As you consider career options, you might ask, “Why become a nurse?” Some reasons to become a nurse include working in a highly respected field, earning a comfortable salary, having the opportunity for further education and advancement, and the ability to work across many settings and in a high-tech career.
Why become a nurse? If you’re looking for a new career, some of the reasons to choose nursing include the high salary potential, strong job growth rate and opportunities for career advancement. You can also choose from a broad range of specialties and work settings.
At Harding University, we are committed to preparing the next generation of nurses for a fulfilling career. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 64 non-nursing college credits, you can earn a Bachelor of Science in nursing in as few as 16 months through our accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing program.
Before making a decision, learn a little more about the important role nurses fulfill in health care and dive into the top 10 reasons to be a nurse.
The Value of Nursing in Today’s World
As of 2024, there were over 5.6 million active registered nurse licenses in the U.S. The sheer size of the nursing workforce shouldn’t be surprising to anyone who has spent time in a hospital. Patients typically see their nurses more than any other health care provider.
RNs serve as the main point of contact, guiding patients through the health care system, serving as their advocate and providing direct care and patient education. In many settings, RNs can develop a close relationship with their patients over time, which enables them to become more effective advocates, educators and clinicians.
Why become a nurse? If you’re looking for a career that allows you to play an important role in your community, look no further than nursing.
Top 10 Reasons to Become a Nurse
Why nursing? Of the top 10 reasons to choose a nursing career, there’s sure to be some that appeal to you.
1. Nursing Is a Trusted Profession
If you’re looking for a career known for honesty, integrity and ethics, nursing might be a great fit for you. For more than 20 consecutive years, Americans have rated the honesty and ethics of nurses as the highest among all careers. Nurses are trusted caregivers, supporters, researchers, educators and listeners.
2. Choose from a Diverse Range of Work Settings
A BSN from Harding University prepares you to practice as a registered nurse in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings. There are many options for a nursing career. With a BSN, you can find a position that suits you inside or outside the hospital.
Do you know what to study before nursing school?
3. Nursing Allows You to Specialize Based on Your Interests
Your BSN is the first step toward an alternative nursing career. While many nursing jobs take place at the bedside, some positions do not involve direct patient care.
Exciting alternative nursing careers include:
- Informatics nurses develop communication and information technologies.
- Legal nurse consultants work as medical experts in legal cases.
- Nurse attorneys represent medical professionals in the courtroom.
- Nurse entrepreneurs own their own health care business ventures.
- Nurse writers create educational materials, articles, blogs and even video scripts.
Nursing offers diverse career paths. With a BSN, you can integrate your interests and education to find the career that best suits your unique skills.
4. Nursing Offers a Path to Career Advancement
A BSN from Harding University can also be a springboard for further education. You can commit to additional schooling and leverage your BSN to pursue a Master of Science in nursing and board certification to pursue an advanced practice registered nursing role, such as:
- Nurse anesthetists deliver anesthesia to patients.
- Certified nurse midwives care for expectant mothers and deliver babies.
- Nurse practitioners diagnose conditions and create treatment plans in a variety of health care settings. Note that every state has different rules that determine the scope of practice for nurse practitioners, including prescribing authority.
- Clinical nurse specialists bring leadership to health care practice settings.
APRN roles typically offer more leadership opportunities and higher salaries.
5. Nurses Have High Earning Potential
The strong salary potential is one of the most attractive reasons to become a nurse. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024. Salaries vary based on individual factors like geographic location, employer, years of experience and nursing specialty.
If you decide to pursue career advancement as an APRN, you can expect even stronger salary command. According to the BLS, APRNs made a median annual salary of $132,050 as of May 2024.
Wondering what nursing school is really like? Learn what to expect in the ABSN program.
6. The Career Outlook is Positive
Due to the ongoing nursing shortage in the U.S., there is a steady demand for nurses. The BLS anticipates a 5% job growth rate from 2024 through 2034, faster than average, indicating 166,100 additional jobs during this period.
The job outlook is positive because nurses are needed to care for an aging population. The BLS predicts a rise in employment in most health care settings, including long-term care institutions that offer Alzheimer’s disease and rehabilitation services. Demand is also anticipated in home health, outpatient services and chronic disease management.
7. Nurses Make a Difference
According to the American Psychological Association, the happiest workers have a sense of greater purpose in their work. You can change the lives of your patients every day by pursuing a career as a nurse. One of the most important reasons to become a nurse is that it allows you to make a lasting and meaningful impact on people’s lives.
8.Enjoy New Learning Opportunities Every Day
Nurses are never done learning. For as long as you work as a nurse, you’ll be able to learn something new every day. You’ll continually refine your nursing skills, including your soft skills, and learn from other nurses around you. You’ll also complete continuing education credits and can supplement your learning journey with scholarly articles in nursing journals to keep you on top of emerging research in the field.
9. You Can Work with Cutting-Edge Technology
If you’re interested in a high-tech career, nursing can be a great choice for you. Nurses use cutting-edge software platforms for patient charting, as well as high-tech medical equipment. Many hospitals frequently look for opportunities to upgrade their tech to better serve their patients, such as investing in smart beds and smart IV pumps.
10. You Can Become a Nurse in Less Time Than You’d Think
Interested in becoming a nurse, but not eager to return to school for another four years? At Harding, you can become a nurse in far less time if you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or meet the minimum college credit requirements.
The ABSN program allows you to earn a BSN in as few as 16 months after completing any needed prerequisites. After graduating, you can take the NCLEX-RN exam within a couple of months and obtain your nursing license upon passing it. It’s a much faster pathway to nursing, so you can reap the rewards of your new career sooner.
Start Your Journey with Harding’s Accelerated Nursing Program
It isn’t just the short program length that attracts future nurses to Harding University. We also offer supported nursing education and a values-based curriculum. You’ll benefit from career-focused clinical placements with providers in the Rogers, Arkansas, area and a hybrid approach to nursing school with online coursework that fits around your lifestyle.
If you’re ready to learn more about earning your BSN in Northwest Arkansas, our admissions counselors can answer any questions. Whether it’s about our program, local housing or the nursing school application, we’re here to help.
Contact one of our dedicated admissions counselors today to begin your nursing journey.