Nursing Job Outlook
One of the fastest growing jobs for the next decade is nursing. Advanced technology and increasing health concerns create an increasing need for more qualified nurses. While many other careers are facing significant job losses during the recession, nurses continue to be in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing careers will grow faster than most other careers through 2018.
How Much Will Nursing Occupations Grow?
From 2008 to 2018, nursing employment is expected to grow a significant 22 percent. The boom over the next decade is attributed to replacing experienced nurses who leave, an increasing focus on preventative care and advancements in patient care. It is estimated there will be over 581,500 new jobs in registered nursing alone.
Where Will Nurses Be Employed During The Next Decade?
Nurses will be employed in a variety of setting over the next decade. The fastest growth will happen in physicians' offices, outpatient facilities, home health care services and nursing care facilities. Slow but steady growth is expected in hospitals and employment services.
Why is the Nursing Job Outlook in Physicians' Offices Good?
Nursing employment will grow more rapidly in physicians' offices than hospitals because of the performance of an increasing number of outpatient procedures. Also, healthcare in general is expanding including preventative care.
Why is the Nursing Job Outlook in Outpatient Facilities Good?
The nursing job outlook in outpatient facilities is excellent because of the increasing number of procedures performed in physicians' offices. There is an increasing need for services such as same-day surgery, rehabilitation and chemotherapy. As a result, nurses will find outstanding employment opportunities in these areas.
Why is the Nursing Job Outlook in Home Health Care Good?
There is a growing need for home health care from LPNs and RNs because hospitals are releasing patients sooner. Many older people with functional disabilities prefer home health care to being in a nursing facility or hospice. Technological advances make it possible today to offer advanced treatment at home. Specially trained nursed will be needed to care for these patients.
Why is the Nursing Job Outlook in Nursing Care Facilities Good?
The need for nurses in nursing care facilities is expected to grow because of the increasing number of older persons, many requiring long-term care. Financial pressure on hospitals to discharge patients as soon as possible is likely to produce more admissions to nursing care facilities. Specialized nurses will also be needed in nursing care facilities units for patients with head injuries, strokes or Alzheimer's.
Where Else Will Nurses Be Employed in the Next 10 Years?
As the health care industry continues to grow and change, more nurses are needed in multiple areas. There is a need for traveling nurses, who are also called temporary workers. Medical facilities often pay salary, benefits, housing fees and travel costs for traveling nurses to work for three or six months. There is a rapidly growing need for nurse practitioners, nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists and nurse anesthetics, especially in inner city and rural areas.
Which Hospital Departments Will Have the Greatest Need for Nurses?
Certain hospital departments usually need nurses on an ongoing basis. Emergency and critical care departments have a high turnover so there are always available jobs for nurses with emergency training. There will also be a need for nurses in the outpatient care department. Bilingual nurses appreciate various opportunities working with patients in particular geographic regions.
What is the Nursing Job Outlook for LPNs Versus RNs?
The best job prospects in the next decade will be for RNs with a bachelor's degree. The greatest area of competition for RNs is getting jobs in physicians' offices and outpatient care centers because the predictable working hours are so desirable. Specialty nurses in advanced practices such as anesthetics and midwifery will appreciate ongoing job opportunities.
What Do Nurses Have to Say About Nursing Careers?
Weigh the words of nurses from today and yesterday when you consider a career in nursing:
Naomi Judd was a nurse before she achieved notoriety as a famous singer. Naomi said about nursing, “I learned more about myself by being an RN than anything else I've ever done.”
Jean Watson, renowned nurse and author, said, “Caring is the essence of nursing.”
One of the most famous nurses in history, Florence Nightingale, stated, “Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter´s or sculptor´s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God´s spirit? It is one of the FineArts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.”
In the annual Gallup poll, nurses have lead the list of the most respected profession for 7 years in a row. Pursuing a career in nursing today means earning the salary and professional expect you want in the future.