10 Little-Known Facts All Nurses Need to Know

May is National Nurses Month, and it's the perfect time to celebrate everything nurses bring to the table while shining a light on some surprising truths about the profession. Whether you're a seasoned RN, a licensed practical nurse or a nurse practitioner, some of these facts might just surprise you.

1. Nurses Are Patients' Biggest Advocates

Advocating for patients is a core nursing value. Nurses spend more time with hospital patients than any other provider, which means their observations carry real weight. If a doctor's orders don't seem right, nurses question them. If a patient is being discharged too soon, nurses speak up. As one nursing leader put it, "The nurses have the video camera; the doctors have the snapshot."

2. Nurses Work Everywhere, Not Just Hospitals

Think nursing is limited to hospital floors? Think again. Nurses work in correctional facilities, on cruise ships, in government agencies, in schools and in patients' homes. They lobby for policy changes, develop health care apps and create virtual training environments. The variety of settings is one of nursing's biggest draws.

3. Men Are an Increasingly Vital Part of the Workforce

Men now make up nearly 10 percent of the RN workforce, which is triple the rate from 1970. The profession is becoming more diverse across gender, race and ethnicity, reflecting the wide range of patients nurses serve.

4. Tech Savvy Is Non-Negotiable

Modern nursing means managing ICU respirators, hemodialysis machines, intra-aortic balloon pumps and complex infusion systems. Travel nurses often troubleshoot equipment bedside at 3 a.m. with no IT support available. Nurses have become, as one travel nurse described it, "jacks-of-all-trades."

5. Nursing Is Physically Demanding

More than 52 percent of nurses experience chronic back pain, according to the American Nurses Association. Routine patient transfers, including those involving patients much larger than the nurse, take a real physical toll even with proper training in body mechanics.

6. Emotional Boundaries Are a Professional Skill

Nurses care deeply, but they also know how to manage their emotions in high-stakes situations. Maintaining that composure across multiple patients, including those who are unstable, is what allows nurses to deliver consistent, quality care throughout a shift. It's not a lack of empathy; it's a professional discipline.

7. Every Nurse Has That One Thing

Even the most experienced nurses have a limit. For some it's a particular smell, for others it's a specific type of procedure. What makes nursing teams so effective is that colleagues step in for each other when needed. It's a built-in support system.

8. The Nursing Shortage Is Real and Growing

The U.S. currently has about 3.4 million registered nurses, but demand continues to outpace supply. Projections point to roughly 166,100 additional jobs for RNs between 2024 and 2034, with employment expected to grow 5%. An aging workforce and an aging population are both driving that gap.*

9. Telehealth Is Creating Entirely New Nursing Roles

Virtual care has moved from pandemic workaround to permanent fixture. Telehealth nursing now spans tele-triage, remote patient monitoring, care coordination and digital patient education, with roles that require a different skill set than traditional bedside nursing and often offer more scheduling flexibility.

10. More Education Opens More Doors

Nurses who advance their education gain access to a broader range of specialties, leadership roles and practice settings. Whether that means earning a BSN, pursuing an MSN or exploring advanced practice options, continuing education is one of the most direct paths to career growth in nursing.

Herzing University offers nursing programs from the diploma level through doctoral degrees, with online and on-campus options available across the country. If you're ready to take the next step in your nursing career, explore what Herzing has to offer.