What type of nurse is most in demand? There are lots of nursing specialties in demand, as the profession as a whole is experiencing growth. Some of the most in-demand nursing specialties include cardiac care, medical-surgical nursing, emergency room nurse and home health nurse.
Are you curious about what kind of nurse you want to be? Nursing is one of the most diverse careers available, allowing for a wide range of specializations. That’s one of the key benefits of the profession. When you earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you can apply that degree to many types of nursing specialties. This means you’ll be able to find a specialty that aligns with your lifestyle, personality and interests.
Concordia University, St. Paul’s 16-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program provides students with a generalist nursing degree, opening the door for myriad nursing career options. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), registered nurses (RNs) are in high demand, with a robust job growth rate of 6% from 2023 through 2033. Although all types of RNs are needed around the country, some specialties are growing faster than others.
What type of nurse is most in demand? First, consider what this means. Nursing specialties in demand are those characterized by nursing shortages and growing patient populations. If you choose to specialize in one of those areas, you may find more doors open to you. You may also decide to pursue career advancement in an in-demand specialty.
How does an accelerated nursing program work? Learn what to expect in the ABSN program at Concordia St. Paul.
In this post, we’ll discuss 10 nursing specialties in demand. These are only a few of the large variety of nursing specialties you can pursue after graduating with a BSN.
How to Choose From the Most In-Demand Nursing Specialties
With so many nursing specialties experiencing a high rate of job demand, how can you choose the one that’s right for you? Different practice areas can mean different job environments and patient populations, so there’s a right position for practically any nurse. Some of the factors you might consider include:
Assess Your Interests and Strengths
Your professional interests, skills and strengths are among the most important factors to reflect upon when choosing a nursing specialty. No matter how in-demand your specialty is, if it doesn’t make you happy to go to work each day, it’s probably not worth pursuing. After all, nursing is difficult and requires that drive to help others. Consider which types of patients you’d most like to work with and which clinical areas interest you most. Think about the requirements for the specialty area, as well. For example, pediatric nurses must have excellent patience and be good at connecting with children and their parents.
Consider Job Growth Projections
Many nursing specialties in demand are experiencing high growth rates, but what nursing specialties are most in demand in your geographic area? Alternatively, consider hiring trends in geographic regions where you’re considering moving to if you believe relocation is in your future. Some nurses aspire to work at a particular healthcare facility, like those that participate in the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®.
Identify Educational Requirements for Nursing Specialties in Demand
You’ll want to consider which qualifications you’ll need to pursue any given nursing specialty. Many are entry-level, while others require clinical experience. You might also need to earn additional certifications, take specialized training courses or perhaps eventually earn your Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree or doctoral degree (DNP or PhD).
How Nursing School Can Help You Choose a Specialty
There’s no need to fret if you’re still unsure about your preferred specialty area as you head off to nursing school. Nursing school itself can help you choose a specialty. At Concordia University, St. Paul, our students complete clinical learning experiences at nearby healthcare facilities. These clinical learning experiences allow you to apply your nursing skills in actual patient care scenarios under the supervision of nursing instructors and your preceptor.
Since you’ll be able to complete clinical learning experiences in a few different nursing specialty areas, you can determine from first-hand experience whether that particular specialty might suit you. You can also ask seasoned nurses for career guidance.
1. Critical Care Nurse
So, what type of nurse is most in demand? One of them is the critical care nurse. Critical care or intensive care nurses work with critically ill patients in the intensive care unit of the hospital. These patients are often unstable and require significant health care interventions, such as ventilators, intravenous drips and cardiac monitoring.
Because of the high-risk nature of these patients, critical care nurses are highly skilled professionals who can think on their feet and handle stressful situations with a level head. If you’re passionate about working in an ever-changing environment where you can influence the patients who are in the most need, critical care nursing may be a great fit for you.
How does critical care nursing work? Learn all you need to know about becoming a critical care nurse.
2. Emergency Nurse
Emergency nurses work in the emergency department of a hospital, providing triage and caring for patients with various severe and life-threatening medical conditions. These conditions range from serious trauma and accident injuries to broken bones and heart attacks. Patients range from children to adults and elderly populations, so emergency nurses see it all.
No two days are alike in the emergency department, and these nurses enjoy a fast-paced environment. Emergency nurses also tend to work with patients short-term; once patients are evaluated, they’re transferred to other units for the rest of their care, or they may be discharged. If you desire a fast-paced, diverse clinical environment, emergency nursing is worth exploring.
3. Medical-Surgical Nurse
Medical-surgical nurses work in medical and surgical units of hospitals. They are essential to inpatient nursing care, caring for patients recovering from surgery or illness or receiving inpatient treatment.
Medical-surgical nurses are the backbone of U.S. healthcare. They care for patients who are medically stable enough to be in a traditional hospital unit rather than the ICU. These nurses need to have excellent skills and be comfortable balancing the needs of challenging and complex patient conditions. Medical-surgical nursing is an excellent way to hone your skills in the hospital setting. Then, you can choose to specialize further after you gain this foundational experience.
4. Neonatal or Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse
There are several options for intensive care nursing in the pediatric realm, including neonatal intensive care and pediatric intensive care nursing.
Neonatal intensive care nurses work exclusively with newborn babies, often those born prematurely or with congenital conditions. Babies in this patient population often need feeding tubes, breathing tubes and continuous monitoring. Nurses may develop strong bonds with these babies and their families, and patients tend to stay in the unit for weeks or months until the baby is ready to go home.
Pediatric intensive care nurses work in the pediatric ICU, treating children in critical condition who need the highest level of care. Conditions may range from type 1 diabetes to organ failure to severe infections. These nurses work with children ranging from babies to teenagers.
5. Telehealth Nurse
With the popularity of remote work, you may wonder if there are opportunities to work remotely as a nurse. Telehealth nursing is a fantastic route to take if you want to enter a growing field that allows you more flexibility and the ability to influence care at hospitals across the country.
Telehealth nursing roles can vary, but they often provide support to more remote healthcare facilities by advising staff nurses on complex care situations. Telehealth nurses also monitor patient vitals to ensure they remain stable.
6. Operating Room Nurse
Do you enjoy the hustle and bustle of an operating room setting? Operating room nurses have a unique role in helping surgeries run smoothly by providing care before, during and after procedures. They work with a surgical team of surgeons, surgical techs and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).
Surgical nurses can think on their feet, respond calmly to stressful situations and remain organized and meticulous when following protocols. If you enjoy the operating room and providing care and comfort to patients undergoing lifesaving procedures, surgical nursing may be an ideal fit for you.
7. Cardiac Nurse
Another one of the nursing specialties in demand right now is cardiac nursing. These nurses care for patients with heart conditions, such as heart attacks or heart failure. They also manage patients undergoing heart surgeries, such as bypass surgery.
Cardiac nurses provide essential care to patients, especially middle-aged and older patients who are more likely to develop heart conditions. In this role, it’s helpful to have excellent communication skills, as cardiac nurses often need to provide extensive patient and family caregiver education. They also need to be able to respond quickly to emergencies and think well on their feet.
8. Home Health Nurse
With the aging baby boomer generation leading a demographic shift toward a greater elderly population, increasing numbers of people need home health care, making home health nursing one of the most in-demand nursing specialties. These nurses visit patients in their homes to monitor symptoms, take vitals and provide treatment.
Home health nurses often provide care to the same patients for an extended period, visiting regularly for months or even years and forming strong bonds with their patients. If you value relationships and enjoy caring for patients in their own homes, it’s worth exploring home health nursing.
9. Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
APRNs are not part of a single nursing specialty. Rather, there are multiple types of APRNs, and each has the potential to further specialize. APRNs have a wider scope of practice and more decision-making capacity than RNs. They can diagnose conditions, provide treatments, sometimes prescribe medications and practice independently in many states.
There are four main types of APRNs:
- Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
- Nurse practitioner (NP)
- Certified nurse-midwife (CNM)
Within these areas, an APRN might specialize further. For example, a CRNA can specialize in providing pediatric anesthesia. A nurse practitioner might specialize in adult gerontology, or they might become a family nurse practitioner (FNP).
To become an APRN, you’ll need to further your education. After earning a BSN and gaining clinical experience, you’ll need to earn an MSN, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, or PhD. Then, you’ll need to obtain board certification in your chosen specialty area.
Interested in becoming a nurse practitioner? Learn the steps to become one.
APRNs have a phenomenally high job growth rate. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for most types of APRNs is expected to be 40% from 2023 through 2033, much faster than average. They earned a median annual salary of $129,480 as of May 2023.
Begin Your Nursing Journey at Concordia University, St. Paul
As you can see, nursing offers many options for in-demand career paths. No matter your particular interests and strengths, you’ll be able to find the right fit for you. The first step to beginning one of these nursing specialties in demand is earning your BSN. Concordia University, St. Paul’s ABSN program offers the opportunity to become a nurse in as few as 16 months, meaning the transition to a nursing career may be faster than you thought.
If you have a requisite number of non-nursing college credits, a non-nursing associate degree or a bachelor’s degree, you may be eligible for the ABSN program. The accelerated nursing program, located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon, offers three start dates each year so you can start nursing school sooner.
The curriculum combines online classes, skills labs and clinical learning experiences. CSP provides a well-rounded education that prepares you to sit for the NCLEX-RN® and start your career as a professional nurse.
To start your nursing school journey, fill out our online form to get in touch with an admissions advisor. We are here every step of the way to help you reach your goal of becoming a nurse.