Pros and Cons of Being a nurse Review
Medicine

Pros and Cons of Being a nurse

The nursing profession is a highly rewarding and respected field great for people with a sincere passion for helping others. If you go for nursing primary for the money, you may end up being unhappy. Therefore, before considering being a nurse, evaluate the following pros and cons.

Pros:

1. High demand: The nursing career is in high demand and the number of registered nurses is expected to grow by 15% at the end of 2026 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Therefore, if you’re a nurse, there is a high chance of employment.

2. High earning potential: Nurses are highly paid especially those in the metropolitan areas receive higher pay than those in the rural areas.

3. Diverse opportunities: Being a nurse you’re not restricted to work in hospitals alone, you can work in any place. You can apply your nursing skills in an airplane, a military base, or a cruise ship. You can also work as a travel nurse.

4. Flexible schedules: A nurse can work for flexible hours, you can work full time, part-time, or on-call basis although this depends on your arrangement with the employer. Some hospitals allow you to only work 12-hour shifts for three days only within a week.

5. Helping others: A nurse plays a great role in shaping the health and wellness of others within the community or family. Taking care of the sick will help them recover quickly. Nurses help improve the health of the sick and save lives.

6. Make good money: As a nurse, you’re certainly sure of making good money as it is a job that pays a lot. Nurses are valued all over the world and their work rate and care for persons are not taken for granted.

7. You get your license reimbursed: This advantage is common with travel nurses as your license would be reimbursed which is a nice thing. With this, issues that most persons pass through when traveling will not affect you in any way.

8. High demand for nurses: There is a high demand for nurses all over the world as they are as important as doctors. If you’re thinking of taking the nurse career, you should know you’re important in society and people need your care.

9. Traveling the country/world: This is another enjoyable benefit of being a nurse and under the travel nurse unit. As a travel nurse, you can be posted to different places around the country and world. These places could be areas you’ve dreamt to visit. All expenses are certainly taken care of as you would enjoy yourself.

10. Freedom to choose your specialty: As a nurse, you would be allowed to choose the area of your desire or specialty+ specialty. This is awesome, unlike other jobs in which you’re pasted to any unit against your choice. As a nurse, you can choose your specialty.

Cons:

1. Long-work hours: Most hospitals require you to work 12hour shifts. However, depending on the flow of patients into the hospital, you may find yourself working for longer hours. Caregivers can work for 15-hours a day and this can affect your mental and physical state. You’re also likely to work on weekends, nights, and holidays.

2. Exposure to viruses: You have to take a lot of precautions when handling patients. You get exposed to bodily fluids, germs, viruses, or accidentally prick yourself with a needle used on a patient with a blood-related illness. Most hospitals have cleansing and testing procedures in such cases.

3. Physical demands: A lot of nurses suffer from back injuries and foot pains as they have to spend a lot of time lifting and moving patients on a regular basis. The lifting and moving patients can cause back injuries if no proper exercise and stretching are done.

4. Stress and pressure: Nurses handle a lot of stressful activities while at work. They’re always required to think critically when handling death and life situations as well as maintain their composure and emotions in the event of a difficult situation.

5. Difficult patients: Being a nurse you have to deal with difficult patients who don’t appreciate your hard work.

6. Physical demands: Being a nurse demands physicality and this is most times stressful. As a nurse, you would always be on your feet, running errands for the doctor, lifting patients from bed, or rolling wheelchairs. Thinking of that could discourage you from wanting to be one.

7. High exposure to germs: As a nurse, you would be exposed to germs and diseases in the hospital. There are both airborne and direct contact germs all over the hospital. Even if proper hygiene is maintained, there is still a high risk of contact with these germs.

8. Working on holidays: As a nurse, you will certainly work on holidays, which is meant for rest and enjoyment. This is discouraging and frustrating to think of because when your friends and loved ones are going on holiday, you could be in the hospital caring for patients.

9. Pestering/Difficult patients: As a nurse, you are sure of encountering difficult and pestering patients which is crazy. These patients could spoil your mood and day in the hospital and it could be worse if they’re admitted for a long time.

10. Emotional stress/strain: There are times at work when a patient could die or is suffering a lot as a result of a certain disease. This could make you stressed emotionally, and the worst thing is that you would see more daily.