Introducing a Nursing Career in the US

Nursing is poised to change the face of health care as never before. The United States is in the midst of a nursing shortage that is expected to intensify as baby boomers age and the need for health care grows. According to the projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics published in the November 2005 Monthly Labor Review, more than 1.2 million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2014. Government analysts project that more than 703,000 new RN positions will be created through 2014, which will account for two-fifths of all new jobs in the health care sector. Despite this accelerating demand for baccalaureate and graduate-prepared nurses HRSA officials stated in an April 2006 report that "to meet the projected growth in demand for RN services, the U.S. must graduate approximately 90 percent more nurses from US nursing programs."

Nursing offers an abundance of opportunities from bedside nursing to the president of the hospital. Nurses are working in influential government positions both appointed and elected. If you choose a career in nursing, you will discover a career filled with excitement and rewards. Nursing involves caring for people, sick and well. It provides an essential service to humankind. Nurses who are career professionals are dedicated individuals who have committed themselves to improving the quality of health care delivery and to the prevention of disease.

Nurses work in a variety of practice settings including hospitals, long-term care facilities, community and public health agencies, independent practice, ambulatory care centers, the Public Health service, military services, the Veteran's Administration Hospitals, and in any setting where people need health-care services. Nursing needs capable mean and women from all ethnic and religious backgrounds, and nursing positions are available in many areas of the nation. As a nurse, you can practice in a variety of geographic locations.

You can work in metropolitan areas like New York City or San Francisco, Indian reservations, the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky, in rural areas of Maine and Vermont, mining towns in Utah or Colorado, suburban communities in Illinois or New York State, senior citizen clusters like St. Petersburg or Miami, Florida. The majority of new graduate nurses begin their careers working in hospitals. Hospital nursing Service includes the opportunity to work in areas with patients requiring medical and surgical care, maternity and pediatrics. After some experience, and in some instances additional education, you may choose to work in a more specialized setting.