Thinking about switching careers? Is nursing a good career for you? Some of the reasons why nursing is a great career include the high job growth rate, strong salary potential, and flexible career options. Plus, there’s plenty of room to pursue career advancement.
From benefits of working as a nurse to the in-demand nature of healthcare, there are plenty of reasons to consider making a career transition. As important as it is to know why you want to switch careers, it’s equally critical to give careful thought to which career would suit you best. Is nursing a good career choice for you? The roughly 4.7 million nurses currently working in the U.S. have found plenty of opportunities. Despite the large nursing workforce, there’s still room for more nursing professionals across the country.
At Concordia University, St. Paul, we can help you switch careers to nursing more quickly. Concordia University, St. Paul’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program can allow you to earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months if you have a non-nursing degree or at least 54 non-nursing college credits.
Before starting the process to become a nurse, you should consider why nursing is a great career option for your future. Think about the job growth rate, salary, and career advancement opportunities, for example. It’s also a great job for people who enjoy working with technology, as healthcare technology is continually advancing.
1. Nurses Are in High Demand
There is an ongoing shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth for all types of RNs is expected to be 5% from 2024 through 2034, faster than the average for all occupations. This translates to an increase of 166,100 in the number of employed RNs.
2. Nurses Have Strong Salary Command
Along with their robust job growth rate, nurses enjoy strong earning potential. Salary expectations can vary, depending on factors like geographic location, years of experience, nursing specialty, and additional credentials like professional certifications. According to the BLS, the median annual salary for all types of RNs was $93,600 as of May 2024.
3. Why Nursing Is a Great Career for People Who Like Tech
Technological developments in patient care are changing the role of nurses. New medication options, advanced procedures, and new tools change how nurses carry out their role. Some of these technological innovations are:
- Smart pumps: These automated IV pumps help manage correct medication dosages, which can reduce medical errors and streamline work for RNs.
- Smart beds: Smart beds are an exciting innovation in healthcare, with the ability to track vital signs, movement, and weight. Nurses receive alerts when a patient at risk of falling tries to get out of bed on their own.
- Electronic health records: Electronic health records, or EHRs, compile a patient’s medical chart information. Healthcare providers across facilities can access accurate information.
- Telehealth: Telehealth technology allows providers to see patients virtually, helping to increase access to care in healthcare deserts.
4. Nursing Offers Many Career Paths
Why is nursing a good career for those who enjoy options? If your current job dissatisfies you because of lack of variety or choice, you’ll love the diversity of opportunities available in nursing. Once you earn a BSN degree, you can practice in a variety of settings and pursue certification in one of many nursing specialties.
How long does it take to become a nurse? Explore the fastest path to a BSN.
Many nurses work in hospitals, doctors’ offices, specialty clinics, and long-term care facilities. Some of the nursing specialties available in these types of settings include:
- Cardiac
- Emergency room
- Population Health
- Labor and delivery
- Mental health
- Geriatrics
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
What do nurses do? Explore their roles and responsibilities.
5. A Nursing Career Can Thrive Outside of a Hospital
Is nursing a good career for someone who doesn’t want to work in a hospital environment? Absolutely. Nurses can choose from career options outside of the hospital setting. For instance, they can practice nursing in settings like:
- Correctional facilities
- Factories
- Government agencies
- Insurance companies
- Military bases
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Public health departments
- Schools and universities
6. Nurses Can Pursue Career Advancement
Once you’ve earned a BSN and gained some clinical experience, you’ll be prepared to pursue additional credentials, if desired, in the pursuit of career advancement. Some experienced nurses with graduate degrees decide to become nurse educators, nurse researchers, or nurse administrators.
Others pursue board certification and licensure as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
7. You Can Get Started in Nursing Quickly
Why is nursing a good career option for nontraditional students with non-nursing workforce experience? If you have a minimum of 54 college credits, CSP’s ABSN program can allow you to earn a bachelor’s degree in as few as 16 months. We offer three start dates per year, in January, May, and September, so you can begin your nursing education sooner.
Our ABSN program builds on your previous college education. If you have already completed general education requirements, you can focus on our nursing-specific curriculum.
Our Educational Model
Our ABSN program follows a blended learning model. It has three components: online accelerated coursework, nursing skills labs, and in-person clinical learning experiences.
The online-based coursework in our program is supplemented by skills labs, which allow students to practice the nursing skills they’ve learned. These include taking vitals, dressing wounds, and inserting IVs.
The third component of our learning model is clinical learning experiences, which take place at our clinical partners’ healthcare facilities and in community settings nearby.
Clinical experience begins in the first semester of our ABSN program and includes diverse nursing experiences providing holistic care in a variety of settings, including:
- Acute care
- Adult health
- Community/population health
- Ambulatory care
- Obstetrics
- Pediatrics
After completing hundreds of hours of clinical care, you’ll graduate from our 16-month ABSN program ready to take the NCLEX-RN to obtain nursing licensure.
Take the Next Step Now
The ABSN program at CSP Global can help you transition to a high-demand nursing career in less time than you’d think. We offer a comprehensive curriculum infused with Christian principles that emphasizes thorough NCLEX-RN prep. In addition, our program uses rolling admissions and three start dates per year to enroll more students.
Contact an admissions advisor today and take the next step toward pursuing an exciting career in nursing.