Five Things to Consider if You Want to Change Careers to Nursing
Lots of people have considered changing careers, and nursing is one of the most popular choices for career switchers. Nursing allows you to change people’s lives and can be a satisfying career choice, and while there are lots of different roles within nursing, it’s not for everyone.
Here are some things to consider if you’re thinking of going into nursing.
1. Can you get some healthcare experience?
If you haven’t worked in a healthcare setting before, it’s worth seeing if you can get some experience, perhaps as a nurse assistant, so that you can see what kind of work nurses do. It’s important to understand both the benefits and challenges of nursing before you commit to a career change, so you can decide whether nursing is right for you.
2. How long will it take you to qualify?
Nursing requires you to graduate from an accredited program, then pass an exam to become a registered nurse. You can then get a state license that’ll allow you to search for jobs and practice in your area. How long it takes to do an accredited program will depend on different factors, such as whether you already have a degree and whether you can transfer credits. You may be able to qualify after nine months to two years, so will need to consider whether this is doable.Only after qualification will you be able to land a job in the nursing industry, so you need to be prepared to go through these stages. After getting the required qualifications you can start looking for jobs in different places. Now there are various available platforms like PRN healthcare, Career Vitals and NurseBuff that offer jobs specifically for the nursing industry.
3. Would nursing suit your lifestyle?
If nursing is your second career, it’s likely you’ll have commitments from children to the care of elderly relatives or voluntary work. Nursing can be demanding, and in certain disciplines, you have to work shifts. However for some people, shift work suits them, for example, nurses often work three long days a week, which might give you more time for family.
4. Will you make enough money?
While registered nurse salaries are pretty good, it’s not the reason why people get into this kind of job. Some of the benefits outside of salary include:
● A wide choice of job locations – nurses are needed all over the USA, so you could move to a cheaper location and enjoy a better lifestyle
● Stable jobs – while many industries are struggling, healthcare is likely to provide a stable career for the future
● Healthcare – most employers in the healthcare industry offer excellent medical packages to their own staff
If becoming a nurse is going to mean a slight salary cut, it’s worth looking at the big picture and deciding whether you’d really be worse off.
5. Could you cope with the difficult parts of nursing?
From spending hours on your feet to dealing with dying patients, there’s no denying that nursing is a tough career. It’s worth reading up on what it’s really like to be a nurse and thinking about how you’d deal with the physically and emotionally demanding aspects of the role. Not everyone can be a nurse, and it’s not a career for those looking for an easy life. However, if you have the right personality and attitude, it can be rewarding in many ways.
