Nursing Career Overview by Josh Stone

Being a nurse is both professionally and personally rewarding. It is a life filled with helping others. You are given the chance to combine your skills and technical knowledge with the ability to show compassion and care. Very few careers offer this satisfactory combination. Nurses make up the largest portion of healthcare professions. They are the biggest chunk of any hospital staff. They are responsible for the direct care of patients in hospitals as well as nursing homes and a multitude of other environments.

Nursing is the biggest of all healthcare occupations and is projected to have the biggest growth. With the elderly population in America growing and is in need of more care as well as nurses retiring, there is no chance of a lack of nursing career opportunities in the near future. While the demand for nurses is increasing the supply is decreasing causing a shortage that is not likely to be remedied any time soon. This will mean the greatest potential for career advancement and salary growth for nurses the country has ever seen.

The growth of nursing careers is expected to be faster than average because of the advancements in patient care that will allow them to treat more medical issues than before. Also there is a new emphasis on preventive care which is something nurses are largely responsible for. While positions outside the hospital setting are expanding giving nurses more options and flexibility in their work and schedule.

Nurses are required to use science that they learn in school on a daily basis. They must continually take classes to stay up to date on the latest scientific medical breakthroughs. They work side by side with doctors and other health professionals. Also they are often required to step in to be patient and family advocates with in the medical community.

They provide assessments to collect data about the physical conditions, lifestyle, family history and emotional well being of patients. They then identify the patients issues and needs. This can go beyond mere physical needs and include emotional needs as well. Once the problem or problems have been identified nurses play an active role in the plan that is enacted to correct them. The results of this plan will be evaluated by nurses on a regular basis and adjust when necessary.