4 answers
Camryn
Student
Antwerp, Ohio
2
Questions
Asked
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What made you decide to become a Registered Nurse and How'd you start?
I'm a sophomore in high school looking for advice for Registered Nursing.
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4 answers
ian villebrun
Correctional specialist
115
Answers
Mountain Iron, Minnesota
Updated
ian’s Answer
Why Nursing Is An Excellent Career Path
Nurses are in high demand. According to the BLS, in 2022, there were 3,172,500 registered nurses in the United States. By 2032, there will be a need for an additional 177,400 nurses, which is an expected growth of 6%.
As the U.S. population continues to age, these numbers may see a rapid increase over time. Therefore, nurses should never have trouble finding work.
Pathways into Nursing
While there are different degree programs you can choose, becoming a nurse is ultimately about what type of license you have. For example, nurses with associate's and bachelor's degrees take the same NCLEX exam to earn RN licensure.
Check out the graphic below for the differences between the 4 primary pathways into nursing.
Nurses are in high demand. According to the BLS, in 2022, there were 3,172,500 registered nurses in the United States. By 2032, there will be a need for an additional 177,400 nurses, which is an expected growth of 6%.
As the U.S. population continues to age, these numbers may see a rapid increase over time. Therefore, nurses should never have trouble finding work.
Pathways into Nursing
While there are different degree programs you can choose, becoming a nurse is ultimately about what type of license you have. For example, nurses with associate's and bachelor's degrees take the same NCLEX exam to earn RN licensure.
Check out the graphic below for the differences between the 4 primary pathways into nursing.
Martin Schoen
APRN
288
Answers
Ocala, Florida
Updated
Martin’s Answer
Great question! My journey to where I am now was quite a winding road. I started out as one of the pioneering paramedics in New York. Initially, I was on track to study medicine, but midway, I switched gears to business administration. I knew my chances of getting into med school were only decent at best. I completed all my science courses and after graduation, I felt that healthcare administration was my calling.
I went on to earn a Master's degree in the field and completed a residency, then joined the Air Force in the same field. After my service, I held various administrative roles in hospitals and home care. This was a fairly new field for non-doctors, so the competition was fierce. I soon realized that a desk job or spending my days in front of a computer wasn't for me. I was more drawn to the patient care aspect of healthcare.
So, I decided to apply to a specialized Master's program in nursing. Back then, there weren't many men in nursing, so it was a bit tense. But I completed the program and passed my boards. A few years later, I realized that the home care nursing I was doing could benefit from further study. So, I went back to school and earned my Nurse Practitioner in a Post Master's degree program I've never looked back since then and I'm really happy working in the nursing field.
I went on to earn a Master's degree in the field and completed a residency, then joined the Air Force in the same field. After my service, I held various administrative roles in hospitals and home care. This was a fairly new field for non-doctors, so the competition was fierce. I soon realized that a desk job or spending my days in front of a computer wasn't for me. I was more drawn to the patient care aspect of healthcare.
So, I decided to apply to a specialized Master's program in nursing. Back then, there weren't many men in nursing, so it was a bit tense. But I completed the program and passed my boards. A few years later, I realized that the home care nursing I was doing could benefit from further study. So, I went back to school and earned my Nurse Practitioner in a Post Master's degree program I've never looked back since then and I'm really happy working in the nursing field.
Achu Benezet Lum
Nursing
1
Answer
Buea, Southwest, Cameroon
Updated
Achu’s Answer
My adoration in becoming a registered nurse was my dad. When I was in high school, he has an accident on his way back from work and died due to blood clot in his brain. This situation aspired me to go into the medical field to get more insights on this condition known "Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis", how to manage it and saves lives of future individuals who may be victims. The process of starting my career as a nurse are as follows:
- After my high school, I search through the available medical institutions, read out their history and backgrounds, to know which was best in training medical professional.
- I also searched online and newsletters on best medical training school in the Region or Province or State I was located in, and other states, ranked them accordingly and choosed among the top ranked universities.
-I sent my application to all the schools I found interesting to me among those that approved my application, I choosed the best and wrote their entry exams, got a pass and began lectures.
- After my high school, I search through the available medical institutions, read out their history and backgrounds, to know which was best in training medical professional.
- I also searched online and newsletters on best medical training school in the Region or Province or State I was located in, and other states, ranked them accordingly and choosed among the top ranked universities.
-I sent my application to all the schools I found interesting to me among those that approved my application, I choosed the best and wrote their entry exams, got a pass and began lectures.
Maureen Komperda
Nurse Practitioner
44
Answers
Elmhurst, Illinois
Updated
Maureen’s Answer
Camryn,
Thanks for reaching out. You may laugh, but I had big ideals freshman year of high school. I was a volunteer at the hospital next to my high school on Sundays on an inpatient surgical unit. The nurses didn't answer the call lights of patients, it was the volunteers' job. Most of the patients were in pain after surgery and needed their pain medication. I spent a great deal of time going back to the same nurses with the same requests from the same patients. Nurses were putting on nail polish and ordering food for dinner and would tell me they'd get to the patient.
I wanted to be a better nurse caring for all the patients' needs. I have surpassed these goals from volunteer at a hospital to nursing assistant on the night shift in the ER (during nursing school) to ER RN to graduating with a bachelor's, master's and then a certificate as a nurse practitioner.
Camryn, volunteering or spending a day with a nurse can give you an idea if nursing is for you. There are soooooo many nursing specialties and yes many where you don't see blood. You will never be bored, your work day will go quickly, you can travel and see the world or stay in one place.
Good luck on your journey.
Maureen
Thanks for reaching out. You may laugh, but I had big ideals freshman year of high school. I was a volunteer at the hospital next to my high school on Sundays on an inpatient surgical unit. The nurses didn't answer the call lights of patients, it was the volunteers' job. Most of the patients were in pain after surgery and needed their pain medication. I spent a great deal of time going back to the same nurses with the same requests from the same patients. Nurses were putting on nail polish and ordering food for dinner and would tell me they'd get to the patient.
I wanted to be a better nurse caring for all the patients' needs. I have surpassed these goals from volunteer at a hospital to nursing assistant on the night shift in the ER (during nursing school) to ER RN to graduating with a bachelor's, master's and then a certificate as a nurse practitioner.
Camryn, volunteering or spending a day with a nurse can give you an idea if nursing is for you. There are soooooo many nursing specialties and yes many where you don't see blood. You will never be bored, your work day will go quickly, you can travel and see the world or stay in one place.
Good luck on your journey.
Maureen