I wish I thought more seriously about my career path when I was younger.

Typical case of, there’s always more time to worry about that! But planning for your future has never been easier or more important. You don’t need to know what you want to become right off the bat, but you may want to aim for a certain career path by your sophomore year of college.

Why?

Because you can utilize college resources to research potential career pursuits and align your educational path accordingly. Especially if your passion leads you towards a higher calling like nursing.

The nursing profession isn’t simply a job – it’s a noble career dedicated to tirelessly helping the sick and injured. It’s not meant for everyone and calls for the deepest level of compassion, caring, and responsibility. Are you more of an educator? That’s great because the need for nurse educators has never been higher. Do you want to get right to work? Perfect, because there will be roughly 439,000 new RN openings by 2024.

Those looking to become a nurse because it is a smart career move may not do well. It IS a smart career move for those that are prepared for long hours, stressful environments, and want to partake in fulfilling work. If patience for patients isn’t one of your virtues, however, then you may want to consider another career path.

Am I Nurse Material?

If you are a woman, you’re in…just kidding! Although the percentage of women working in nursing far exceeds the number of men – 83% female 8% male, and 9% unspecified according to the Henry J Kaiser Foundation – gender is not relevant. The reason why percentages are so skewed is due to limitations placed on women in healthcare. They were only allowed to be nurses, while the big strong men became doctors. These antiquated and incorrect practices are no longer the case (well, pay is still an issue), and more men are seeking nursing professions while more women are becoming doctors.

If you are curious about what it takes to be a nurse, consider the following:

• You need to be empathetic and compassionate. The position’s core function is to relieve someone’s suffering and resolve their ailments. Nicely, as well. Nobody wants a Nurse Ratched.
• Playing off the nice remark, you need to be caring if you want to be a successful nurse. Caring is based off four elements: attentive, responsible, competent, and responsive.
• Picking any career involves an understanding of your skills and conditions and finding a position that correlates. In this case, you better be flexible, adaptive, a critical-thinker, cognizant, and a stress-sponge if you want to be a nurse.

Do It for America

Like the “We Can Do It!” posters from the early 1940’s, we need more people to step into the nursing profession. Except for this time, Rosie the Riveter is calling for women and men to join the cause. Issues form well before symptoms appear, and we are already seeing the symptoms of a nationwide nursing shortage. If we already feel the effects and the shortage is projected to increase, that’s not good. Consider the following statistics:

• In 2016, there were 4 million active nurses in the US. That seems like a strong workforce but pales when compared to the 323.4 million people living in the US in 2016. They make up roughly 1.2% of the population and are supposed to efficiently and effectively provide care without wait times. Yea, right.
• There isn’t just one type of nurse. There are a variety of nursing educations, roles, and functions that keep healthcare facilities afloat. 36.8% of employed nurses are RNs, which begin work after earning a bachelor’s degree and becoming state certified. These healthcare professionals are the backbone of healthcare and are desperately needed. As mentioned at the beginning, the need for RNs is expected to grow by 16%, resulting in 439,000 new jobs by 2024. Take advantage of an employee’s market!
• One of the most pressing concerns is our aging patient population vs our aging nurse population. As our lifespan continues to increase and baby-boomers require more geriatric care, it puts additional unforeseen stress on our healthcare system. This is severely aggravated by the current and future nursing shortage. By 2024, 700,000 nurses are projected to retire. Include that with the introduction of 439,000 NEW jobs, and you can see there is a problem.

Choosing a career can be difficult, and it’s okay if you’re in college and have no clue. But don’t wait too long to discover what you want. America’s nursing shortage can’t be filled with the unenthused and apathetic. It has to be filled by caring, intelligent, and empathetic people like you who can make a difference.