Government statistics indicate that entering the nursing field is one of the best long term career choices you can make. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that job demand for registered nurses will increase by a healthy 16% by 2024. This level of demand should be plenty to keep most BSN holders busy with more than enough work.
If you earn your BSN degree and choose certain career paths, you probably can enjoy even greater job demand.
Some of the most attainable and in demand nursing occupations include these:
#1 School Nurse
Many BSN holders like to work in nursing but outside of a normal clinical setting, such as in a elementary, middle or high school. Working for a public school may not provide you with the highest nursing salary when compared to other nursing jobs.
However, keep in mind that most school nurses only work nine months per year and do not have to work weekends or holidays like regular nurses. You also will have the opportunity to ‘moonlight’ in regular nursing jobs to supplement your salary.
#2 Nursing Home Nurse
This is another good option for a nurse who desires to work in nursing but wants to work outside of a regular hospital. Working in a nursing home will require a high level of independent thinking and excellent assessment skills, as doctors may not be present as often as in regular clinical settings. Working as a nurse in a nursing home also means that you will have the opportunity to develop relationships with some of your patients.
#3 Geriatrics Nurse
A geriatrics nurse works with elderly patients in traditional clinical settings, including hospitals and doctors’ offices. You will work a great deal on diseases and conditions that are related to the elderly years. This type of nursing is probably a slower pace than acute care, but there are special challenges with working with older patients, such as dealing with patients with dementia.
#4 Oncology Nurse
This type of nurse cares for people who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. This form of nursing requires you to be an excellent phlebotomist as you must be able to start and maintain IVs constantly. You also must possess much sensitivity and compassion as you are working with patients who are seriously and terminally ill. This type of nursing requires special character and emotional skills and may not be for everyone.
#5 Nurse Recruiter
If you enjoy being a nurse and want to help to recruit others into nursing for your organization, this could be a great choice for you. You will need to be able to answer questions at job fairs, tell nurses about current openings, and also interview candidates.
It is very important for you to be able to be objective in judging the skills and personalities of potential nurses for your organization.
#6 Renal Dialysis Nurse
This is a good potential nursing job for a newer BSN holder because the job requires less formal education than many other nursing roles. Much of your work has very specific guidelines and is routine.
Potential challenges are dealing with dialysis machines that malfunction, and coordinating repairs can be difficult. You also will be interacting with ill clients who often may get angry or frustrated at their loss of freedom. They also may not feel well while undergoing dialysis and you must have a great deal of compassion and empathy for them.
#7 Long Term Care Nurse Manager
This type of nursing requires plenty of specialized education and excellent interpersonal and managerial skills. You also should have at least five years of clinical experience so that you can effectively manage the clinical care needs of your long term care patients, as well as handle the challenges of managing a staff of nurses.
#8 Orthopedic Nurse
You will work with patients who face a variety of mobility issues that may be caused by disease, disorders and injuries. Many of your patients will have had surgery and need help in physical therapy and rehabilitation. You may work in a hospital ward, ER, physical therapy center or an outpatient clinic.
#9 Neonatal Nurse
A neonatal nurse works with newborns who are up to 28 days old. While nurseries for healthy, full term babies are becoming more uncommon, there are more premature babies that are able viable outside the womb. So, there is much more demand for neonatal nurses who administer oxygen, medication and provide specialized care.
#10 Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
As a pediatric endocrinology nurse, you will help children who are suffering from diseases and disorders of this very important system. These nurses must provide education to parents and children about the problems that occur when the endocrine system is not functioning properly. Educating the patient and parents about managing the endocrine system disease is a major part of this job. You also will need to work with patients with obesity and diabetes, and help them to manage these conditions.
#11 Critical Care Nurse
If you are a nurse who thrives in high pressure situations and likes to see different cases every day, a critical care nursing career could be a good fit for you. Most critical care nurses work in hospital ICUs.
When you hear about shortages for nurses, the most common area that needs help is in adult critical care, as well as pediatric and neonatal ICUs. So, experienced critical care nurses should be able to find plenty of work. If you want to make a career in this area, you should consider obtaining your CCRN certification.
