If You Want to Change Careers, Become a Nurse
Realizing that there are other things you might want to do in your life apart from what you?re doing right now is life-changing. It makes no difference how long you?ve been working in your current career, or how much time you?ve put into it, if you are not happy at your job, you must change it. So, if you are thinking of changing careers, why not become a nurse?
If you become a nurse, you will be able to help people. You?ll make a difference, you will be needed, and you will be proud of yourself. Do we need other reasons to convince you why should you become a nurse? Keep on reading this article, and you might just find out.
Why Should I Become A Nurse?
Just think about it. The world will always need nurses. Don’t go on assuming that nurses are only good for bedside care. They are also required for advocacy, leadership roles, and education. With the rising population of older people in the world, savvy nurses will have a positive opportunity to shine in this career path. So, let’s look at some reasons now;
Online Learning
An excellent reason for taking on the mantle of a nursing career is that you can study online. This means that, no matter what job you?re doing right now, you can study to become a nurse without having to quit your job As long as you can divide your time well, you can continue working and study simultaneously.
Online learning has plenty of advantages, whether you want to go slowly or move more quickly with accelerated nursing programs online. You can choose study times that work for you. Moreover, you can take as long as you need to complete the course, and you will get an excellent degree.
Career Progression
Perhaps the reason you?re tired of your current job is that you don?t seem to be getting anywhere. You are stuck at a certain level, and your career has effectively plateaued.
If you have ambitions beyond where you are, you should become a nurse. There are plenty of growth opportunities in the nursing profession. You?ll find that promotions are fairly regular, as long as you have the right amount of experience. If you?ve already taken any necessary examination to gain additional qualifications, your promotion is all set.
The better you will be at your job with the given years, the more promotions you will get. So, this is yet another reason why you should become a nurse.
Nursing is Something Everyone Can Do
Nursing is certainly something that, with enough hard work and dedication, everyone can do. So if you?re concerned that you won?t be able to learn everything you need to learn, think again. It is certainly not easy to become a nurse, but with the ongoing support of excellent online classes, anyone can do it.
In other words, the profession of nursing has no barriers when it comes to age, race, religion, economic status, background, education (apart from requiring a nursing degree, of course), or anything else.
That said, there are some personality traits that all nurses must have, such as patience, empathy, sensitivity, communication, time-keeping, and organizational skills, among others. If you think you possess all these qualities, you must become a nurse.
Plenty of Choices
The fact is, there isn?t just one type of nurse. There isn?t just one type of nursing. There are dozens on them, and with that in mind, you can always choose to be something that suits your strengths the best.
If you want to work with children, or you like the idea of helping old people, you can become a nurse in those departments. But, if you think that being an OR nurse would be fascinating, or the oncology department appeals to you, you can do that as well. Don’t worry if you think the hospital isn?t the right place for you. Nurses can work in many different places. There are prisons, oil rigs, schools, sporting venues, that require nurses, so you can work there also.
How To Become A Nurse
Now, you know that there isn’t just one type of nurse. Once, you start looking more deeply into what nursing is really all about, you?ll discover something interesting. This something will surely persuade you to become a nurse. So, let’s learn about the steps now;
Step 1: Choose A Specific Nursing Path
While choosing the right nursing path, think about what will be your ideal work environment. Certified nurses work in nursing homes, but registered nurses work in hospitals, and doctor’s offices. If you want to support a medical team, an LPN/LVN, or a CNA should suit you the best. But, if you want to manage other nurses, RN will be the correct degree for you. So, consider the type of nursing you want to pursue, and decide with the passion that you have in your heart.
Step 2: Get A Degree
Depending on the career path you are choosing, your nursing degree will vary. There are many bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees in nursing that you can earn online. If you want to become a registered nurse, the associate degree program will be the best for you. You can also earn an ADN degree, and get a job, and after that pursue higher degrees.
Step 3: Get Your License
Simply earning a degree in nursing won’t help you to become a nurse. You must give an exam to showcase your skills and knowledge, and after that, you will get your degree to practice nursing legally. There are some major exams to consider here such as;
- If you want to become a certified nursing assistant, you need to pass the state competency exam.
- To become a licensed practical nurse, pass the state certificate program, and the National Council Licensure Examination.
- To become a registered nurse, you must have a nursing diploma, and pass the National Council Licensure Examination.
- If you want to know how to become a nurse practitioner, you must have a master’s degree, pass the National Council Licensure Examination, and the national certification exam administered by a professional organization.
- To become a nurse-midwife, you have to follow the earlier-mentioned steps and pass the American Midwifery Certification Board exam.
- Finally, to become a nurse anesthetist, you will need a master’s degree, pass the National Council Licensure Examination, and then pass the National Board of Certification exam to get your license.
Step 4: Keep On Learning
With the advancement of technology, the healthcare industry is evolving every day. So, when you work as a frontline nurse, you must adapt to those changes. Consider taking continuing education courses in nursing in the interval of two years. You can decide which course to opt for depending on the state board requirements. If you want to get certified in a special field of nursing, you must earn a professional certificate for that as well.
FAQs
You already know how to become a nurse. But if you still have some other queries related to nursing, you may take a look at this section. We have curated a few questions for you that can help you make the right decision.
1: What Qualifications Do You Need To Become A Nurse?
Ans: There are some mandatory qualifications that you need if you want to become a nurse. If you want to know how to become a registered nurse in the U.S., you must acquire the ASN and a bachelor’s degree in nursing. After you earn the right degrees, you must pass the state exam of National Council Licensure to earn your license.
2: Can You Become An RN In 2 Years?
Ans: If you opt for the accelerated BSN degree instead of the ADN degree, you can become an RN in two years. This course is for people who have a bachelor’s degree in some other field, but now they want to become a nurse. Even if you have an ADN, you can also enroll in the ABSN classes.
3: How Many Years Does It Take To Become A Nurse?
Ans: Like any other bachelor’s degree course, a nursing course also takes 3 years to complete. So, if you want to become an RN, you can complete your course within 3 years. But, if you want to earn a master’s degree in nursing, or get a special certificate in some particular field, it will take you roughly 2 more years to do so.
Conclusion
In the end, if you?re not happy in your current career, it?s important to stop and think about what your next step is going to be. Will you continue doing what you?re doing because it?s comfortable even though you don?t enjoy it, or will you move on to something else even though it?s scary but could potentially make you much happier? The choice is yours, but being happy should also be a priority.
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