Jobs

5 Reasons To Choose A Career In Nursing

Glassdoor Team

Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | 1 Mar 2018

Nursing isn’t just a job; it’s more than that, it’s a career, a vocation, some say it’s their calling. If you are a type of person who likes to look after other people, care for them and make a difference in people’s lives then perhaps you should consider a career in nursing. To start with you’ll need a degree in nursing, a full-time course lasts for three years and training is usually in one of four areas, adult nursing, children’s nursing, learning disability nursing or mental health nursing. While doing your degree, you also need to develop nursing skills and the best place to do that is in local hospitals, so half of a nursing degree is spent on supervised placements. Becoming a nurse is challenging, and it’s not for the faint-hearted but nursing is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do.

Career ladder

If you like to climb the career ladder, then there are many opportunities for you to do so in nursing. It’s not just straight up the ladder you have to go, you can jump off and experience many other areas before climbing up again. Career planning is actively encouraged, there’s always development training courses readily available, as well as a mentor to help you explore your options.

Work-life balance

Flexible working is encouraged in nursing, so much so that in many hospitals you can get to manage your own work schedule. Some nurses prefer to work longer hours over a few days which then frees up more days to be off doing other things. Because nursing is 24/7 you don’t have to stick to the eight-hour standard day, you can legally work up to twelve hours a day. There’s also the option of working through the dark hours; night shifts are popular due to these hours being much quieter.

Benefits

Being a nurse comes with many benefits, not just flexible working hours and a rewarding career but a whole heap of offers and discounts for NHS staff. There are discounted gym memberships, running clubs, study leave, childcare, occupational therapy, discounted car hire, exclusive energy deals, discounted mobile phones, discounted food, drink and eating out and more!

Ongoing learning

The NHS has a culture of lifelong learning; it supports nurses to obtain the right training to develop their skills and knowledge. When the time comes for appraisals, professional development is covered, and a plan is put together identifying areas where more skills and knowledge could be obtained. Learning can be through webinars, mentors, conferences or formal study like Masters degrees and PhD level qualifications.

Future-proof job

Robots are taking jobs away from humans, but robots can’t compete with the emotional intelligence of a nurse. Nursing requires empathy, compassion and caring, all of which a robot has no idea about. Nursing can’t be automated; patients need a friendly face, a knowing smile, a human touch, patients definitely don't want iRobot taking their temperature. Search all Nursing jobs on Glassdoor.

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Glassdoor Team

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5 Reasons To Choose A Career In Nursing

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