The global pandemic changed how millions of people live and see the world around them. Unheard of until late in 2019 and early 2020, the COVID-19 coronavirus spread to almost all corners of the world as attempts to contain the virus failed, with almost 28 million cases confirmed all over the world and over 890,000 deaths.
Although the outbreak has shocked the global community, it is the commitment, dedication and skill of healthcare professionals that has prevented the crisis from becoming even worse and the bravery of doctors and nurses and other medical practitioners has put the medical profession in general under a new spotlight.
Far too often in the past, the importance of healthcare workers, as well as their great courage, has been overlooked but the vital role they play in society has been highlighted like never before by the pandemic crisis.
Many people have become inspired to join the medical profession as a consequence of the profession’s illumination in this time of crisis, and as life slowly begins to return to some semblance of normality now is a great time to think about whether a career in nursing is the right move to make at this point in your life.
Anyone who has ever considered a career in healthcare or wished they could help during the last year of the international crisis should take a look at the many reasons why now might be the best time to become a nurse.
Making a difference
Anyone who has been stuck at home in the last year wishing they could have done something to help save lives, and to help people that are sick, should consider the difference they could still make by deciding to become a nurse.
Becoming a nurse is the way to have a real impact on the lives of others.
The growing nursing shortage
There has been a shortage of nurses for some time, but the problem has only been further exacerbated by the pandemic crisis.
According to the Associated College of Nurses, every year for the next five years there will be as many as 203,700 new nurses needed and the pandemic will likely have only increased those figures still further.
A growing industry
This constant demand means that job opportunities are tipped to grow in a very significant way in the future.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of positions for Registered Nurses is expected to increase by as much as 7% over the course of the next decade, a growth that is much higher than the normal average.
The Bureau is also predicting that roles for Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Midwife and Nurse Practitioners will also increase by no less than 45% over the same timeframe.
The nursing profession is set to grow at an exponential rate at a time when job uncertainty is at a high and the impact of the pandemic has severely damaged many formerly thriving industries. Therefore, the fact that nursing has relatively high job security makes it a very attractive career choice for many different people.
It is still uncertain how the economy will be affected in the long term by the pandemic crisis, but one job that is pretty much guaranteed to be recession-proof is nursing.
Nursing and indeed almost all healthcare positions will always be needed and in great demand. So, to enter a program at the moment means you will be ready to dive right in at a time when nurses have never been more crucial.
Healthcare is more accessible than ever
The reliance on medical insurance in US healthcare has meant many people struggled to gain access to necessary healthcare services but the introduction of new measures such as Medicaid and Medicare programs as well as The Affordable Care Act has made medical care considerably more accessible throughout the nation.
This means there is much more demand for medical appointments as well as tests, care and treatment, which inevitably increases the demand for healthcare workers such as nurses.
Anyone looking to work on the frontline of the medical profession and provide medical care to those who need it the most have many more opportunities to work with the disadvantaged because of the increasing accessibility of healthcare in the United States.
An increase in nurse-led services
Most people still face significant costs even with greater access to medical advice and treatment so to try to reduce this still further many are opting to make use of nurse-led services instead of going to the doctor’s.
Nurse-led services are a lot cheaper and yet still provide trustworthy treatment from qualified and caring medical professionals and there have been exemplary patient outcomes from diagnosis, care and treatments in nurse-led services according to a number of different studies.
Better pay opportunities
Those who quickly enter the field of nursing, such as those who graduate from a nursing school such as Wilkes University and can go from Wilkes University RN to MSN in an accelerated time, will find there are much better opportunities for higher wages.
There are even sign-on bonuses being offered in areas of really high need as well as other OT opportunities, and staffing nursing agencies have also reached an all-time high.
There are even several staffing agencies that allow nurses to immediately work as a travel RN. They may even be willing to waive some minimum requirements for fresh graduates with little experience in some areas.
Government training aid
The pandemic crisis has resulted in some bills and incentive programs being passed and created. They have increased the number of training programs given government assistance in the training of new healthcare workers.
These programs encompass everything from the likes of nursing to entry-level certification programs such as CNA as well as allied health professions, creating plenty of healthcare opportunities even for those with financial constraints.
It is always a good time to become a nurse, but nurses have become ever more important in a world changed by COVID-19.
