Start Your Career in Nursing: Everything You Need to Know

Nursing is a great way to get into healthcare, especially if you love working with people. Unlike doctors, nurses are at the forefront of care. They are there when you are admitted when you rest when you recover. They are the faces patients see when they are in pain, the ones they get to know and trust to take care of them. Healthcare would be absolutely nothing without nurses to support both the patients and the doctors, and there are so many wonderful, fulling roles to aspire towards in nursing. 

Nursing is also an excellent option for those who want to work in healthcare but cannot go on to become a doctor or don't want to be. You can start with just a few weeks of education and work your way up. There are still educational requirements, yes, but many top-notch nursing degrees are specifically designed to be completed while you work full-time. 

If you want a fulfilling career but cannot take time off to go to university for four years, much less the full amount of time it takes for doctors, then nursing is for you. 

If you want a career where your job is to actually help people heal, rather than deal with emergencies as they come, then nursing is for you. 

Nursing is a great career choice for anyone. It's a growing industry, higher levels of nurses get paid well over $100,000 per year, and your work makes a difference. 

Nursing Industry Prospectus 

The nursing industry is in a state of crisis right now due to so many unfulfilled positions. Today alone, there are an estimated 800,000 unfilled RN jobs in the country, and a further 1 million shortage expected by 2030 when existing RNs start to retire. Job hunting is typically a nightmare for those fresh out of college, but in nursing, you are almost guaranteed a position in nearly every setting. 

There are also new rules in place that mean you can work as a nurse in a variety of states without retaking the exams. There are still steps you will need to take if you move from one qualifying state to another, but this freedom means you can find your true home and continue to work as a nurse with very minimal interruptions. Travel if you want as a nurse, live in your dream home outside of the city as a nurse. The possibilities are endless. 

The world needs more nurses. Not only to cover unfulfilled roles but because nurses make a direct impact on recovery. It is estimated that for every RN on staff, there is a 4% reduction in the risk of death at that hospital. One more nurse can save 9 extra people out of every 1000 patients-your work matters. 

How to Start a Career as a Nurse 

There are two main ways that you can start your career as a nurse. 

The Career Route 

The career route will have you working in just a few weeks, but don't be mistaken. You cannot use experience alone to advance your nursing career. You must also commit to working while studying to achieve the higher level of qualifications, and also pass the state exam before you can be promoted. 

Certified Nursing Assistant 

The career route will have you working in a hospital in just a few weeks. It is a specialized program that you will need to commit to full-time, but it's over in less than two months. All you need after achieving the certification is to then pass the exam, and then you can become a Certified Nursing Assistant or CNA. 

CNAs do have the most grueling jobs and the least amount of pay. You will be changing out bedpans, bathing patients, checking, and recording vitals, and other straightforward, basic tasks. Right now, you won't be working as a healthcare practitioner, but your work is still essential for the comfort and recovery of patients in hospital. 

Licensed Practical Nurse 

The next stage is to work as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Like the CNA role, you will need to complete a certification and pass an exam before you can go on to work as an LPN. Technically you can follow through this role and go on to become a Registered Nurse without a BSN, but if you want to go any higher than RN in your career, you will need that degree. 

Registered Nurse 

Registered Nurses or RNs make up the bulk of healthcare. They are what people most commonly mean when they think of nurses. You are at the forefront of care and work under APRNs to provide ongoing support to your patients. 

The best way to become a Registered Nurse or RN is to achieve a recognized BSN from a Nursing college. The reason why you will want to work and study to achieve your Bachelor of Science in Nursing is that you will need a BSN as a prerequisite to accomplishing an MSN or DNP. This is non-negotiable. You cannot use your experience to skip the BSN process. 

Thankfully, you can work and study while achieving your BSN, so you don't need to be out of work and can take your education at your own pace. 

Advanced Registered Practitioner Nurse 

The highest level of nursing is APRN. There are four main specializations that you can go into with your APRN, and you will want to choose while you are completing your MSN. APRNs have responsibilities as closely aligned with their doctor counterparts. You could even be a key part of surgery as a nurse anesthesiologist, work as a nurse-midwife, as a clinical specialist, or for a broader scope as a Family Nurse Practitioner. 

The Education Route 

The education route does match up with the career route. In both instances, you will need to obtain a BSN and MSN or DNP to advance your career. If you are looking to change your career into nursing, however, you don't need to jump straight into working as a CNA. 

Instead, you can accelerate your nursing career by using credits from your existing degree, especially if your current degree relates to the sciences. By simply using your existing credits, you can fast-track through your BSN, earn your clinic hours, and be ready to start as a nurse. 

To advance, you will still want to work and study. If your goal is to keep studying to a minimum, then you will want to look into a DNP degree. Typically you can earn your Doctor of Nursing with just two extra semesters, so instead of earning just an MSN FNP, you can walk away with a DNP FNP and your MSN. 

Going for the DNP is ideal for keeping your options open. While working in a hospital might be thrilling when you are young, working in a clinic later on when you have a family will allow you to make a high salary while maintaining that 9-to-5. 

DNPs are the cream of the crop, and for just a little extra effort while achieving your MSN, you can achieve your full DNP and be at the forefront of nursing. 

How to Succeed as a Nurse 

Being honest about what your interests are, and your ideal work/life balance is the best way to succeed as a nurse. There are so many options and areas of medicine that you can work in. 

Further Your Formal Qualifications 

Always look to further your formal qualifications. Even outside the degrees, there will be opportunities to be certified in how to use new tech and new types of healthcare. By being committed to being at the top of your field through ongoing education, you will achieve the highest paying roles no matter what career path you choose. 

Explore Your Interests 

You owe it to yourself to explore your interests. Read about medicine, try to work in different departments in your hospital, and talk to other nurses so that you know the full scope of your options and can make better decisions regarding your future. 

Choose a Specialization That Suits You 

Don't just go for the specialization that pays the most if you aren't interested in that area of medicine. Nursing is hard work; you need to be engaged and interested in what you do to succeed. 

Find the Right Working Environment for You 

It is okay if you are not built for the fast pace of a hospital. There are so many different working environments to choose from. You just need to know what you want to start branching your career into that setting. 

Career Paths Available: The Credentials 

There are so many possibilities for your career once you become an APRN, which is why it is so crucial you go the extra mile to achieve your BSN when you are working towards becoming a Registered Nurse. Work in healthcare, or without, with these top-paying jobs you will have your pick of the crop: 

Nursing Specializations 

In healthcare settings, you can expect to make very healthy salaries, whether you are working in a hospital, clinic, or on the go. 

1. Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse Anesthetists have the highest paying job roles out of all the nurses. You could earn up to $250,000 a year as a Nurse Anesthetist, with the average wage resting at $174,000 per year. 

2. Nurse Midwife 

Nurse-midwives work with all phases of childbearing. You can work in hospitals, or for yourself with various clients. They earn anywhere between $87,000 to $124,000 a year, depending on the state and your experience, making them an excellent job choice if you want to focus your efforts on more joyful areas of medicine. 

3. Clinical Nurse Specialist 

Clinical Nurse Specialists are the ones you may see in emergency settings. They are there to help a coding patient and even assist in more advanced medical procedures. 

4. Nurse Practitioners 

Nurse Practitioners are one of the best job roles to work towards in the entire country. They earn close to $100,000 per year and are incredibly flexible when it comes to where they work and in what area of medicine. One of the most popular types of Nurse Practitioners are Family Nurse Practitioners, where nurses work in doctor roles in clinics to help care for patients in their community. 

Non-Clinical Nursing Roles 

You don't need to work in clinical settings either. There are so many wonderful positions outside of healthcare that you can use your experience and degrees. 

1. Research 

There are many significant research roles out there for nurses. Instead of working to care for the nation's health on the front line, you can work behind the scenes and work towards developing new medicine and tools that your fellow nurses and doctors will later use to save lives and improve care. 

2. Education 

Educating nurses is another excellent way to use your skills and degrees outside of the hospital setting. Though the pay is less than healthcare-related roles, the benefits are numerous from having your summers and holidays off, to being in high demand. You can easily find a great work/life balance as a nurse educator. 

3. Recruitment 

Nurse recruitment is a big business if you consider how many unfilled roles there are right now. If you want to slow things down and enjoy a more balanced work/life split, then working as a nurse recruiter could be for you. 

4. Administration 

There are plenty of administrative roles that nurses can apply for. In hospitals and without, executive roles will have you overseeing the health, wellbeing, and careers of the nurses that work underneath you. Head of Nursing, Director of Nursing, and similar other roles all require their leaders to be APRNs, even though you don't often work with patients. 

Starting a career in nursing is best done when you have a full idea of the possibilities and future that await you. Keep your eye on the horizon and know what you are working towards. Working while studying is a tough challenge, but if you stay dedicated and goal-oriented, you can enjoy your dream job, great pay, and an excellent working life.