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Education
10 Reasons to Consider Becoming a Nurse
By
Aug 6, 2009 - 3:06:11 PM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA – If you have ever thought of becoming a nurse, now is the time to get really serious about entering the profession. There are many good reasons why nursing is a strong career decision. It offers everything from reliable employment opportunities to possibilities of advancement, and it’s one field that even those looking for a second career may want to explore. One big reason for its appeal is that it puts you in a field that is well-respected by the community.

“National surveys consistently report that the public considers nurses to be among the most trusted healthcare professionals,” says Sharron Guillett, director of the nursing program at Stratford University. “Stratford University aims to prepare students who, by virtue of their knowledge, ethics and skill, live up to and honor that trust.”

If you are looking for a first career, a career change, or have been considering nursing, here are the top 10 reasons why nursing makes a solid career choice:

1) Jobs. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that 14.5 million people are unemployed, nursing has been largely unaffected. There are around 2.5 million jobs in nursing, making it a field that has plenty of jobs to offer.

2) Growth. The BLS also reports that this field has excellent job opportunities because it is expected to generate around 587,000 new jobs through 2016. It is one of the largest-growing occupational areas.

3) Rewards. If you have a desire to help people or make a difference in the world, nursing can get you there. It’s a rewarding and meaningful field.

4) Salary. While the mean salary for an American is around $42,000 per year, nurses earn a mean salary of over $57,000. The top ten percent earn around $83,000 per year. Over the course of a 25-year career, that’s a difference of $375,000.

5) Opportunity. The nursing field offers many opportunities for advancement. Once in the field, you can work your way into positions such as unit manager, senior level roles, and chief nurse.

6) Specialty. If you have a particular area of health that interests you, nursing offers the ability to specialize. You can choose from a wide range of areas, including emergency, neonatal, labor and delivery, school nursing, orthopedic, and more.

7) Flexibility. Nursing careers offer flexibility, as well as mobility. There are positions available 24 hours a day and across pretty much all of the country.

8) Secondary. The field is often popular as a second career field, as well as a first. Many people looking to change careers choose this field. The education and research opportunities make it an interesting field to transition to.

9) Timeliness. Given the current economic condition in the country, now is an ideal time to go back to school and enhance skills, earn a degree, and choose a solid field to pursue.

10) Health. Being a nurse enables you to gain skills and knowledge that help you care for the health of yourself and your family.

“Our bachelor of science nursing program is a pre-licensure program that prepares students to work in a variety of healthcare agencies and community settings. Our competency-based program provides an opportunity for students to practice their skills in state-of-the-art simulation labs, and to apply those skills in clinical agencies in Virginia, Maryland and the DC area,” adds Guillett. “Just as importantly, since nurses are increasingly recognized as knowledge workers and decision-makers, our students are well-grounded in science, ethics and nursing theory.”

Stratford University has been approved to offer a nursing degree program. The first students will begin taking courses at the Falls Church campus in October 2009. The length of the program ranges from 2-2.5 years for those with transfer credit, to 3 years with no prior college experience.

About Stratford University:

Stratford University operates campuses in Tysons Corner and Woodbridge. It offers 28 undergraduate and graduate degrees in the areas of Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Health Sciences, Business Administration, and Information Technology. The degree programs are offered both on campus, as well as online. For more information on Stratford University, please visit www.stratford.edu.

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