Majoring in Nursing

Choosing what you want your major in college to be is a huge decision and not one to take lightly. While you can change your major part-way through your college journey, it sometimes make things difficult if you’re trying to graduate within the typical four-year timeframe. This is especially true if your new major is wildly different from the one you chose initially. Making a solid and thought-out decision right out of the gate is the best way to go. 

When you choose a nursing major, you’re making a lifelong commitment to helping others. You’re choosing a career path that makes a difference in both your life and the lives of the patients that you work with. You’re dedicating your time and effort to studying science, understanding medical concepts, and working with others in a way that makes you invaluable in your profession. 

If you’re considering majoring in nursing in college, here are a few reasons why that might be the best fit for you.

Why A Nursing Major Might Suit You

Nursing majors take on a lot of hard work and responsibilities when they decide to go into this field of study. As a nursing major, you’re tasked with succeeding in a wide variety of classes, concepts, and services, and the thought may be daunting. If you’re truly passionate about this profession, though, then the hard work will be worth it. 

You should consider majoring in nursing if:

You Want to Help Others

People who want to make a difference in the world often gravitate toward nursing as their chosen profession, and for a good reason. When you become a nursing major with the intent to be a nurse in the future, you take on a huge responsibility. It’s your job as a nurse to make the patients in your care feel warm and comforted as well as ensure that they’re receiving the proper care.

People majoring in nursing often have to take rigorous courses and do practical application labs and events to learn skills like administering medicine, how properly interact with patients, and how make those patients in their care feel seen, heard, and loved.

Nurses are an integral part of the valuable experience in any healthcare setting, and that stems from their desire to help people. 

Workplaces Want You

Nursing is one of the professions that ensures that you always have a job, no matter where you go. As long as you’re able to pass your certifications, make all of the nursing major requirements, and keep up with any potential continuing education, then you’re practically guaranteed a job. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the working world at large how valuable nurses truly are, and the demand to fill these positions has only increased from there. As the population continues to age and more healthcare workers are needed to combat the number of people needing that healthcare, nurses continue to be a sought-after commodity. 

Nurses also don’t necessarily have to work in hospitals. Specialty care doctors, primary care doctors, nursing homes, and more all need nurses to continue to function at their level. Without the influx of new nurses coming in, these vital structures will collapse. Being a nursing major is more important than ever!

Nurses Make Good Money

You might be surprised to learn how much money a nurse can make in a year. Because nursing is a skilled profession, the average salary per year hovers around $70,000. If you have a more skilled degree, like a Master’s, or any additional education or certifications, then that pay can increase substantially. 

Of course, no two hospitals, practices, districts, states, etc are alike. Some states are likely to pay more than other states, and more skilled nursing positions have a higher pay-per-hour rate than other nursing positions would. However, overall, nurses are well compensated for their knowledge and expertise, and it makes the nursing major requirements seem more understandable in the face of it. 

You’ll Have a Pretty Flexible Schedule

If you decide to work as a nurse in a hospital, then you’re likely to have a pretty flexible schedule. Typically, nurses in hospitals work twelve-hour shifts, three days a week. This means that you’ll have four days off a week, which is a much better work-life balance than the typical 9-5 job. Of course, those shifts don’t account for any potential overtime that you may work, but the setup is there!

However, the flexibility of your schedule doesn’t end there. Nurses can pretty much choose to work any schedule, work full-time, part-time, or temporarily, and even have the ability to have a say in where they work. It’s a great opportunity for nurses who are just starting, may have family commitments, or simply want to have more control over their schedules. 

The Classes You May Take

Nursing major requirements focus mostly on math and science, but you’ll likely be required to take a myriad of different classes to cover all of your bases. Expect to take classes in psychology, sociology, finance, ethics, and more. When you’re a nursing major, you’ll not only focus on the scientific aspects of your job. It's very important to understand how people think, how to interact with them, and how to make them the most comfortable. 

There’s no doubt that your schedule will be packed, but it’ll be worth it in the end, knowing that you had a well-rounded education to prepare you for the plethora of different people you’ll meet, situations you’ll be in, and jobs you might take on. 

Jobs for Nursing Majors

There are nurses everywhere, and you might be surprised to find out where nurses are employed. Whenever you think of nurses, you likely think of working in a hospital, but that isn’t the only place that nurses can work. 

Nurses can be found all over - in places that you may not have considered like airplanes as flight nurses, in schools as on-site healthcare professionals, or even as a leader as a nurse managers. Nurses can also work in different specialty areas like pediatrics, geriatrics, labor and delivery, and more. You’re sure to find something that you enjoy, no matter what area you’re in. 

Clark College Consulting

Here at Clark College Consulting, our college consulting services can help you figure out what you want most out of your career and what you think might be best suited for you. If you’re interested in nursing, then we want to be able to assist you and figure out the best goals for you in your college career. 

If you’re interested in our college consulting services, then we’d love to help! Contact us today for more information. 

Photo by Los Muertos Crew: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-smiling-at-the-camera-8460414/