The American Nurses’ Association first declared May 6 – May 12 of each year “National Nurses’ Week” in 1993. This year, the week-long tradition has expanded into a full month’s worth of celebrations in order “to recognize the vast contributions and positive impact of America’s four million registered nurses.”* Especially given recent world events, nurses are more critical to our society than ever before.
With roughly 194,500 job openings for Registered Nurses and 60,700 for Licensed Practical Nurses projected to be added each year (on average) over the course of the next decade, the field is experiencing substantial growth.** While a career in Nursing can be extremely rewarding, it does require unwavering dedication. Nurses often work long hours – including nights, weekends, and holidays. They’re typically on their feet for a full shift and may need to lift immobile patients. Moreover, nurses are also frequently on call.
One big benefit of Nursing is having options as far as when and where to work. Shifts may be 8, 10, or even 12 hours long; generally, working longer shifts allows for more days off during the week. Options for employment include hospitals, doctors’ offices, outpatient clinics, schools, and even travel nursing, giving nurses the opportunity to take positions of varying lengths in new places.
If you’re interested in joining the rewarding field of Nursing, there are several available career paths. You can work towards becoming an RN (Registered Nurse), an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), or even acquire your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Whatever the path, this profession requires extreme attention to detail, patience, and an unwavering commitment to helping those in your care. A nursing training program can teach students how to effectively and accurately assess, diagnose, and manage the various health conditions of patients encountered on the job.
Take the first step by finding a program near you and connecting with an education advisor here: https://bit.ly/3vR3YRV
* Quote from the American Nurses Association via the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists: http://www.nbcrna.com/national-nurses-month
** Data drawn from The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses.htm#tab-1