Nursing Career Path

Nursing I was in a hospital for my co-op placement, I chose this because I was considering nursing as my chosen career path. For this reason, I have researched the nursing career. I have spent many hours in this setting and feel that I have a pretty good understanding as to what goes on day to day. Before choosing to become a nurse, one must first examine themselves and look to see if they have the right qualities for this demanding job. Some qualities are such; caring, compassion, a strong desire and willingness to help those in need, patience, honesty and above all, good health. You need strength for such duties as lifting patients to and from bathroom facilities. In order to become a licensed nurse, one could take a three year …show more content…
Hospital nurses appear to be better paid. Being a nurse is open to both females and males although traditionally nursing was considered a predominately female profession. More males are now in the nursing profession. For a nurse to be hired, she or he must take a series of examinations to qualify for her R.N license (registered nurse). One is able to apply for these examinations after having taken and completed the appropriate college or university degrees. Nurses join a union to work in hospitals. they may also belong to professional organizations such as ONA (Ontario Nurses Association). Some of the nurses feel that although union dues are high, the union may protect them and also negotiate new contracts and raises for them. In my opinion I feel there is security in being part of the Union. A hospital nurse has various benefits. All health care, dental and life insurance is provided. The union negotiates the details about the coverage that the hospital worker receives. In general the hospital workers seem to be like the package of coverage that they …show more content…
As people live longer and more diseases are treated, the need for nurses increases. At times in the past twenty or thirty years even, there has been a shortage in nursing staff. In the hospital, nurses are able to transfer throughout the hospital and obtain better jobs or better shifts. Once a nurse has her R.N license she may transfer all over the country or the US by applying for a license wherever she is going. (In some areas such as the States, she may have to take additional exams). As people live longer here will always be people getting sick. There will always be a need for nurses and that need will only increase. As for my personal reflections, I admire nurses and their duties in the hospital. I have seen many incidences of true compassion towards patients and other individuals entering into the hospital setting. I have seen many good nurses doing their job with great preciseness. There of course is always complaints of how nurses are not doing what they should be and a lack of care may be also noted. However, if those people who took the time to see just how much these nurses are responsible for or the kind of stress they are under, I am sure there would be more understanding in this way. Nurses work very hard, and are on their feet most of the day. Being a nurse would be a very difficult