The nursing profession is a very demanding yet meaningful career in healthcare. Nurses play a central role in steering the healthcare system in the right direction. They are often required to wear various hats at different times. At some time, they are taking care of their patients, giving them medicines and timely care. At other times, they advocate the rights of their patients and work to make the patients’ voices heard in front of the management. The importance of nurses for the healthcare system is irrefutable. Below are some ways they make their presence felt in the healthcare system.
Importance Of Nurses In The Healthcare
They are often the unclaimed and unappreciated heroes of the healthcare system, providing 80% of the healthcare services in a hospital. Yet, they are barely known for their heroic services to improving patient care. Apart from their professional job of taking care of patients’ health, they offer emotional support and help them ease their pain. They help their patients and their families cope with the trauma and uncertainty of their suddenly revealed medical conditions. In some cases, they also make them understand and accept their medical condition and help them live with it. This way, their patients can live the remaining life peacefully.
Nurses are the educators of the healthcare system. They inform patients and their families about a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, efficacy of vaccinations, and the prevention and control of diseases. Nurses are often the light bearer and implementers of the change. Nurses also help the new patients understand the procedure and the treatment requirements, making a physician’s job easier.
For their work, they are also paid a reasonable amount. For instance, the forensic nurse salary as of 2019 is $73,300. Similarly, the salary of an average nurse is $72,000 per year, which is one of the highest paying figures in the USA. If you have opted for a nursing degree as your future career field, here are some options for well-paying careers with a nursing degree.
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
The work of a neonatal nurse practitioner is to take care of newborn babies for as long as 28 days. A neonatal nurse is experienced enough to take care of babies born prematurely. So their job duties include administering oxygen, offering medications on time, and NICU procedures. The average salary of a neonatal nurse practitioner stated by salary.com is $125,000 per year. The highest-paid nurses in this field can get as much as $145,000 or more annually. As a Neonatal nurse, you can work as an RN in a hospital in the neonatal unit.
- Nurse Anaesthetist
A certified registered nurse anesthetist or a CRNA is skilled in administering anesthesia to the patients going for the surgery or minor procedures. They can earn as much as $183,580 on average salary annually. They work alongside doctors, surgeons, and other medical professionals. The salary of a certified registered nurse anesthetist makes it one of the highest-paid nurses in this profession. They have a very risky job and, if not done correctly, can impact the whole surgical procedure.
- Cardiac Nurse
As the name suggests, these nurses work with cardiac patients. They conduct in-depth tests and assessments of patients with cardiovascular diseases. You can work as a cardiac nurse after working for two years as a registered nurse.
Like other nurse practitioners, cardiac nurses also earn a handsome salary package of an average of $114,000 per year. The cardiac nurses working in the top ten percentile can earn as much as $129,000 or more.
- General Nurse Practitioner
A general nurse practitioner is the panacea of all ills. You can choose to work independently or in a formal healthcare setting. A general nurse practitioner can also advance their skills and get further experience and specializations to expand their job prospects. According to the May 2020 estimates of the BLS, the mean salary of a general nurse practitioner is $111,680 per year. The job prospects for a nurse practitioner are also very bright. According to the recent estimates of BLS, the demand for nurse practitioners is expected to grow by 45% by 2030.
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
Many of you might be interested in mental health and want to make a career in it. So, opting for a career as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner can be the right way to go about it. You will have to work with patients dealing with mental health, such as loss, trauma, depression, and other related issues.
The average salary of a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner is also very lucrative. As of September 2021, Payscale states that these nurses earn an average sun of $111,572 per year. The need for these nurses is expected to rise as there are more cases of mental health and depression. In the current times, the demand for child and adolescent psychiatric services is particularly increasing.
- Certified Nurse Midwife
Another well-paying career in the nursing field is the job of a Certified Nurse Midwife. This is a seamless opportunity for people who love to work in obstetrics, labor, and delivery. You can work in a hospital’s special unit for GYN. Other than that, you can work with doctors who have their private setup or family health clinics. According to BLS, if you are working in a formal setting, you can earn an average income of $111,130. There is also an expectation that the number of jobs of a Certified Nurse Midwife will grow by 45% by 2030. For working as a Certified Nurse Midwife, you can go through the American Midwifery Certification Board and earn the Certified Nurse-Midwife and Certified Midwife positions.
Nurses could be working as counselors, helping the surgeons in surgery, or busy educating their patients about better ways of living a healthy life. Nurses are often seen consoling the patients’ families and helping them cope with the trauma of the loss of a family member or the news of a chronic illness. However, there are professional and monetary benefits to this job as well. So, if you choose to enter one of the many different career options in nursing, you can expect lucrative pay and favorable growth prospects in the long term future.
