Like any profession, being a nurse has many benefits as well as a few consequences. It’s a job that requires your utmost attention, energy, and empathy. Not only will you alleviate pain and bring comfort to your patients, but also you will need to manage their family, difficult co-workers, and your own emotional and physical strains. However, no matter how tiresome and stressful it is, being a nurse is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding and gratifying professions. In my opinion, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and all the challenges are worth the outcome.
1. You are constantly learning new things.
When you are caring for a wide range of patients every day, you are exposed to their different cultures, mindsets, and perspectives with an accepting and nurturing attitude. Without realizing it, you are familiarizing and educating yourself about things you wouldn’t think about if it wasn’t for your job.
2. You have mastered the art of caring for others.
Although this might seem like a universal skill, not everyone is emotionally or psychically equipped to help others. As a nurse, you begin to see the world through empathic eyes and understand how vulnerable people really can be. No matter what kind of nurse you are, you will always be a caring one.
3. You are in high demand.
No matter where you go or the size of the population, the world will always need nurses. In these times of an uncertain economy, it is nice to know that you will have a job. It is now commonplace to see Nursing Graduates from Spanish Universities receive job offers from Germany, Finland and the UK.
4. You can go where you want.
As mentioned above, nurses are valued and needed all over the world. This means that in any city, country, or continent, there are available positions for nurses. Just remember that in some places responsibilities for health care professionals may be different, depending on local customs but, because of the high demand for nurses all over the globe, the options are endless!
5. You can choose a specialty.
Nursing offers hundreds of areas to specialize in and lots of ways to increase your responsibilities. Depending on your interests and capabilities, you can choose the direction you want to work. On top of that, if there is a specialization you wish to pursue years after your degree, many places of work provide online classes and tutorials.
6. You earn what you deserve.
To compensate for the long shifts and demanding tasks, nurses are paid a comfortable salary in relation to other health care jobs. Obviously, no one becomes a nurse for the income, but it is a nice benefit!
7. You can choose your own schedule.
Nursing comes with great responsibility but also great flexibility. It’s one of the few professions where you can chose your availability and timetable. You have the option to work full-time, part-time, or on-call during different times of day (or night), scheduled to your liking! This means you can create long weekends or short work weeks for yourself.
being a nurse is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding and gratifying professions
8. You are never bored.
Every patient requires specific care and no two patients are exactly the same which means every day as a nurse is different. No other career can promise such an unpredictable but stimulating work day!
9. You know how to handle stress.
One of the many responsibilities you take on as a nurse is learning how to function in and manage stressful situations. Even though this might be seen as a downside to the job, I think it is important to know how to keep your cool no matter your line of work.
10. You are making a difference.
Lastly, being a nurse is not only about healing a patient or reassuring their family, but also about entirely changing someone’s experience with health care when they are most vulnerable and scared. You are actively making a real contribution to help people and better their lives in a time of need.