Why Should a Person Become a Nurse?
Over 2.5 million people have chosen the field of nursing. Many others have strongly considered applying for a nursing degree. There are very good reasons why the field of nursing remains a truly attractive profession for many people. Such reasons include relatively high wages, challenging work duties, and the chance to earn a living helping sick people recover from illness. Anyone thinking about entering the health care profession's largest category of employment may wish to think strongly about the profession's obvious benefits.
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Multiple Points of Entry
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There are two fundamental types of nurses: LPN's and RN's. In order to become an LPN or Licensed Practical Nurse one must complete a year of training at a nursing school or community college. One must then pass state licensing exams. The entire process from start to finish may take under a year. One can then seek employment as an LPN earning twenty dollars an hour or greater. The other basic category of nurse is an RN or Registered Nurse. RN's perform more varied tasks, earn more money and can work independently. In order to become an RN one must pass at least two years of higher education and then pass a state licensing exam. After becoming an LPN you can use what you have learned as an LPN to apply for nursing school to become an RN.
Mentally Engaging Work
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Nurses are responsible for the well being of patients. During their time at work they must often make decisions requiring a great deal of thought. They may decide whether or not a patient needs the immediate attention of a doctor. They may decide the best means of preparing and administering medication and how best to minimize a patient's pain as they do so. Making such decisions requires knowledge of pharmacology, anatomy, math and other important fields of learning.
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Excellent Pay
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The average full-time nurse earns nearly sixty thousand dollars per year. This compares favorably with other professions requiring a similar level of education such as police officers. Nurses also face additional opportunities to earn more money. They may work weekends, holidays or nights for additional pay. Many nurses are employed in hospitals. Hospital nurses can earn extra money by working extra staffing shifts.
Less Structured Work Week
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Nurses have a great deal of choice in their work hours. They may choose to work a standard forty-hour work week at a doctor's office with weekends off and no overtime required. They may also work in a hospital setting. Hospital nurses can choose to work as little as thirty-six hours per week and yet still earn full time benefits. Hospital nurses can also decide to work part-time. They may choose to work as few as two or three shifts per month and still remain on the hospital's payroll.
Emotional Satisfaction
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Nursing can be a highly emotionally satisfying profession that allows people to make a great deal of difference in people's lives. A nurse may work with a stroke victim to regain full function in her arm. A nurse may help a young cancer patient find the strength to go back to high school after massive surgery. Nurses can help people cope after a loved one has passed away or teach a new mother the proper way to breastfeed her baby. A job that truly serves the greater good can provide a sense of moral purpose that may lead to better physical and mental health.
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