Substantial legislative and public efforts have gone into acquiring equal health benefits for all Americans. However, there is a marked shortage of trained and licensed nurses in comparison to estimated requirements. According to the reports by various employment agencies, the demand for nurses is escalating and in the last few years careers in nursing have become quite lucrative and sought after, resulting in higher compensation and benefit packages. With the increasing number of senior care homes and childcare centers their need has opened enormous opportunities in nursing careers. Although the primary job function in nursing is to care for patients and provide assistance to doctors, the nursing profession provides many career options within it. With the increase in specialization through advanced degrees, nursing has become a very attractive and exciting career choice.

Areas Of Specialization

Careers in nursing include specialization in specific areas of medical support functions. For instance, a skilled nurse would have opportunity to utilize her expertise to provide training and supervision for the different medical and nursing staff. Some may choose to serve in the military or health insurance companies. Other careers in nursing include being a school nurse, trauma nursing, hospice or a nurse educator. Other job titles are home health nurse and public health nurse. When considering the different careers in nursing it is important to understand that all of the above are based on the education program that is chosen. You can start with an entry-level training program and continue to acquire a Ph.D.

Degree Types

You can get an associate degree, which is a two-year registered nurse (RN) program. The prerequisite for this degree is a high school diploma with a strong knowledge of Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English. This degree provides the basic skills, knowledge and training that nurses require to service the patients. There are also online nursing programs. At the initial stages, entry-level graduate nurses receive longer orientations in a specific area of a health care facility. They are required to graduate from the nursing program in order to take the test to receive a state board RN licensure.

While graduates can start their career as an RN with an associate degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) which is a four-year degree program is a more comprehensive and intensive program that provides in-depth knowledge about all aspects of nursing. This presents greater career options within the nursing profession. At present a number of prominent health care institutes require their nurses to have a BSN since their training qualifies them to handle a broader role in the heath care environment.

Advanced Degrees

After this one may choose to enroll for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. This degree is recommended for those nurses who have acquired adequate experience and are interested in doing more in nursing. This includes being promoted to being nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners or nurse administrators. When you acquire a Ph.D. in nursing, it is almost as though you are a physician yourself!

Since the nursing field offers a wide variety of specialties it is essential to evaluate the numerous choices and research the various schools and the qualities of their programs that best suit your aptitude, ability and interest.