Nursing: A Noble and Rewarding Profession

Let’s be honest, not all of us are cut out for public service and even less have a stomach strong enough to witness what a nurse must face on a daily basis.  Not only do you need to have guts of steel, a career in nursing means long hours, hard work, and a knowledge base parallel to a general practitioner of medicine (at half the pay).  As a nurse, you may have to deal with patients who are rude and condescending doctors who belittle your expertise.  And let’s not even get started on some of the things you will be forced to clean up (people are both fragile and messy).  So what is so great about becoming a nurse?

For starters, nursing can be a very fulfilling career in that it allows you an opportunity to help others and make a difference in the day-to-day lives of real people.  What could be better than making a sick child feel better or telling someone that their mother is going to be okay after her accident?  For most nurses, this aspect of the profession is what makes it so rewarding.  You get instant gratification from making sick patients well, or at least easing their discomfort.  In addition, a nurse gets to know her patients intimately and possibly play a role in some of the most important events of their lives.  The gratitude that comes from these interactions is often enough to keep a harried nurse going through a tough day.

Nursing is also a versatile vocation.  Jobs can range from live-in situations, staff, and travel nursing to management, education, and administration.  In addition, many seasoned nurses can set their own hours, depending on the field they choose.  And in the future, nurses will surely continue to enjoy job security.  With less people entering the field and baby boomers hitting retirement age (not to mention health care reform on the horizon), nurses are going to be very much in demand in the years to come.

So besides learning skills that can easily transfer to other areas of your life, a career in nursing allows you to give something of yourself to each and every patient you interact with, to take pride in the fact that your choices help save lives, and to use your knowledge to heal and give comfort.  This will give you a strong sense of satisfaction that far outweighs long hours, low pay, and anything the day might throw at you.