Is it too late to transition into a nursing career? No! Whether you’ve spent years working in a non-healthcare related role or you have a degree in a field you’re no longer passionate about, there’s never been a better time to become a nurse.
Nursing ranked as the top occupation in Wisconsin with the highest number of job openings with wages over $50,000 in a recent Wisconsin Policy Forum report. More than 3,666 openings per year are projected through 2030.
Registered nurses have also been ranked #10 for best healthcare occupations by U.S. News Money. With an unemployment rate of just 1.6 percent, nurse practitioners are one of the fastest-growing jobs in the nation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growth to increase 45 percent over the next 10 years.
Besides being ranked as a great job, here are several other reasons to consider nursing:
- There’s no age limit. Whether you’re in your late 20s or 40s, there is no “perfect age” to become a nurse. The average age of a nurse in the US is 50.
- All previous job experience is welcome. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t worked in a healthcare setting previously. In fact, the more job experience (any job experience) you have under your belt, the more skills you have to bring to the role. For example, if you worked a desk job previously, chances are you have time management skills and project management experience–both of which will serve you well as a nurse managing a caseload. Other skills like customer service and communication are also important for aspiring nurses.
- You can leverage your existing academic credentials. Depending on the program requirements, you may be able to leverage some of your previous coursework toward a nursing degree. Plus, skills like writing, time management, project management, research, and data analysis that you may have developed during your previous college experience will benefit you as a nursing student.
- You’ll have your pick of jobs. Nurses work in a variety of settings. Whether you’re interested in bedside nursing, emergency care, research, telehealth, or another area, a nursing career offers working professionals flexibility to try new departments, new healthcare facilities, and much more. The opportunities are endless as hospitals and clinics struggle to keep up with the demand for qualified nurses.
- Enjoy financial stability. Nursing jobs are financially stable, and most nurses can choose where they want to work (rural, urban, or suburban environments). With the high number of staffing shortages many healthcare facilities are experiencing due to retirement, you will likely have your pick of jobs once you have earned your credentials.
- Find meaning in your work. If you’ve lost passion for your current profession and want to find a role in which you’re making a difference in someone’s life, nursing might be for you. Nursing can be a rewarding career for those looking to help others and their communities. If you’re an empath, you’ll also likely make a great nurse. The ability to empathize with others and show compassion for individuals who need help will be an important part of your nursing career.
While there are a number of ways to enter the nursing field, if you’re interested in becoming a nurse, you may want to first consider earning your ADN. From there, you can enroll in the UW-Milwaukee RN-to-BSN bachelor’s degree through UW Flexible Option, which is 100 percent online and can be completed at your own pace. Students with an ADN will be awarded a minimum of 60 credits toward their bachelor’s degree. Hospitals and healthcare facilities prefer to hire nurses with bachelor’s degrees, as data has shown higher levels of education have been proven to lower patient mortality, improve patient outcomes, and better tackle the growing complexities of healthcare.