Why become a nurse? While you have likely already considered what compels you towards nursing, there are many practical career benefits that are worth considering. For example, nursing offers career advancement opportunities with room to grow. The field also offers high earning potential and a strong career outlook.
When you imagine a career in healthcare, what do you see? Do you see yourself saving lives in the emergency room or helping a mother deliver her first child? Do you want to build relationships with your patients as you help them lead healthier lives? The career you imagine can change over time, but the reasons you chose it will remain.
Why become a nurse? To answer the question, you will need to examine your personal motives; however, many compelling answers can help influence your decision. Nursing is a dynamic field that offers dozens of career opportunities, from specializations to career growth. If you are looking for a career change that enables you to make meaningful contributions to your community, then nursing might be right for you.
At the University of Mount Saint Vincent, our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program makes it possible for those who have already earned a non-nursing bachelor’s degree to earn their Bachelor of Science (BS) in Nursing in as few as 16 months. Our comprehensive curriculum is designed to fully prepare students to confidently take the licensing exam and embark on their new nursing careers.
Reasons to Become a Nurse: Personal and Professional Benefits
Why choose nursing as a career? There are many reasons to become a nurse, from job stability and growth opportunities to the chance to make a profound impact on others. While a nursing career can be demanding, it has the potential to be immensely rewarding.
Variety of Specializations
Nursing is a diverse field that offers dozens of areas of specialization. As a registered nurse (RN), you can pursue positions beside and away from the bedside or specialize by patient age and condition.
Bedside nursing refers to nursing roles in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and long-term facilities. Conversely, away-from-the-bedside nursing roles refer to nurses who work outside of these environments. While some roles may involve direct patient care, others do not. Some away-from-the-bedside careers include:
- School nurse
- Informatics nurse
- Forensic nurse
- Nurse educator
- Home health nurse
Additionally, nurses can specialize their careers by patient populations and conditions, such as:
- Pediatric nurse
- Geriatric nurse
- Oncology nurse
- Critical care nurse
- ER nurse
Read more to learn about alternative nursing careers outside of hospitals.
Strong Career Outlook
With a national nursing shortage, RNs are in high demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), national registered nurse employment is on track to grow 6% between 2023 and 2033. Growth is expected to be even faster in New York, at 26%, with the NY-NJ-PA Metro area leading the nation in current nursing employment.
High Earning Potential
Nursing is a demanding career and essential to the healthcare industry. As a result, nurses have high earning potential. The national median salary for nurses in 2023 was $86,070, and $104,570 in New York State. Pay varies depending on your experience, position, and industry. According to the BLS, the highest-paying industries for RNs include the government, hospitals (state, local, and private), and ambulatory healthcare.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Why become a nurse? Career advancement opportunities are among the many compelling reasons to become a nurse. The field offers many advancement pathways you can pursue, from leadership opportunities, such as becoming a nurse manager, to specializations, such as becoming an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN).
An APRN is a nursing professional who has undergone graduate-level training and, as a result, has a broader scope of practice. There are four types of APRNs:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Certified Nurse Midwife
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
Read more to learn how you can become a certified nurse midwife in just five steps.
Flexible Schedules
Schedule flexibility is another reason why many people choose nursing as their career. While specifics vary depending on position and work environment, there are many schedule options for nurses, the most common being 12-hour shifts, three days per week. Other full-time variations include:
- Four 12-hour shifts followed by four days off
- Four 10-hour shifts each week
- Five eight-hour shifts each week
Nurses can work full-time, part-time, and per diem, meaning they are scheduled to work as needed. They can also work day, evening, and night shifts.
Give Back to Your Community
Nurses have ranked as the most trusted profession in America over the past 23 consecutive years. This is because nurses provide an essential service to their communities. Becoming a nurse allows you to make a meaningful impact on those around you.
At the University of Mount Saint Vincent, we instill a spirit of service and leadership in our nursing education, ensuring our students graduate ready to give back to their communities and become compassionate and skilled nurses.
Why Do You Want to Be a Nurse? Finding Your Purpose in Healthcare
Only you can answer the question, “Why become a nurse?” As you start the nursing school admission process, you will be asked why you want to be a nurse. Knowing your “why” will help guide you through nursing school and licensing.
Discover Your Purpose in Healthcare in Nursing School
While it is essential to know how to answer, “Why nursing?” before enrolling in nursing school, remember that school is a time to explore and learn. As a nursing student, you will have plenty of opportunities to explore nursing and discover reasons for becoming a nurse you might not have considered.
At the University of Mount Saint Vincent, our ABSN program strives to graduate practice-ready nurses who are committed to providing compassionate and dignified patient care. Our nursing coursework establishes core nursing and science concepts on which students build key skills.
Our nursing skills labs are held in high-tech facilities equipped with medical manikins, where students hone foundational skills, such as patient head-to-toe assessments and IV placement. They also participate in mock clinical scenarios, where they must work as a team to address the medical needs of their manikin patients.
These labs ultimately prepare students for clinical rotations, where they provide real-world patient care at healthcare facilities throughout New York City. Clinicals are when students first experience what it’s like to work as an RN. They also serve as opportunities to network with talented healthcare professionals and explore a sample of nursing specialties, including:
- Adult health
- Acute and long-term care
- Pediatrics and obstetrics
- Intensive care
- Mental and behavioral health
Kickstart Your Nursing Career Today
Nursing is a career that can grow with you. What you imagine for yourself at the start of nursing school can change by the end. Regardless of where your plans take you, the University of Mount Saint Vincent will support you throughout your journey, from our admission counselors guiding you through the admission process to our talented faculty providing academic guidance.
Contact our admission counselors today to learn more about how the ABSN program can help you accomplish your goals.