What You Can Do with a Nursing Degree

Customize Your Future

If you are considering a career in nursing, you need to know all your options. There are degrees to choose, types of nursing programs to consider, and then choices to make about your intended specialty. Interested in pediatrics, cancer nursing, or care for aging adults? Or do you prefer a more heart-pounding, adrenaline-charged job?

Explore Degree Levels

Degrees come in a few different forms: one-year or diploma, two-year Associates degree in Nursing, four-year Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN), post-graduate Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), and Ph.D. in Nursing. A one-year degree or a diploma typically prepares students to take their Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) exam. Graduates of a two-year degree and upwards may qualify to take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure exam. If you are motivated, nurses that study in a post-graduate degree are also called Advanced Practice Nurses.

Choose From Nursing Program Types

When it comes time to apply to a nursing program there are still more granular options. Community colleges are very popular for nurses earning their Associates degree. These programs are available regionally and offer very affordable, practical curriculums. Decide at a later date you want your BSN and jump right into an Associates-to-BSN degree program available through many nursing programs. Four-year programs divide teaching models fairly evenly between classroom theory and hands-on clinical work. BSN degrees offer the widest array of career options when it comes to nursing specialties. For nurses that aspire to advanced practice degrees, a university environment is likely where most programs are clustered. Nurses at the PhD level are most likely tracked for educator and research positions.

Select a Specialty: Patient, Medical, and Setting

The category of nursing specialties is where you can get really creative with your career. Consider the type of patient care setting in which you might be most comfortable. Each is distinctly different and may be dependent on types of patient and/or medical condition/disorder:

Many nurses make their choice of specialization based on the patient population. Your nursing program covers a wide sample of the various types of patients any nurse would come into contact with under normal circumstances. Patients may include:

Particular nursing specialties may focus more precisely on the care needs of disparate communities or groups, such as women, veterans, and cultural and ethnic populations.

If you know you’ve always wanted to work with cancer patients or in women’s health you will likely be innately drawn to a specialty this way. An example of types of medical conditions/diseases/disorders include:

Fine Tune and Maintain Your Career

Burnout and stress accumulate in any job, but nurses are typically prone to both. Morale-building and innovative staffing solutions are the realm of nurse managers and leaders whose jobs demand they attune themselves to their nurses’ needs. Most nurses turn to their professional associations where more grassroots work is carried out as far as nursing policy and professional development. Specialists may network, pick up continuing education resources, and stay current with the latest techniques applicable to their nursing skills. All RNs are urged to earn certifications that indicate their level of expertise.

Credentials earned based on industry experience and skills tests, help professional nurses negotiate bigger salaries, win more job responsibility, and make logical leaps to closely related specialties. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that RN jobs are one of the top growth industries in the next decade. Explore your chances for a nursing career.

Level of Degree

Nursing Programs

Types of Nurses

Careers


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