Nursing
Nursing is one of the most in-demand fields in the health care industry. Nurses are responsible for providing high-quality patient care, keeping up with the latest medical technologies, and ensuring that patients feel comfortable with their health care options. If you’re interested in a highly rewarding career in health care, consider pursuing a path in nursing.
3.1 million
Registered nurses work in the U.S.*
$109,820
Average salary for nurse practitioners
*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Nursing definition
According to the International Council of Nurses, the field of nursing “encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups, and communities, sick or well and in all settings.” Nursing professionals work to prevent illness and promote patients’ health and well-being. They also take part in research, advocacy, policy making, education, and management within the health care industry.
To enter this important profession, you’ll need to meet a specific set of educational requirements and may need to earn board certification.
Nursing duties
Nursing professionals support different types of patient groups and help treat a wide variety of health conditions. The specific tasks and day-to-day activities you’re involved in will vary depending on your chosen specialty. However, all nurses take part in assessing, treating, supporting, and educating patients.
General nurse duties include:
- Assessing patients’ symptoms and medical conditions
- Conducting diagnostics and lab tests
- Analyzing test results
- Establishing treatment plans
- Coordinating and administering patient care services
- Issuing prescribed medications
- Utilizing medical equipment
- Recording patients’ medical histories
- Educating patients and their families
- Working alongside physicians and other nursing professionals
To become a nursing professional, you’ll need a combination of soft skills and specialized nursing skills. The following are valuable soft skills in nursing:
COMMUNICATION
Strong written and verbal communication skills are critical in nursing. You’ll need to listen to patients’ concerns and explain medical concepts to patients and their families. You will also be expected to use proper medical terminology while interacting with other nurses and keep clear written records of patients’ symptoms to manage their medical history.
TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION
Nurses work in a large community of medical professionals where teamwork is critical. They also collaboratively determine health care outcomes with their patients. The ability to work well with other health care team members will help you succeed in a nursing career.
PLANNING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING
One of the main roles you’ll take on as a nursing professional is developing and evaluating a treatment plan that helps address patients’ health care concerns. Therefore, you’ll need the skills to identify problems and solve them by creating and carrying out effective programs.
MENTORSHIP
As you advance in your career, you may be asked to supervise and support more junior nursing professionals. It’s important to possess leadership and mentorship skills so your team can work effectively and cohesively.
ORGANIZATION
The ability to manage your time is critical in the nursing field, especially since you may be handling high patient loads along with competing administrative duties. If you know how to set priorities and create a plan for each day, you will reduce the chance of making a careless mistake that could adversely affect a patient’s health.
Need help finding the right program?
Use our recommendation engine to find degrees, certificates, or courses that fit your goals
Few other areas of work offer the level of specialization that nursing does. Here are just some examples of the types of nursing specializations you can pursue:
Public health
As a public health nurse, you will participate in educating the community about a range of public health topics such as identifying signs of disease, staying up-to-date on immunizations, and accessing health care services.
Family primary care
As a family nurse practitioner, you’ll have the opportunity to care for patients of all age groups, from infants, children, and adolescents to adults and the elderly.
Rehabilitative care
As a rehabilitation nurse, you will work with patients who have permanent disabilities or chronic illnesses, helping them manage their health conditions and live independently.
Palliative care
If you choose to work as a palliative care nurse, you will provide end-of-life care, giving patients comfort and relief from symptoms of terminal illnesses.
Medical-surgical care
In the role of a medical-surgical nurse, you will most likely be employed in a hospital unit where you’ll support patients before and after they undergo surgery, as well as patients experiencing non-surgical medical issues such as diseases.
The nursing outlook is especially healthy for today's jobseekers. Nursing is considered a bright-outlook occupation by the Occupational Information Network (O*NET OnLine). This means qualified professionals can expect to see a large number of opportunities in the next several years. For example, 175,900 additional clinical nurse specialists are expected to be hired between 2019 and 2029, according to O*NET.
But this stability doesn’t mean nursing is a stagnant industry. Changes in the profession are being spurred by a variety of factors, from technological developments and an aging population to the rising costs of health care, which have resulted in a desire to treat and discharge patients more quickly.
Here are a few nursing trends to be aware of:
Increasing digitization
While clinical and interpersonal skills remain paramount in nursing, the demand for skills related to software and digital technologies is growing. For example, you may be expected to digitize medical history records or connect with patients virtually through telemedicine. With a hybrid skill set, you will be well suited to thrive in the future of nursing.
Caring for an aging population
By 2030, all members of the baby boomer generation will have reached age 65, meaning that one in five U.S. residents will be senior citizens. An aging population means there will be an increase in health care needs related to the acute issues and chronic conditions associated with old age. As a result, the field of nursing will require more specialists in gerontological care.
Emphasis on outpatient care
Given the rise in health care costs, there is an increasing motivation to discharge patients from care facilities more quickly. This means nurses will be in high demand in outpatient care centers where same-day treatments and surgeries are routinely performed.
Top 10 skills in the general nursing industry
In general nursing industry, the demand for skills related to software and technology remains secondary, with the majority of skills requiring technical and interpersonal competence. Microsoft Office is the only technology skill expected to show very high growth through 2023.
Here are the top skills that will see the highest projected growth:
Skill Cluster |
Projected Posting Growth (2018-2023) |
|---|---|
| Employee training | 156% |
| Emergency and intensive care | 146% |
| Basic patient care (ensuring patient comfort) | 95% |
| Radiology | 73% |
| Pharmacy | 55% |
| Cardiology | 50% |
| Basic patient care (patient monitoring) | 46% |
| Emergency and intensive care | 46% |
| Microsoft Office and productivity tools | 46% |
| Transportation security | 45% |
| Basic patient care (interaction with patients/medical personnel) | 42% |
Source: Burning Glass Occupational Insights, 2019
Top 10 skills in the nursing practice industry
In the nursing practice industry, 80% of the fastest growing skills are directly related to a nursing practice skill.
Here are the top skills that will see the highest projected growth:
Skill Cluster |
Projected Growth (2018-2023) |
|---|---|
| Emergency and intensive care | 146% |
| Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) | 91% |
| Employee training | 85% |
| Cardiology | 50% |
| Medical support | 45% |
| Microsoft Office and productivity tools | 45% |
| Oncology (biotherapy) | 44% |
| Occupational health and safety | 43% |
| Oncology | 39% |
| Basic patient care | 45% |
Source: Burning Glass Occupational Insights, 2019
Outlook for new graduates
If you’re eager to help people and find a place in the health care industry, a career in nursing may be right for you. A robust nursing education can prepare you for a number of exciting job opportunities in this growing field.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:
- 117,700 new nurse practitioner openings are expected between 2019 and 2029
- Registered nurses earn an average salary of $73,300
- The most experienced registered nurses earn $111,220 or higher
