Career Path

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Sandra Martinez Aguilera Advances in Health Science Technology Dr. Angela Hahn 27 May 2013 Career Investigation

My chosen career of interest is nursing and I decided to pursue this as a complement to my passion of delivering care to patients beyond the initial treatment scope. Nursing has a great future and this field is expected to grow tremendously according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its growth is expected to be more than 26 percent by 2020 which is by far fastest than the average for all occupations. Most of this growth is due to cost control measures that are being implemented as many patients are now being treated in outpatient clinics and settings that require less time spent in hospitals due to the limited financial resources available to them. In order to provide adequate treatments nurses are ones to provide the medical care needed around the clock to allow the patients prompt recovery with less involvement of direct physician hands on care. Nursing is a very rewarding career to those who pursue it for their passion to provide care for patients but it is also one that simultaneously can offer financial stability and growth depending on how far an individual is willing to further their career or their place of employment. In nursing just like any other field salaries vary depending on specialty or healthcare facility where you work in, however a factor that plays an important role in determining these ranges has a lot to do with the particular degree earned. The lowest level in which an individual can become licensed to become a nurse is as a licensed practical nurse and from here they can further their education all the way to a doctorate in nursing degree. Salaries for a licensed practical nurse can average to $40,000 a year according to a survey conducted by Nursing2013. The next option for a nurse would be to pursue an associate in nursing degree which allows the individual a salary well within the $58,000 year median range. If an individual decides to further their educational studies to a bachelor’s degree in nursing the average salary can very well go beyond $62,000 a year. While this amount does not seem to be that far from an individual that holds a two-year associate degree it does provide more employment opportunities to nurses as many hospitals in order to hold or maintain their magnet status are required to mostly employ nurses that hold a bachelor degree. If a nurse is willing to take an extra step and decides to specialize in a particular nursing field the next step would be pursuing a master’s degree and while the average increase in salary may not be as financially rewarding as expected after pursuing one or two more years of additional studies beyond a bachelor the salary range is somewhere along the $69,000 range. Many

individuals that hold a nursing degree sometimes earn a master’s in healthcare administration or management which can be financially more rewarding offering salaries well above $72,000 a year depending on the facility. And last but not least as mentioned above the highest level of education an individual can earn in nursing is a doctorate degree (Ph. D), the average starting salary can very well be above $80,000 a year, however many nurses weigh the benefits of pursuing a doctorate degree and consider other routes in order to make well above this salary range without having to invest the time or finances to pursue this degree. The required time an individual must spend in pursuing a nursing degree as mentioned above can vary from a one to two year state approved vocational nurse program to obtain a diploma as a licensed practical or vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) after sitting for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) offered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). An individual that pursues 2-3 year associates degree program can also sit for the licensure to become a registered nurse also after taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Once a nurse holds a registered licensure they can further their career by means of one or two more years of educational studies depending on the route they take or school of choice as many offer accelerated programs, this allows them to obtain a bachelor in nursing, (BSN) degree. Adding another year or two will allow the individual to earn a master’s degree in nursing, (MSN) which is a very lucrative opportunity not only financially but it allows the nurses to gain independence as nurse practioners within the medical field. The doctorate (Ph. D) degree in nursing also requires an additional year or more depending on the program, most individuals as stated before will pursue this when they want to hold administrative and management jobs that require someone to hold a particular degree to oversee all employees under their direct or indirect supervision. Nursing is one of the most challenging careers in the medical field and job satisfaction among nurses is something that employers cater to in order to assure the best care is provided to patients by those they hire. The job environment varies greatly depending on the facility and state an individual practices in, but unlike many other careers one of the biggest advantage nursing offers is that it allows you to transfer within different departments and facilities if a nurse is willing to be cross-trained which most facilities offer to their nurses. The working conditions can vary from a normal 8- hour shift weekdays to a 12-hour a day shift four days a week including weekends. Nurses spend most of their day on their feet as they are providing care and attending to their patient’s needs and a normal scheduled shift for the most part requires flexibility as nurses are expected to chart and document all their patients treatments while under their care and this is something that requires additional hours of work beyond their scheduled time. On the bright side the amount of overtime and shift availability allows many nurses to work as many or as little hours as they want to for the most part and it even provides them with higher salaries in return to working evenings and weekends known as shift differential pay.

Nowadays nurses hold more responsibilities than many years ago when all they did was to provide limited support to physicians, as many individuals require care and treatments nurses are held accountable for more hands on care and their role includes more involvement in treating the patients from their arrival to the care facility up until their release and treatment completion. The most rewarding part of a nursing degree and which I look forward to is that regardless of the facility or chosen specialty there are so many opportunities to provide patient care that go along with one’s physical and educational capabilities. The hardest part on the other hand is of course not being able to see your patients through and knowing how to separate emotionally when the outcome is not as expected in the recovery efforts.

Works Cited:

Simmers, Louise, Karen Simmers-Nartker, and Sharon Simmers-Kobelak. Introduction to Health Science Technology. 2nd edition. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning, 2009. Pages 55-57. Print. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 201213 Edition, Registered Nurses, on the Internet at <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm (visited May 27, 2013).>

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