Big Sky Times

Have you considered what a career in nursing could look like?

Nursing is among the largest workforces in the health and medical services industry, totaling an estimated three-million workers as of 2020. Pursuing a career in nursing can lead to a comfortable living filled with new friendships, continuing education opportunities, and career growth following graduation from nursing school. With nurses in such high demand and jobs in the field expected to grow by over half a million between 2020 and 2030, there’s no better time than now to start working toward becoming one.

When deciding whether or not you want to become a nurse, it is crucial to consider the impact the career could have on your personal and professional life. While a career in nursing can be lucrative and open the door to future job opportunities, the long hours and high-stress environment is not for everyone. Although each nurse’s experience in the field is different, remaining informed of the responsibilities and realities of the job should be known when considering. If you’re interested in becoming a nurse but still aren’t sure if it’s right for you, ask yourself these six questions:

 

Do I like helping people?

The primary role of a nurse is providing compassionate bedside care, administering medications, and working with physicians and practitioners to ensure patients are safe and well-cared for during their times of need. If you become a nurse, you will spend most of your days helping and caring for those in need.

Do you have compassion?

Depending on where you work as a nurse, you will probably end up administering care to more sick people than healthy. Nurses must have compassion and composure when administering help to physically or mentally ill patients.

Can you handle working long hours away from home?

Many of those who work in the nursing field must make certain sacrifices for the sake of their career and patients. Nurses often work long, rigorous shifts of eight, ten, 12, or even 16 hours up to seven-day work weeks. Nurses may also be required to work on holidays and birthdays and be on call if an emergency or crisis arises.

Can you handle physical work?

It is often forgotten that being a nurse is as physically demanding as it is mentally. Nurses can be on their feet most of their shift, moving between different patients, floors, hospital wings, or even buildings. Therefore, nurses must be able to meet these physical demands.

Can you handle stress?

It is well-documented that a career in nursing can be stressful. Nurses often face high levels of stress in dealing with the day-to-day responsibilities of the job – and the emotional toll that some patient situations and scenarios may bring. However, nurses with strong mental health practices and support throughout their careers will succeed.

Can you handle working with people at their worst?

In addition to compassion for those sick and injured, nurses must practice patience and understanding when dealing with those at their worst. Whether it be a patient’s mental or physical worst – nurses must be able to treat every patient with compassion and care, even if they are less than pleasant or compliant.

If your answer to most of these questions is yes, then there is a good chance a career in nursing is a good fit for you. However, even if you answered no to some or most of the questions, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to succeed as a nurse or that you should not consider a career in nursing.

It is important to remember that nursing school will prepare you with the knowledge and mindset required to meet the challenges today’s nurses face. In addition, many support groups, employer benefits, and services are available to nurses to help guide them through their careers and help them succeed.

Start your journey toward becoming a registered nurse at The University of Providence

At the University of Providence, we are dedicated to providing current and future nurses with the skills they need to succeed in the field. Our brand-new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, a four-year traditional degree program, is designed to prepare high school graduates to serve as registered nurses in their communities. The Traditional BSN joins our existing lineup of BSN programs – including our Accelerated BSN for bachelor degree recipients and our Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN t0 BSN) degree for two-year nursing degree students.

The Traditional BSN program is an all-in-one degree program, combining a strong liberal arts foundation with advanced clinical and skills-lab courses that will prepare future nurses like you to enter the workforce not just as another nurse but as a leader in the field. Our brand-new program offers unique services, state-of-the-art educational tools, and student services for all nursing students

Nursing Faculty Advisors, Tutors & Coaching

The best person to help advise a nursing student is someone familiar with the academic and vocational needs of nursing students. When you enroll in our Traditional BSN program, our nursing faculty advisors will help make sure you remain on track by helping make sure you are taking the correct classes, helping with clinical placements, and ensuring you are maintaining a healthy school/life balance as to fall behind in academic or clinical work.

Simulation Lab

As a traditional BSN student, you will have access to and benefit from the brand-new state-of-the-art simulation lab, filled with brand-new nursing equipment, technology, workstations, and high-definition mannequins. You won’t be exposed to just bits and pieces of these services in half-day intervals – you have access day in and day out as part of your nursing curriculum.

Choosing to become a nurse is a challenging decision. Much thought must be put into whether the career is the right choice, whether it is sustainable for you, and whether you can meet the job’s physical, mental, and emotional demands. Although the job can be challenging, a nursing career can be equally rewarding for personal, emotional, family, and career growth. Millions of people wake up daily to work as nurses, helping to care for and heal sick individuals so they can return to their loved ones.

Original source can be found here.