Medically speaking, we live in an incredible era. The significant development of science over the past century or so has meant massive advancements in our understanding of bodies and their health needs. Far from the times of leeching and bloodletting, many hospitals are now equipped with state-of-the-art technology to help people accomplish things that once would have been impossible. What's more, the ever-evolving knowledge of psychology and sociology allows us to treat injuries, illnesses, and all manner of medical issues with minimal pain and maximum compassion. 

Medicine has become a routine part of most people's lives; whether it be check-ups at the doctor, trips to the clinic/ER, or routine vaccinations, people are all now very familiar with the importance of medical care. What's more, shows like ER, Grey's Anatomy, and Bloods, all of which are massively popular, highlight the dramas and traumas of the medical profession and have helped bring medicine and healthcare into the public eye as a realm of great importance for everyone. 

Never has there been a better time to get involved in medicine; yet, when most people think of the human beings working in the medical field, their minds jump to doctors. Perhaps because doctors have a traditionally higher social status, their role is overstated in the minds of many (and not least the writers and creators of the above-mentioned doctor-focused TV shows). Of course, doctors do important work—they train long and hard to be the authority in the room when the question is a matter of life and death. But equally, if not more important, are the nurses who work to make sure everything in the medical and healthcare fields runs smoothly, on time, and with great precision. Nurses, not doctors, are the heart and soul of a hospital or clinic.

As a result of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the critical role of nurses has been receiving more and more attention in the public eye. In addition, due to the long-term care needs of a growing elderly population, as well as those suffering long-term impacts of the coronavirus, nurses are in higher demand than ever before. If you've ever thought about becoming a nurse, or if you need a change of pace in your current professional life, here are a few of the reasons why you should seriously consider training to become a nurse.

Doing work that matters

When you work in a hospital or care environment, you are doing the kind of work that saves lives. This is most obvious in life-saving surgery environments at the hospital or in the emergency room, where nurses do most of the day-to-day patient care: surgery preparation, mealtimes, bedtimes, etc. But care nurses—those who work in nursing homes or specialty schools, at home with disabled individuals, or in private rehabilitation centers—can have an equally potent impact on a person's quality of life or even their life span. It has been shown, for example, that care from a specialist cancer nurse can improve life expectancy outcomes for lung cancer patients. Even palliative nurses (those who work in end-of-life care for terminally ill or aged patients) have been shown to have a major impact on the last moments of life by providing a 'good death.'

Given the important role nurses play in a patient's day-to-day care—whether it be through their brief surgery, over the course of a long-term illness or addiction, or at the very final moments of their lives—it is no surprise that patients routinely report feeling more comfortable and confident expressing their concerns to nurses and asking nurses for assistance than they do towards doctors. In fact, surveys have reported that hospital patients often prefer to see a specialist nurse to a doctor. While this may surprise some folk, it isn't all that shocking when you consider how much more time nurses spend with patients, on average, than doctors. One study showed that nurses spent double the amount of time with patients than doctors did! 

This type of face-to-face time is exactly what makes nursing such a special and rewarding profession. Growing to know your patients over time, meeting their families, and being able to provide for their needs while they undergo some of the most frightening and challenging experiences of their lives allows you to develop a remarkable bond with them as human beings, one which has the potential to change their lives for the better evermore.

It's easy to get qualified

While doctors earn much of the attention and respect of the public for their work, they also have to undergo literally decades of school and training before they can begin working. Nurses, on the other hand, can get qualified, trained, and begin working in as little as two years. And, unlike medical school, which must be undertaken face to face at most universities, there are many online nursing programs that offer nursing qualifications in just over a year. 

Rockhurst University, for example, offers online accelerated BSN programs to obtain a Bachelor of Science in nursing in just 16 months. Once having obtained your ABSN, you can begin a work placement for training right away. The hybrid online model also allows for a great deal of flexibility when completing the program, meaning that people who are already employed or who have a family to care for can manage the requirements for the degree without causing too much disruption to their existing lives. 

This type of online qualification is particularly good for folks looking for a change of career since they can be completed quickly and from home, and they also provide multiple opportunities to get immediately involved in the field. Far from being hard-pressed to find a job, nurses are spoiled for choice when it comes to work. Hospitals all over the world are always seeking new nursing staff. This universal for nurses everywhere highlights that being a nurse is a great way to work while you travel!

Opportunities to travel abroad

Because there is always such a pronounced need for nurses, training to become a nurse is a great way to join a career that will allow you to travel. Hospitals and care centers all around the United States are always hiring new nurses, but there are countless international opportunities for nurses as well. There are constantly opportunities to volunteer or intern as a nurse in various countries abroad, but there are also some very high-paying opportunities to work as a nurse in some amazing places. 

Nursing is work that travels well, too! No matter where you are in the world, the ability to compassionately see to the needs of others remains the same. Even where specific technologies and practices change with locality, there are often training programs to adapt a US-based nursing qualification to the needs of the population on the ground. Many organizations and governments are more than happy to help new recruits through these programs in the interest of hiring more nurses. 

Relocating to a new country is always a great way to meet new people, see sights, and learn a new language. There are trained nurses who have even gone on to become traveling nurses who take up work in different places around the world and live on the road. What other profession could offer that kind of benefit?

Professional development opportunities

You might be happy enough staying a nurse forever, given that the profession is so personally rewarding, but should you choose to qualify as a nurse, you are also opening yourself up to a whole range of incredible other career opportunities in the future. 

There is, of course, always the standard continued professional development requirement for nurses—courses to attend, specialty qualifications to obtain, conferences to take part in—which keeps the day to day work of nursing interesting and ensures that all nurses are always learning new things. Many of these opportunities involve meeting other nurses from around the country, as well as the chance to get involved in voluntary work, nursing support organizations, or other types of nurse-based communities, too.

But you can also use your nursing qualification to become something more specialized, like a midwife, a head nurse, or a nurse practitioner. You can also become a nurse for a niche field that interests you, like a children's nurse, a health play specialist, a midwife, a paramedic, or a high-intensity therapist. Public health nurses are also employed in many countries worldwide to provide care and education to entire communities. If teaching interests you, you could even become qualified to teach nursing to other nurses! 

Nurses are also often consulted when it comes to the creation of healthcare policies by local or national governments. Bodies such as the National Institute of Nursing Research, for example, have had a major impact on the way nurses are viewed and treated in the wake of the pandemic. Having trained and worked as a nurse is the best possible way to get involved with this kind of policy and advocacy work.

The personal and emotional rewards 

While there are many great on-paper benefits to becoming a nurse, ultimately, the greatest joy is in doing the work itself. Caring for others has been proven to be one of the best ways to benefit your own mental health: psychologists have suggested that one of the most important features of our social development as people is generativity or the feeling of caring for others. Nursing is a career that requires you to consistently put the needs of others before your own, and it is precisely this type of generosity and care that has incredible benefits: from reducing stress and strengthening physical health to fighting depression and lengthening your own lifespan. 

There is also plenty of evidence that being a nurse can be an extremely fun job! During the pandemic, in particular, plenty of videos circulated showing nurses having an absolute blast with one another and with their patients in order to keep everyone's spirits up. Nursing work is certainly never boring or lonely, either. Nurses are always on the go and spend their days meeting patients and families, delivering life-changing news to strangers, and keeping people company during some of their most vulnerable moments, all while working closely with their tight-knit unit teams. 

Oftentimes, nurses are the connection between a patient and the other people in their lives, helping to communicate and making sure visitors feel comfortable when they come to see their loved ones. Again, during the pandemic, it was nurses who undertook the challenging work of finding ways for patients to be in touch with their loved ones while they were unable to visit due to distancing requirements. Nurses have also been historically responsible for the invention of many medical technologies and practices which have helped ameliorate healthcare worldwide. The crucial advent of color-coded IV lines, for example, was brought about by a nurse, as was the electronic feeding tube.

There are also examples of nurses using their hobbies or creative talents to enhance their day-to-day work. These striking artworks by a photojournalist-turned-nurse helped document the hardships of life in a hospital during the pandemic, and this moving performance by a nurse in the intensive care unit became viral after it showed the power of song to uplift patients. 

Many nurses, in fact, are using TikTok to become viral sensations: it would seem that the pressures of the job can make for very funny or moving digital content. Some nurses are even using TikTok to educate people on important health issues, as well as the challenges and benefits of the profession itself! While not all nurses can expect to become internet celebrities, the popularity of nursing content on TikTok is a good indication of the generally positive feelings people have toward the nurses in their lives.

With so many benefits to nursing—from the professional opportunities to travel and build a career to the personal highlights of doing such rewarding work—it is well worth looking into becoming a qualified nurse.