So today I’m going to answer a question that I’ve seen asked a lot. This question takes many forms…
- “Is being a registered nurse worth it?”
- “Is being a licensed vocational nurse worth it?”
- “Is being a licensed practical nurse worth it?”
Being a nurse is worth it. As a nurse, you get to serve and make a difference in the lives of others at a time they need it the most. On top of that, it’s a stable career path that allows you to provide for yourself and your family.
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Reasons Why it’s Worth it to be a Nurse
Typically the ones who I see asking this question falls into two categories.
There’s the person (usually college student) trying to figure out if nursing is a good career and then there’s the nursing student who’s deep in school and struggling and trying to figure out if being a nurse is worth the amount of stress they have.
The path to being a nurse is hard. For starters, nursing school is no joke, and the prerequisite classes you have to take beforehand like your human anatomy and physiology are challenging courses.
Many times nursing students are stuck having to spend all their time studying at the library while their friends who are in less challenging majors or not in school, are out having fun.
It’s all worth it and to help convince you we’re going to give you some of the awesome benefits of being a nurse.
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1. You’re Making a Difference
As a nurse, you get an opportunity to make a huge impact on the lives of your patients and their loved ones each and every day.
When patients are admitted into a hospital many times, it’s going to be one of the lowest points of their lives.
They’re going to be hurting and not know what to do.
The family members will be scared of what’s going on with their loved ones.
As a nurse, you get to be part of the solution, and you get to be part of the difference-maker.
2. You’re Being Compensate More than Most
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018 registered nurses had an average salary of about $71,730 with a mean hourly pay of $34.48 (source).
The median salary of other jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree is $68,190.
Based on that nurses get to make such an impact while being well compensated.
3. Opportunities for Advancement
Nursing is one of those fields where advancements happen frequently. One of the easiest ways for advancement is by getting further education. The typical trajectory is as such.
If you started off as a nurse’s aid, you could advance to a licensed practical nurse or LPN (or licensed vocational nurse or LVN). As an LPN or LVN, you could get your associates or bachelor’s and become a registered nurse.
From there, you could get your masters, doctorate, or Ph.D. in nursing. We haven’t even gotten into the opportunities for leadership positions with each advancement.
Every advancement gives you opportunities for more perks and more responsibilities.
4. Job Security
On top of the pay and the advancement opportunities nursing also happens to be in an industry (healthcare) that is considered by many to be recession-proof.
Not to mention the profession of nursing itself happens to be very much in demand.
5. Endless Flexibility
Alright maybe not exactly endless but it sure feels like it.
Do you want to work with only kids?
What about the elderly?
Is there a particular disease process that interests you, maybe just heart issues?
Nursing gives you the option to do all of that. And guess what? If you get tired of one area, you can just switch and find another field that interests you.
Why Some Might Not Think a Degree in Nursing is Worth
In all fairness, some nurses might say otherwise. So below, we want to highlight some of the reasons why many of them think that.
For starters…
1. Being a Nurse is Hard
For all the reason we’re going to mention below, being a nurse can be very challenging. Sure you could say nurses know what they’re getting themselves into before they signed up for the job.
To that, I would say I both agree and disagree. The main reason being I’m not sure any nursing student truly understands what they’re signing up for.
2. Nursing is Emotionally Draining
As a nurse, you’re going to see so many patients struggling, and you’re going to want to help them all. But you’re going to frequently be in situations where you’re not going to be able to help.
It starts wearing on you and if you’re not careful you’re going to take a lot of that home with you.
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Use our school search to find schools and get information on the programs that’s right for you. (Don’t worry it’s fast and free!)
Final Thoughts
While there are definitely some cons of being a nurse, we think the pros of nursing definitely outweigh the cons.
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