Nursing Careers

Since the 1980’s, there has been a shortage of nurses in the United States. One way the government has tried to fill the gap is by hiring nurses from abroad. But instead of offering this job to foreign workers, why don’t you consider a career being one? A career in nursing is very broad. Before getting into this, it is best to understand the different types around and then deciding what you want to pursue.

Critical care nursing is one field you can get into if you can handle pressure of working with patients inside the intensive care unit or ICU. They may also find work in cardiac catheter labs, telemetry units, progressive care units, emergency departments and recovery rooms.

Lately, critical care nurses have also found there way working in clinics, home healthcare, nursing schools and outpatient surgery centers.

After working as a critical care nurse for many years, you career can move to elsewhere as you may become a nurse manager, educator or researcher. Some may even be acute care nurse practitioners or ACNP after they get a master’s or doctorate in nursing.

Those who are good with computers may pursue a career in nursing informatics. Basically, these individuals write and modify programs and assist in the training of hospital personnel who will also be using such systems. Their career may go another step forward once they develop enough skills to manage these systems instead of just being an encoder.

Those who love babies may find a work in neonatal nursing. This branch of nursing is relatively new and you may find work either in a level 1, 2 or 3 nursery.

The level 1 nursery is where healthy newborn babies are placed until it is time for them to go home. The level 2 nursery is for infants that were born prematurely and will require some care before being discharged from the hospital. The level 3 is the intensive care unit for infants which, means they need special equipment like incubators or even surgery.

Nurses who want to work with cancer patients may start their career in oncology nursing. These individuals are there to help a patient during all stages of treatment. They may even provide counseling and help those who want to prevent cancer by telling them how to avoid it.

The advanced practice of oncology nursing may even make you become an administrator, caregiver, consultant, coordinator and researcher.

Pediatric nursing is another field you can consider since you are able to work with children of different ages. Since they are prone to sicknesses, the nurse may help them further by specializing in either immunology or oncology.

Whatever field of nursing you want to pursue, you need to go to school to earn that degree. With a few years of experience and perhaps a master or a doctorate, you may soon qualify for a higher position and become a better practitioner that you were before.

Nursing is high in demand and the various positions mentioned just goes to show that there is a lot you can do to help those who are sick regardless of age or gender. Just be sure that this is something you want to get into because only those who have the passion will be able to stay in this field for a long time.