8 Wonderful Perks of Having a Nursing Career

Being a nurse is a career that will always be in high demand. Unfortunately, we all too often focus on the stress and anxiety related to the nursing field. Nurses take on a lot of responsibility, and they make a lot of sacrifices. 

It starts with school. You begin to focus solely on your next course or passing the NCLEX. You sacrifice your time and energy to become a nurse, and to choose your specialty.

But, what about all the benefits of being a nurse? There are many! nursing is a great career choice, and that’s what this article is going to focus on.

Job Flexibility and Security

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the registered nursing profession will grow by 12% between 20118-2028, which is faster than all other areas of occupation. Becoming a nurse means that the last thing you have to worry about is job security.

When it comes to long-term career choices that offer high flexibility, nursing is the best one out of the few. 

Choose when you want to work, and where you want to work. With education and on-site training, you can choose a nursing specialty that is in alignment with your goals and interests. 

High Paying Salaries

The average pay for nurses working in the U.S is roughly $35 per hour or just over $70,000 annually. The state that pays nurses the best is California with an annual salary of over $105,00. 

According to a study done by Nightengale University, nurses practicing in Hawaii, DC, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Alaska make over $90,000 annually. 

Fringe Benefits and Continued Learning

If you aren’t familiar with the term fringe benefits, you should do so ASAP.

Throughout your career as a registered nurse, you are offered fringe benefits. This means that your employer will pay for your education while you work for them.

Most employers will pay 100% of your education expenses. You will also be privy to sick leave, paid time off, and holiday pay.

Fringe benefits mean that you receive payment even if you aren’t working. Paid time off means that if you have worked steadily for one year, you may be entitled to between 13-15 paid days off. 

Variety in Nursing Specialty

Once you’ve paid your dues, passed your tests, and are a bonified RN (congratulations!), the nursing world is your oyster.

Fun fact: There are nearly 200 nursing specialties you can work in. Becoming an expert in a specific specialty makes you an in-demand candidate and commands a higher salary.

There is a myriad of nursing specialties to choose from. You can move into another field if you find that the current area you are practicing in isn’t for you. 

Start by focusing on what areas of nursing interest you and spark joy? Is it trauma care? Prenatal? Psychiatry? No matter what you enjoy doing, there’s probably a nursing job waiting for you.

Nursing Shortage Brings Endless Position Possibilities

As Baby Boomers age and the need for quality healthcare amplifies, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports a nursing shortage in the U.S.

The nursing workforce is expected to grow by 15% from just under 3 million to 3.4 million between 2016 and 2026. 

While some states may experience a greater impact than others, as a nurse, the possibilities of employment opportunities seem endless. There are more jobs readily available for Registered Nurses than any other profession.

Nursing 101: Pension Plans, Benefits, and Insurance Oh My!

The longer you work as a nurse, the more you pay into your pension plan. Saving for retirement becomes easy knowing that a lot of employers will match your contributions up to a certain amount.

If you choose to opt-in, you will receive dental, health and vision insurance. Most employers offer benefit plans for both you and your family.

Here’s a fun one: philanthropy benefits. Have you heard of it? If you want to travel, RN’s can go on trips around the globe. In exchange for your trip to be fully covered, you donate your time, services, and skills to those in need.

Help People in Need

As a nurse, you have more hands-on and personal contact with patients than any other medical professional.  On the daily, you will be working with not just patients, but your co-workers to ensure the patient is reaching their health goals.

While I can’t find a statistic to prove so, I believe that nurses truly impact the quality and the experience of patients in need.

If you decided to become a nurse, you want to make a difference in people’s lives. The paycheck may be nice, traveling is great, and job stability is awesome. 

But, helping someone at what is usually the worst (and sometimes their best) time of their life is truly rewarding. 

You Get Paid to Travel

There are some of us who are born drifters. We hear the calling of the road, and the thought of settling down can cause a gurgle to manifest in our tummies.

When you are a nurse, you can travel. Sure, sit still and work at one brick-and-mortar practice, that’s fine. But, if you have been bitten by the travel bug, your nursing skills can make it that much easier.

A traveling nurse moves around frequently. One year you are in Miami, and the next year you are in New York. You can even travel abroad if that’s your jam.

In a Nutshell

There are aspects of nursing career that might not be so pretty, like being yelled at by an irate patient, but no job is great all the time.

That being said, the positive far outweighs the negative when it comes to being a nurse. 

Helping people, knowing your job will always be there, planning for future career advancements, are all great reasons.

If you are a nurse, thank you for your time and sacrifice. Now, take a moment to be mindful and acknowledge all the amazing benefits of being a nurse.

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