Comparing the pros and cons of nursing can help you make an informed decision for your career. Some of the benefits of being a nurse include strong job growth, high salary expectations, an extensive range of nursing specialties, and opportunities for advancement. Disadvantages include exposure to pathogens and long shifts.
The nursing workforce in the U.S. is 4.7 million people strong, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). In fact, nursing is the largest healthcare profession and one of the most numerous of all professions in the U.S. Millions of people before you have chosen to become nurses. If you’re thinking of joining them, weighing the pros and cons of nursing can be an effective way to determine whether a career in nursing aligns with your preferences and goals.
Utica University welcomes many transfer students and career switchers who decide that nursing is the right choice. If the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of being a nurse, take a closer look at Utica’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in New York. Our ABSN program leverages your previous education so that the nursing curriculum can be completed in as few as 16 months, and you can start your new career sooner.
Before filling out your application, however, explore the pros and cons of nursing. Consider the benefits, such as career diversity, robust salary expectations, and strong job growth. Then weigh the potential drawbacks, such as the need for emotional resilience.
Benefits of Being a Nurse
One compelling benefit of becoming a nurse is that the field welcomes career switchers. Regardless of your professional background, age, or experience, it’s possible to become a nurse quickly with Utica’s ABSN program. Other benefits of a nursing career include:
Diverse Career Opportunities
As a nurse, you’ll be able to choose from a wide range of nursing specialties. You can specialize by patient population, such as pediatrics, women’s health, or adult-gerontology. You can also specialize in a specific health condition, such as oncology, orthopedics, or gastroenterology. You could even specialize by work setting, such as school nursing, emergency medical evacuation flight nursing, or emergency room nursing.
Other nursing specialties to consider include:
- Burn care nursing
- Critical care
- Disaster relief nursing
- Forensic nursing
- Home health nursing
- Labor and delivery
- Mental health
Wide Range of Work Settings
While you’re comparing the pros and cons of being a nurse, take some time to peruse the varying work settings. Although many nurses work in hospitals, others work in:
- Correctional facilities
- Dental surgery offices
- Family care practices
- K-12 schools and universities
- Long-term care facilities
- Outpatient surgery centers
- Plastic surgery offices
- Rehabilitation centers
- Standalone urgent care centers
Strong Job Growth Rate
Nursing is a great career to consider during times of slow economic growth. It consistently has a strong job-growth rate, and nurses are projected to remain in high demand for the foreseeable future due to factors such as an aging population.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nursing is expected to maintain a job growth rate of 5% from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all professions.
Discover why nurses are in high demand right now.
High Earning Potential
One common reason career switchers choose nursing is its earning potential. The BLS reports that the median annual salary for all RNs was $93,600 as of May 2024.
Salary can vary depending on many factors, including years of experience, geographic location, healthcare employer, and nursing specialty. One way to boost your salary potential is to earn certifications in your specialty after gaining some experience.
Career Advancement Possibilities
Another way to boost your salary is to pursue career advancement, and there are plenty of pathways in the nursing field. If you’re interested in moving away from direct patient care, consider a career in nursing management, administration, research, or nursing education.
If you’d like to continue providing direct patient care, consider pursuing a career as an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). APRNs include nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).
Pursuing career advancement often requires returning to school to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). If you’d like to become an APRN, you’ll also need board certification in your specialty area.
Continual Learning Opportunities
If you’re a passionate lifelong learner, nursing could be the perfect fit for you. Your education will not end upon graduation; you’ll continue to refine your clinical skills and expand your nursing knowledge throughout your career. You’ll participate in continuing education opportunities and learn from your colleagues.
Cons of Nursing
While there are many benefits of being a nurse, a comprehensive view of the advantages and disadvantages of being a nurse necessitates an exploration of the drawbacks. Some of the potential disadvantages include:
Requires Emotional Resilience
A nurse’s job isn’t always easy. Not every patient will survive, and losing a patient requires emotional resilience and professional boundaries. Similarly, professional boundaries are important when dealing with patients and family caregivers experiencing emotional distress.
Can Be Physically Demanding
Working a nursing shift often requires spending long hours on your feet. It’s essential to invest in comfortable, supportive shoes. Nurses must also lift and transfer patients, which can lead to physical strain. Technologies, such as lifting equipment, and your fellow nurses can make this easier.
Exposure to Pathogens
Nurses work with many different patients and are frequently exposed to infectious diseases. This risk can be mitigated by wearing a mask and washing hands frequently. Nurses can also protect themselves by following all infection control and sharps protocols. If pathogen exposure concerns you, a career in telehealth nursing could be an ideal solution.
Potential for Long Shifts in Some Specialties
Some nursing specialties and settings require long shifts, such as medical-surgical nursing. Not all nursing jobs demand long hours. If you’re interested in a more traditional work schedule, you might consider jobs in family care practice or other outpatient clinics.
Discover actionable tips for better time management in nursing school.
Comparing the Pros and Cons of Being a Nurse
Different pros and cons of nursing will be more important to some individuals than others. One way to determine if nursing is right for you is to decide which career attributes are most important to you, such as career stability or salary. Then, assess a potential nursing career through the lens of only those most essential attributes.
Also, keep in mind that there is considerable diversity amongst nursing specialties and work settings. Some nursing specialties offer better work-life balance than others, for example. Review some of the possibilities, select a few that interest you, and then take the time to conduct deep research in those practice areas.
Benefit From Student Support at Utica University
If you’ve decided that the benefits of being a nurse outweigh the potential drawbacks, you can take advantage of the exceptional student support at Utica. Our accelerated nursing program offers personalized admission assistance and, once enrolled, individual support from our Academic Success Coaches. Graduate in as few as 16 months through a combination of online classes and in-person, hands-on learning opportunities.
Contact an admission representative at Utica today to discover if you’re eligible for our ABSN or Advanced Standing B.S. in Nursing program.
