It takes a special person to be a nurse. As often as this has been said, there may be no truer statement! If you are kind, have good communication skills, able to make critical decisions, able to work as part of a team and yet possess good leadership skills… nursing might just be for you. And, could there be a more noble profession?

Due to both lifestyle and professional trends, most labor experts are predicting an alarming shortage in the field of nursing in the years to come. When we consider that fewer people are going in to the field of nursing (while factoring in all nurses who are on track to retire) we are told there will be a shortfall of more than 1 million nurses in the United States by the year 2020! Although these figures are disconcerting to the average American, they could not be more appealing to the prospective student and job seeker. Healthcare employers will certainly be competing to recruit and retain nurses which should translate into greater job security and wages/ benefits.

Making the decision to go into nursing may be the easy part; deciding what “kind” of a nurse might be more difficult. An LPN is a Licensed Practical Nurse. This nurse has been trained to care for the sick, injured, and disabled under the supervision of an RN (Registered Nurse) or Doctor and will usually work in hospitals, residential care facilities, or private homes. Their tasks might include assisting patients with bathing, going to the bathroom, monitoring patients, charting changes in their condition, and changing dressings. The average salary – nationwide – for an LPN is about $40,900 annually. To become an LPN, one must complete a one to two year vocational training program

An LVN is a Licensed Vocational Nurse. As far as education required and duties performed, the LVN and the LPN are virtually the same. The difference in the designation is simply due to the titles chosen by respective states when licensing basic nurses. Their annual earnings are roughly the same as LPN.

The average yearly earnings of an RN (Registered Nurse) is about $67,720. RNs are paid more than LPNs because their position requires more education and gives them greater responsibility in terms of patient care and management. Students training to become an RN usually earn a 2 year Associates Degree or a 4 year bachelor of Science. Graduates of either must pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) exam. While LPNs generally provide much of the “hands-on” care for patients, RNs comparatively develop patient care plans and manage/ assign tasks to LPNs and nursing assistants.

About 3 out of 5 RNs work in hospitals as opposed to other patient care environments. They often specialize in a particular type of patient care such as critical care, trauma nursing, oncology, respiratory/ pulmonary care, pain management, or psychiatry/ mental health.

On August 28, 2009 Texas politics brought this issue of a potential, future nursing shortage to the forefront when Texas Governor Rick Perry signed into Law House Bill 4471 (Professional Nursing Shortage Bill). The bill increased funding and provided incentives for nursing programs to enroll and graduate more nurses. With over 100,000 nursing vacancies open nationwide today and a projected 1 million vacancies by 2020, the occupational outlook in this field is robust, to say the least.

And, nursing isn’t just for the ladies anymore. More and more men are entering this profession. In fact, some reports indicate that men make up nearly 20% of nursing students today. Regardless of your gender, here’s a profession that offers good pay, job security, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have the chance to make a real difference in someone’s life every day.

David Bateman is co-owner and President of Bateman Learning Inc, a provider of continuing education and training for career professionals. Bateman Learning is the parent company of multiple education websites including MyCEonline.com.

David Bateman is co-owner and President of Bateman Learning Inc (http://www.BatemanLearning.com), a provider of continuing education and training for career professionals. Bateman Learning is the parent company of multiple education websites including http://MyCEonline.com (http://www.MyCEonline.com).

Author Bio: David Bateman is co-owner and President of Bateman Learning Inc, a provider of continuing education and training for career professionals. Bateman Learning is the parent company of multiple education websites including MyCEonline.com.

Category: Career
Keywords: Nursing CEUs, Nursing Continuing Education, Nursing Career