Nursing is one of the oldest careers in the world, and the benefits of having a nursing career can be seen throughout many different aspects of your life. One thing you can be sure of though is that it is not an easy job, and this means that by deciding to go into nursing, you are choosing to undertake a demanding job, both physically and mentally. It is always a good idea to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of any potential career path so that you are fully aware of what you are getting into.
Advantages
There are a number of advantages to going into a nursing career; some of them are practical advantages, and some of them emotional. One of the most important things for anyone in their life should be seeking joy and happiness in their work, and a nursing career offers caring people the chance to spend their lives helping people and trying to tend to their needs when they are unwell or injured. The intrinsic value of this noble work is what drives many nurses throughout their careers, and it is something that not many other professions can offer. The feeling that your work is valuable and important to many people on a personal level is a great motivator, and something which many nurses say is the best part of their job.
Apart from the personal fulfillment that can be gained from helping others and being valued in your work, there are many professional advantages of getting into a career in nursing. Unlike in many other job roles, nursing opens up an endless amount of other job possibilities. There are a huge amount of different specialty nursing posts and job roles, which means that you can progress into different areas of nursing as you become more interested in them. There is also a very high amount of job security for nurses compared with other professions. Nurses will always be necessary, and qualified nurses are always valued in a large number of job roles, both in their home country and abroad.
Disadvantages
One of the major problems that people seem to encounter as a nurse is the work hours and shift patterns that are more often than not a necessity of the job. The typical work pattern for a nurse will involve long shift work, which means working three of four long shifts per week, over long and unsociable hours if necessary. This can prove to be very difficult for some people, who do not get on well with the changing patterns of work, do not work well at unusual hours, have a family to care for, or do not enjoy this pattern of work. It may be necessary to work evenings, nights, weekends and during holiday periods, and this can be difficult for some people, especially depending on their home situation.
The work involved can also be physically demanding, especially due to the long shifts and changing shift patterns. Many nursing jobs require you to be on your feet for many hours at a time, and possibly even lifting or moving patients during this time. It can become a very tiring job physically and emotionally, as you may also be dealing with some difficult emotional patients and families at the same time.
Nursing is a fulfilling job for hard working, caring people, and there are so many career options open to nurses that gaining nursing qualifications could be just the start of a long and varied career path. It is important to ensure that it is the career for you and to think about all aspects of the job role before entering into it.
