Nursing Career Facts
Healthcare centers rely heavily on nurses for efficiency and optimal patient care.
Nurses are responsible for attending to patients and administering various levels of medical aid; providing resources, education, and information to patients and their families; and providing support and assistance to the people they interact with—from their nursing team to physicians and surgeons to patients and their loved ones. Nurses help maintain administrative order in hospitals and other care centers. Without them, the healthcare industry would be lacking.
Are you considering a career in nursing? To help you decide if this is the path for you, read on for some trivia about the profession.
● There are various types of nurses with different degrees and certifications required. The more common types of nurses are licensed practical nurses (LPNs) nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs), and nursing aides. Learn more about the differences between each and the education each type of nurse is required to have here.
● Nursing is an emotionally, mentally, and physically demanding profession. Working with patients in different capacities can be more or less demanding than others, but most nurses spend many hours a day on their feet and working with others. In many environments, nurses may be required to come into close physical contact with patients and other medical professionals.
● Registered nurses in hospitals may make an average annual salary of $72,980, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In physicians’ offices, the average yearly salary may be $65,350. In other settings like home health care, skilled nursing facilities and outpatient centers, nursing salaries may range from $63,000 to $73,000.
● In 2014, the BLS reported more than 2 million active working nurses and estimated a 16% 10-year growth rate, indicated as much faster than average.
● Nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives reported a possible median pay of $104,740 in 2015. These three positions require a master’s degree education.
● The 10-year growth rate for these types of nurses was estimated by the BLS to be 31%.
● There are many different specializations you can focus on in nursing, and various ways to obtain the required education to become a nurse.
