| If you have ever been faced with a stay in hospital | | | | for them. This is where their training comes into |
| then you know just how important your nurse was | | | | effect as they manage a balancing act of care with |
| to you. These places can be frightening at times, | | | | the necessary speed to get through their tasks. On |
| particularly for patients who are separated by long | | | | the one hand there needs to be compassion and |
| distances from families. People who have been in | | | | empathy for the patient and on the other hand the |
| these situations know all too well how they would | | | | skills that are required to care for that patient in an |
| look forward to being cared for by certain nurses, as | | | | efficient and competent manner. Not everyone who |
| they had just the right manner and attitude that | | | | has chosen to become a nurse can manage these |
| always seemed to cheer them up and make them | | | | two things, ideally they should, but human nature is |
| feel better. These are the men and women that | | | | what it is. |
| were born to be a nurse, they thrive on caring for | | | | There are an enormous number of opportunities for |
| people and they do it with competency and | | | | studying nursing in America. Some 3,000 programs |
| compassion. | | | | exist throughout the nation which attracts students |
| It is not easy being a nurse in today's busy and | | | | from all over the world. The graduate and |
| oftentimes frantic hospitals, as the demands put on | | | | undergraduate programs have undergone major |
| them are great. Most would however, agree that | | | | innovative changes by the nurse educators over the |
| nursing is nonetheless very rewarding. It has always | | | | past few years. Technology is increasing at a rapid |
| been regarded as a noble profession, and the nurse is | | | | fire pace, and nurse education has to keep up with |
| widely viewed as being one of the most trusted | | | | these changes. This makes for a challenge in |
| members of the community. Today's modern nurse is | | | | educating as well as in the learning experience. |
| very different from those that took up the | | | | Facilities are generally very up-to-date and modern, |
| profession in Florence Nightingale's day. But one thing | | | | as they have to be in order to meet these demands. |
| that does remain the same is their commitment to | | | | Deciding to become a nurse means that one will |
| the well being of their patients. | | | | always be able to find employment. The worldwide |
| Boredom is not a word you hear used when | | | | shortage of nurses will see to this, and this is also a |
| describing a nurse's day, in fact it is usually quite the | | | | reason that a large number of people turn to nursing |
| opposite. Early morning and late night shifts mean | | | | as a career. The ageing population is going to be |
| that life can easily revolve around the hospital, | | | | placing ever increasing demands on the nursing |
| particularly when there are no family ties. For a | | | | profession, which means that the nurse who has |
| quieter life, a nurse has many options, such as | | | | specialized in any of these related areas will be high in |
| working in schools, retirement villages and in the | | | | demand. Already many hospitals are offering very |
| private sector. It is a skill that can be returned to | | | | attractive bonuses to entice nurses to come and |
| throughout life, and one that can be built upon to | | | | work for them. The shortfall of nurses is expected |
| become highly specialized in chosen fields, such as in | | | | to get much worse over the next 20 years, so |
| the ER, pediatrics, midwifery, geriatric and psychiatric, | | | | deciding to become a nurse now is going to provide |
| to name just a few. Stretched hospital resources will | | | | employment security for the rest of one's working |
| often mean that the nurse has little time to spend | | | | life. |
| with the patient other than to do what is necessary | | | | |