With about 2.6 million jobs total in 2008, nursing is one of the largest occupations in the United States. New graduates and experienced professionals can peruse the wide variety of nursing jobs available and select one fitting their resume.
Nursing jobs are available for any educational level and specialty. These educational levels include:
- Associate degree in nursing (ADN)
- Bachelor’s of science degree in nursing (BSN)
- Diploma
- Master’s degree in nursing (MSN)
In addition, nurses may also specialize in as many sub-fields of nursing as they would like. Some nursing specialties include:
- Ambulatory care
- Critical care
- Forensic nursing
- Gerontology
- Infection control
- Pediatrics
New nursing professionals can begin their first job as soon as they complete their ADN. An ADN will take most students 2 to 3 years to complete, meaning that professionals can begin their nursing career soon after high school if they want to. For further education, most employers will allow ADN nurses to study for their BSN while still working on a part-time basis.
With so many specialties to choose from, any nurse should be able to find a specialty that appeal to them. A specialty can increase the chances of receiving a promotion or a raise in the workplace. It can also help a nurse treat certain kinds of patients better. Some specialties may increase the chances of receiving certain types of jobs. For example, a nurse with a gerontology specialty might be desirable for facilities catering to elderly patients.
Nurses can take as many specialties as they have time for. With so many to choose from, it’s unlikely that nurses will be able to enroll and stay certified in every specialty. Specialties may have stricter or looser requirements for nurses. Some can be taken quickly, while others may take several months to complete.
Health care is a growing field with hundreds of facilities in every corner of the country. Nurses will be able to find a company, health care facility, or hospital near their home no matter where they live. Unlike smaller occupations, health care’s future is guaranteed. People will always be sick or unwell and growing older, meaning that there will always be jobs for nurses.
Short-term contract jobs are even available in the nursing field. Travel nursing allows professionals to sign a contract with a time limit to work for an understaffed medical facility virtually anywhere. At the conclusion of the contract, the employer may ask for an extension with the same contract terms or even could offer a permanent position. Travel nursing allows professionals with limited time to find a position quickly. For some nurses, it provides a way to see different areas of the country without permanent limitations.
Since nursing has at least 2.6 million jobs and a healthy growth rate, quality nurses of all skill levels are in high demand. There are nursing jobs available across the country for professionals of all skill levels. With some of the brightest employment prospects, unemployed and job seeking professionals should look into the nursing industry.