| ng can be one of the most demanding and rewarding | | | | make upwards of $20 to $36 per hour to start. Many |
| careers around. If you love making a positive | | | | hospitals offer significant hiring bonuses, some as |
| difference in people’s lives, it may just be the | | | | much as $10,000, as well. |
| job for you. Here are a few things to expect from a | | | | Expect flexible shifts. Because of shortages in the |
| career in nursing. | | | | field, hospitals are doing everything they can to make |
| Expect to get certified. To be a nurse, you’ll | | | | the job easier on the employees—including |
| need to graduate from an approved nursing program | | | | offering flexible shifts. It’s not unheard of |
| and pass the NCLEX-RN, the national licensing exam. | | | | nowadays to find hospitals willing to be flexible in |
| Once you’ve done that, you’ll be an | | | | terms of when you work. |
| R.N.—a registered nurse. Many states will allow | | | | Expect a demanding job. No matter what field of |
| you to practice in their state with a license from | | | | nursing you choose to go into, the truth is that |
| another state, but some will require you to | | | | nursing is not for the faint of heart. Your shift will no |
| recertify—check the policies in the state you | | | | doubt be busy and eventful, and you’ll need |
| intend to work in to be sure. How long it will take | | | | comfortable shoes. You may get called in to cover |
| you to get registered depends on the program. A | | | | extra shifts—those nursing shortages can be a |
| BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program will | | | | challenge as well as a blessing. The nursing industry is |
| generally take you four years to complete. ADN | | | | taking great pains to improve working conditions for |
| (Associate Degree in Nursing) programs take three | | | | nurses, in order to improve retention and raise |
| years, and are usually offered by community and | | | | recruitment rates. However, nursing isn’t an |
| junior colleges. A nursing diploma offered by a | | | | easy job—you will face challenges every day. |
| hospital will also take around three years. All three | | | | Expect a lot of choices. One of the biggest growing |
| paths qualify you to become an R.N., but most ADN | | | | fields in nursing right now is nursing home care. |
| and diploma graduates will go on to pursue their BSN | | | | However, there are over 200 other specialties you |
| for a broader education. Many hospitals offer tuition | | | | can choose, from midwifery to cardiac nursing, |
| reimbursement for nurses who decide to choose this | | | | in-home to hospice care, child, palliative, and travel |
| route. | | | | nursing. Nursing truly is a career that can be tailored |
| Expect to be in demand. Nursing is definitely a | | | | to fit your interests, whether those include children, |
| growing field, and now is a good time to get into it. | | | | education, travel, case management, grief counseling, |
| If you choose to go into nursing, you should be able | | | | or any number of other specialties. Some require |
| to find a job—no matter where you live. With | | | | extra certification, while others simply require the |
| one of the most numerous generations in American | | | | usual R.N. certification. |
| history getting ready to retire, demand for nursing is | | | | Nursing can be a big challenge, but it can also provide |
| only expected to increase in the years ahead. As a | | | | big rewards. Hospitals are under a lot of pressure to |
| nurse, expect to have the upper hand in salary and | | | | keep their nurses satisfied while attracting new ones |
| other job negotiations for decades to come. | | | | to the field. Now has never been a better time to |
| Expect high pay. Because of the high demand for | | | | get into nursing—it’s a stable career |
| nurses, pay in this industry has never been better. | | | | with a high demand that should last for decades. |
| Depending on the area, many nurses can expect to | | | | |