunities
- Expand your career potential in health care
- Help people feel better and prevent illness
- Understand the human body and its various systems
- Teach or consult
Taquaya Tatum
practical nursing student
