Nurses play a vital role in society by caring for people, usually those who are most vulnerable. So, they should be given their rightly deserved spotlight and be thanked for all that they do. The expression that ‘not all superheroes wear capes’ is most certainly true, especially from the perspective of nurses. They are heroes, irreplaceable, and really important. Why you ask? Well, to answer that, we must first begin by defining and understanding what a nurse is and what they do.
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What are nurses, and what do they do?
Nurses are trained individuals who provide healthcare for those who need it. Typically, nurses take care of those who are ill in hospital settings. However, their role and influence is not just confined to hospitals. You may be interested to learn that there are a number of nursing jobs that are not based in hospital settings. For example, there are:
- Aesthetic nurses – these nurses typically work in dermatology or plastic surgeon practices. Their job is to assist and perform non-surgical cosmetic treatments.
- Certified nurse-midwife – These nurses work in birthing and women’s health centers.
- Flight nurse – these nurses typically work on planes or helicopters and provide care in the air.
- Home health nurse – these nurses travel to people’s homes to give care and treat patients.
As illustrated above, there are many avenues and options for nurses. So, they do not have to work exclusively in a hospital.
Nurses help to maintain the health (physical and mental) of individuals
If doing their job well, nurses should and usually do have a positive influence and impact on the mental and physical well-being of patients. Nurses have to regularly talk and communicate with patients and all types of people on a daily basis. These interactions are very important, as with every encounter comes the opportunity and responsibility to positively impact a person. This is especially the case if the person is a patient. So, nurses must always act as role models while also promoting health and preventing illness.
If nurses did not exist, there would be nobody to take care of the people that need it. Also, it is important to note that nursing is a difficult and demanding career. However, it can also be extremely rewarding and considered to be a blessing. This is largely because of the many benefits associated with the profession. For example:
- Pride – being a nurse can give you a great sense of pride and self-worth. This is because, as a nurse, you have the ability to truly connect with your patients and develop meaningful relationships with them. Importantly, since you will be providing care to and for them, you will positively influence their lives. This influence can be physical (e.g., you helped them with their recovery from an illness). Or perhaps it is mental e.g.; you may have provided a listening ear to someone who was struggling, which helped them feel a lot happier and less alone. So, as a nurse, you should take great pride in who you are and what you do. This is because you are likely having a great impact on the lives of your patients.
- Passion for life – Another benefit of nursing is that the career path can help you develop a passion for life and perhaps even give your life purpose. This is because you can wake up every day knowing that you are helping someone, in whatever shape or form that takes for you and your specialization. For example, if you are an aesthetic nurse, you know that you are playing a part in helping someone feel better about how they look. Conversely, if you are a nurse that is primarily located and works in a hospital, you know that you are helping that person recover physically.
- Prestige – Another benefit of nursing is that the career can help you gain prestige in your professional and private life. If you work on doing your job well, you can earn respect from many different people as you have devoted your life to care for others. Although, it must be noted that you probably should not get into nursing for this reason alone. If you are considering nursing as a career path, it is recommended that you get into it for all the right reasons (i.e., wanting to have a genuine and large impact on the lives of others.
- Job protection and security – It is also important to note that nursing is a very stable and ‘safe’ career option. This is a really important consideration because technology is taking center stage in this day and age. While this is not necessarily bad or harmful, it can be, especially when robots and technology are taking the jobs of humans. Although it is certainly not impossible, it is very unlikely that technology will replace humans in healthcare in the foreseeable future. So, as a nurse, you can be reassured that your job will remain yours for as long as you want to it to be.
So, if you think you have got what it takes, you should definitely consider a career in nursing. You can start off by getting and an undergraduate degree in nursing. After, if you think that nursing is the right career choice for you, you can eventually move up to get a doctorate in nursing that Marymount University can help you obtain.
The world needs nurses
There is no such thing as having too many nurses. Therefore, we as humans will always need nurses so that society could function. So, you do not have to worry about job competition so much. If you are well trained and educated, it will be a rather swift and straightforward career path and movement. So, while it is certainly challenging, a career in nursing is not only important but needed. Nurses are the backbone of hospitals, and their knowledge is invaluable. So, men, woman or other, you should definitely consider a career in nursing.