Gone are the days when nurses stuck to just specific roles. Nowadays, career opportunities in the nursing landscape are numerous thanks to diverse types of nursing specializations.
If you have an aspiration to pursue a specialized nursing career but are unsure which one you should choose, knowing different career options is paramount. In this information-rich blog post, we’ll uncover the five best nursing career options so you can make the right decision toward the right path.
1. Travel Nurse
Travel nurses, with their unique roles, have the freedom to move from one healthcare facility to another, even beyond the country’s borders. This adventurous career allows them to serve patients in diverse settings. They can either focus on a specific area of practice or carry out a wide range of general registered nursing (RN) responsibilities.
These responsibilities include tasks such as recording patient histories, assessing symptoms, making diagnoses, and administering treatments and medications. Are you passionate about pursuing this career with the leverage to explore different places and countries? Enroll yourself in one of the best travel nursing programs and get an RN license and experience serving patients in diverse healthcare settings.
2. Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse anesthetists deal with anesthesia and pain medication, observe significant signs, make necessary adjustments, and monitor patients before, during, and after surgical procedures. These nurses serve patients of all ages in scheduled surgical operations and emergency treatments.
Nurse anesthetists are also responsible for recording patient histories and facilitating information about various types of anesthesia used during surgical procedures. If you’re interested in pursuing this career, you should earn a BSN degree, an RN license, and at least an MSN degree to get a specialization in nurse anesthesiology.
3. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse
Psychiatric nursing, a career that most nurses aspire to, is deeply rewarding. Their job roles include assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients suffering from mental disorders – such as mood disorders, phobias, depression, dementia, addictions, and abuse issues.
Other than administrating medication and therapy, these nurses also contribute to various endeavors, such as intervention, mental health assessment and evaluation, and patient assistance. Loving to assist people in getting out from their traumas and other mental health conditions? Psychiatric nursing will make you what you want.
4. Nurse Midwife
Nurse midwives earn certifications specializing in pregnancy, prenatal care, childbirth, and postpartum recovery. From labor to delivery and postpartum help, midwives stick to the patient’s care. While the primary focus is on pregnancy care, these nurses can also provide general services to women. Some of them are gynecological, reproductive, and preventive healthcare. Due to this highest-paying nursing career, most nurses go through several pathways to licensing, eliminating the prospects of any legal issues.
5. Licensed Practical Nurse
Clinical nurses offer their services in various clinics and healthcare centers. The areas where they serve are numerous, such as…
- Pediatrics
- Geriatrics
- Critical or emergency care
- Specific disease care
- Rehabilitation
- Mental health
- Pain management and wound care.
Clinical nurses may choose from several educational paths depending on the above areas of specialization and also their previous degree and training. While specialized certification is not mandatory for practice in the field, many clinical nurses choose to obtain advanced credentials. Getting these credentials not only enhances their career prospects but also often leads to higher salaries, making it a goal for ambitious and goal-oriented nurses.
