There are plenty of compelling nursing benefits, like lucrative pay, strong job growth rate, and opportunities for career advancement. A nursing career can also allow you to work in diverse settings, embrace lifelong learning and professional development, and stay active at work.
Choosing to return to school to make a career change to nursing is no small decision. You may be wondering, “Is nursing a good career?” At Utica University, we’re confident that nursing is a smart career path for those who are interested in a hands-on career in healthcare.
Utica’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months if you have a prior non-nursing degree or at least 65 college credits. Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about making a successful transition into nursing, even if you have no prior healthcare experience.
While considering the question, “Is nursing a good career for me?” you may want to investigate the job growth rate and strong earning potential. Think about other nursing benefits as well, such as advancement opportunities, diverse work settings, and scheduling flexibility.
Why Is Nursing a Good Career Choice Today?
Some people pursue a nursing career because they had a positive experience with a nurse who helped them navigate a difficult situation. Others are fascinated by health science and want to follow their curiosity into a new career. Regardless of your motivation, there are many benefits to consider:
1. Strong Job Outlook and Employment Opportunities
Nurses have been in strong demand for years, and that demand is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job growth rate for registered nurses (RNs) is expected to be 6% from 2023 through 2033, faster than average. At this rate, healthcare employers are expected to hire about 197,200 new nurses during this period.
2. Diverse Work Environments
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree allows you to work in many specialties and settings. You could work in a hospital, but diverse options are available to those interested in working outside of a hospital. Some available settings include:
- Home healthcare
- Insurance companies
- Law firms/legal consulting
- Military bases
- Nursing homes
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Schools
If alternative careers in nursing interest you, consider 10 nursing careers outside the hospital.
3. Competitive Salary and Earning Potential
Nursing benefits encompass strong earning potential. According to the BLS, the median annual wage for nurses is $93,600 as of May 2024. If you choose to stay in-state after your time at Utica University, you may have an even higher earning potential. The median annual salary for RNs in NY was $105,600 as of May 2024.
In addition, nurses often receive paid time off, retirement benefits, and reimbursement opportunities for tuition and certification fees. This makes a nursing degree a very secure investment.
4. Personal Fulfillment and Purpose
A nursing career empowers you to earn a living while making a difference. Nurses share some of life’s most challenging and happiest moments with those in their care. This requires great compassion and interpersonal skills. Not many jobs have this potential for life-changing impact. Nurses can develop personal connections with their patients and may be remembered fondly by those they have treated.
5. Trusted and Respected Profession
If you value integrity, nursing might be a great option for you. Gallup reports that for more than 20 years, nursing has ranked highest in public perception of honesty and ethics above doctors, grade-school teachers, and pharmacists. In other words, as a nurse, you can rest assured that your patients will value your integrity and trust your healthcare guidance.
6. Lifelong Learning and Growth
A nursing career is suited for people who thrive in a fast-paced, exciting work environment. Nurses face a variety of situations and work with all types of patients, and each day will hold something new. This necessitates embracing lifelong learning.
Your B.S. in Nursing provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the field, but each new day will offer an opportunity to learn and adapt to the ever-changing nursing field.
7. Scheduling Flexibility
Nurses have more scheduling flexibility than some other professions. Many nurses who are parents work part-time to be more available to their children. Other nurses work night shifts to provide extra availability during the day. Those who would like to have weekends free might pursue school nursing. If flexibility is a priority for you, nursing would be an excellent option, as there are opportunities to fit the career to your lifestyle.
8. Community, Collaboration, and Networking Opportunities
Nursing is a highly collaborative field. Healthcare facilities require teamwork to operate successfully, and nurses are integral to that team. As such, you can expect to spend your shifts sharing ideas, solving problems, and making important decisions with your coworkers.
Working as a nurse requires expert interpersonal skills, but you will not carry the weight of serious clinical decisions alone. There will always be others carrying it with you.
9. Active and Hands-On Career
For many, sedentary work in an office not an option. Maybe you are the type of person who needs to move throughout the day. Perhaps you dread the thought of sitting at a desk and staring at a screen all day.
Nursing is fast-paced and constantly changing. Nurses use computers to update patient records, but they are often on their feet, as well. Staying active at work may improve your overall health and help you enjoy what you do for a living.
10. There Are Plenty of Advancement Opportunities
Another of the most compelling nursing benefits is the opportunity to pursue career advancement. You can use your bachelor’s in nursing degree as a foundation for earning a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Equipped with a graduate nursing degree, you might decide to obtain the board certification necessary to become an advanced practice registered nurse, such as a nurse practitioner or certified registered nurse anesthetist.
Alternatively, if you’d like to step away from the bedside, you might consider advancement opportunities in nursing management, education, or research.
11. It’s Never Too Late to Become a Nurse
A unique feature of nursing is that you can become a nurse even if you already have a degree and work experience in a different career. Whatever your stage of life, you can still follow your dreams of becoming a nurse. Thanks to the ABSN program at Utica, you won’t need to spend four years in college before taking the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. If you have a completed non-nursing degree, you may qualify for the ABSN program, or if you have at least 65 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible for our Advanced Standing B.S. in Nursing program.
Are you thinking about nursing as a second career? Follow these five steps to succeed in accelerated nursing school.
Pursue Your Future in Nursing at Utica University
Is nursing a good career for you? If you think it could be, it’s time to contact the admission team at Utica University. Your dedicated admission representative will review your eligibility, answer your questions, and help you navigate the application process.
As a Utica ABSN student, you’ll enjoy our small class sizes, personalized support, and hybrid approach to learning. Plus, we make Academic Success Coaches available to our students to help facilitate their progress. Contact our admission team today.
