Here in my neck of the woods the economy and job market is not as affected as in other areas of the country. But we are feeling the recession. It seems that more people than ever are worried about their jobs or career choices. As the economy is ever so quickly declining and layoffs are at an all time high there is still a huge demand for nurses.
It is predicted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that by the year 2014 there will be a 27% increase in the job market for nurses and nursing related careers i.e. certified nursing assistants, phlebotomist. That is a marked increase of 3.6 million new jobs in the nursing/medical field in just 8 years.
When I started nursing school in 1996 I had no idea how many fields a nurse was able to practice. There are countless opportunities for each personality type. Did you know that less than 60% of registered nurses actually work in a hospital setting? Just ideas of some of the diverse areas that a nurse/ medical assistant might operate in are listed below.
Working as nurse on site, places that typically employ an onsite nurse would be: schools, amusement parks, cruise ships, national parks, industrial business and my favorite even some beaches and resort hotels.
Let’s not forget to mention home health. This is where the medical practioner/nurse travels and goes to visit patients in the home. On average a home health nurse might visit up to 5-8 patients a day depending of the acuity of the patient. Some require 24 hour nursing care and require a nurse one on one at all times. Different forms of home health are available. Some specialize in just pediatrics or just geriatrics. Hospice care is another form of home health. There are many available it just depends on your location of practice.
Flight nurses and transport nurses are responsible for transporting patients by helicopter/ambulance in critical condition from one location to another. A CCN or critical care nurse usually requires extensive training and multiple degrees. A challenge, yes! But the bright side to that challenge is the compensation one receives for the vast amount of training.
Sales would be another field one might flip into with a nursing/medical degree. Sales representative/marketing positions are available in many regions of the medical field, ranging from orthopedics to suture. Maybe pharmaceuticals or surgical equipment peaks one’s interest. I myself am a respiratory marketing representative and I love it.
Maybe you are trying to figure out what you want to be when you grow up ,maybe you are deciding that a career switch would suit your needs better or you are just pondering about what the future job market holds. Nonetheless, a nursing degree will provide a secure job that will be in high demand now and in the future. It limits you not only to nursing, but provides you with ample opportunities to explore a career that is right for you.
