Nursing job opportunities
Nursing as a profession entails advocating for patients’ comfortability and coordinated care through the treatment period. In the quest to meet standard care, the nursing profession has had significant evolution in its practice and training. Nursing education is being restructured to provide high-qualified nurses who can provide the necessary care (Gould, 2019).
Research and studies are being conducted to aid in developing ideas that can help improve nursing care while respecting the human dignity of the patients in the future. Nursing education is the primary key to providing highly competent nurses. The paper shall discuss various job opportunities for a nurse with high academic credentials. Also, it shall review the Institute of Medicine report and how it influences the future of nursing.
Education levels
The nursing profession presents a variety of career pathways depending on the education levels. As a nurse, I can practice at nursing homes, hospitals, nursing education centers, and research centers. In a hospital setup, there are various job opportunities depending on the field of specialization. A nurse-midwife is one with specialized skills in pregnancy, labor, prenatal, and postnatal care. Midwives are in high demand to help deliver quality care. With a Master of Science in midwifery specialty, I can earn a well-paying job in maternity care facilities.
Clinical nurses are the bedside nurses who focus on care delivery for admitted patients. They specialize in the fields of pediatrics, critical care, and geriatrics. Clinical nurses work together with other medical personnel to deliver care to the patients. With an associate degree or a Bachelor of Science in nursing, I can secure a job as a clinical nurse (Gould, 2019). A Master of Science in nursing and work experience of at least two years will help me improve my practice skills and salary.
Nurse educators are the tutors in various nursing education centers, be it universities, colleges, or nursing schools. As a Master of Science nurse with clinical experience and having sat for and passed the National League of Nursing exam, I’m eligible to teach. At this level of nursing academic qualification, I can secure a job at any nursing training center as a tutor. In the recent past, most nursing schools have preferred employing a Ph.D. Nurses as educators; therefore, having a Ph.D. is an added advantage in the job market.
Nursing as a profession also had the legal representation aspect. Nurse advocates provide services regarding legal assessment, representation, and education for both patients and nurses. To become a nurse advocate, I have to earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing and be licensed (Gould, 2019). After gaining clinical experience, I will have to join a law school to further hisher studies and understand the relationship between nursing practice and legal practice. As a nurse attorney, I can secure job opportunities in various medical law firms as well as self-employment as a private advocate.
With the need to improve nursing care delivery, there have been more studies and research. A nurse researcher carries out scientific investigations, collect data, analyze it, and reports his finding to help in decision making and implementation. Nurse researchers work in various sets up including hospitals, education centers, and research laboratories. As a nurse with a Master’s degree in the nursing research specialty, I can be employed as a researcher. A doctorate in nursing will help me increase my value in the job market and my salary.
Working collaboratively
The Institute of Medicine reviewed the nursing profession to produce quality nurses to provide care, leadership, and scientific research. The report suggested that nurses should be able to work collaboratively as teammates with other medical practitioners such as doctors (Hartjes et al., 2019). To be a relevant workmate, I could join the nursing profession as a Bachelor’s degree holder and advance to a Master’s holder and further my studies to doctoral training.
My preferences are based on being able to acquire modern skills relevant to providing patient care. High education levels will equip me with the capacity to adapt to the current complex and ever-changing health care system. Highly learned nurses have a first hand when competing for job opportunities in the labor markets and will always have a lucrative salary.
To achieve doctoral training takes a total of eight learning years. To be a Ph.D. nurse would take me an entire ten years. After attaining the Bachelor’s degree taking four years, I will engage in clinical practice to have a year of experience. Enrolling in a Master’s program will take two years of studies, after which a minimum of one year of experience is advisable before enrolling in doctoral training for two years.
A high education level
A high education level in nursing provides a registered nurse with a competitive edge. In the current medical setup, having at least a Bachelor’s degree will give a fair competition as it has been set as the
References
Bruner, D. W. (2020). How nurse scientists can stay productive and on track during the pandemic. Nursing Research, 69(4), 252-253. Web.
Gould, K. A. (2019). The future of nursing 2020-2030: A continued vision. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 38(5), 278. Web.
Hartjes, T. M., Lester, D., Arasi-Ruddock, L., Bradley, S. M., Munro, S., & Cowan, L. (2019). Answering the question: Is the Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Nursing Practice right for me? Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 31(8), 439-442. Web.
Perez, A., Nichols, B., & Quinn, W. V. (2018). Growing diverse nurse leaders: The current progress of the future of nursing campaign for action. Nurse Leader, 16(1), 38-42. Web.
