This article was written by one of our amazing contributors! Content may include promotional links.
There are more than a hundred different nursing specialties available, and if you are looking for one, chances are you’re overwhelmed by the choices. Picking the right specialization is one of the most important decisions in your career and could end up affecting your view of the profession for the rest of your life. This is why it’s important that you do your research, and make sure that the degree you have in mind is right for you.
However, things become a bit easier when you have a clear understanding of your skills, interests, and goals, and know the opportunities that are available. Here are 5 things you should consider when picking a nursing specialty.
The Type of Patients You Want to Work With
The first thing you have to consider is the type of patients you’d like to work with. Pediatrics, for instance, is a common choice for nurses who love children. Another option could be to become a school nurse, which would give you the added benefit of having your weekends, summers, and school holidays off.
If you’d like to work with infants, newborns, and their parents, then neonatal nursing and obstetrics could be a great choice. If you’d prefer to serve older patients, on the other hand, know that there’s significant demand in geriatric nursing. The sheer number of specializations means that you could work with all kinds of people, whether it’s with military personnel, people from rural communities, professionals, or athletes. The possibilities are virtually endless.
This is also why you should do a bit of introspection, and really know yourself before you choose a degree:
“Soul searching and self-awareness are essential for everyone, but even more in nursing,” said chief nursing officer Jane Carmody. “Nurses who don’t have their heart 100% in it don’t last very long,” she added.
She also stated that those who don’t have a genuine love for their profession end up dealing with self-pity, worry, and negativity, which could not only be harmful to them but their patients as well.
How You Deal with Emergencies and Stress
Nursing can be a stressful job, and the average nurse will have to encounter emergencies and other stressful situations from time to time. However, some nursing specialties are perfect for those who thrive on adrenaline, while others are better for those who want to work at a slower pace.
ER nurses are a prime example. Those who handle stress well and want to make a life-changing difference in patient outcomes usually tend to do great in this setting. Not only that, but no two days are the same when you work in intensive care, which is great for those who don’t like routine and like being on the frontline.
There are also tons of positions for people who are stress averse. Physical rehabilitation or home health are great options if you don’t do well under pressure and want a more personal rapport with your patients. If you’re detail-oriented and methodical, a clinical research role could be a great choice for you. Here are a few more examples of low-stress nursing positions:
- Family nurse practitioner
- Nurse educator
- Clinic nurse
- School nurse
- Summer camp nurse
- Nurse administrator
Don’t assume that your personality style would never be a fit in healthcare or nursing, as there are tons of roles that can cater to different people, and they’re all needed.
The Potential Work-Life Balance
Another factor you should consider when picking a nursing specialization is the work schedule. Surgical nurses, for instance, may be asked to be on call 24×7, so this is something you’ll have to be prepared for. Pediatric nurses, on the other hand, may work standard office hours. Nurse practitioners might work in a medical clinic open 8 am to 8 pm, or they might work any shift they’d like at the local hospital.
Nursing positions are often associated with hectic schedules, but it doesn’t have to be. This is why nurses compete to work in primary care offices and schools since they rarely have to work nights and weekends. Other nurses, however, might like the ability to work extra shifts and see the overtime pay add up. So, it all depends on your objectives, and how much you think you can handle.
The Pay Rate You’d Like to See
When it comes to salaries, in general, the more time you spend in the classroom, the higher the pay rate. You also tend to earn more if you get an advanced certification. However, advancing your career has never been simpler with the advent of online education. There are also programs that will allow you to go from current qualifications to your desired specialization much faster.
For instance, someone with an associate’s degree could get Family Nurse Practitioner credentials in as little as 4 years through the Carson-Newman University online RN-MSN-FNP program. This could be a great option if you’d like to have more responsibility, and the average FNP can stand to earn as much as $109,021 per year.
Research the nursing specialties you’re interested in, and then learn what type of degree or certifications you’ll need to earn to be qualified to work in the field. Then, perform a cost-benefit analysis so you don’t spend tens of thousands of dollars and several years taking classes that won’t yield a higher pay rate.
Where You’d Like to Work
Another great thing about being a nurse is that nothing obligates you to work in a hospital. Nurses can work in doctor’s offices, nursing homes, private residences, and physical therapy facilities. Or they might decide to work in a clinic in an underserved area.
If you want to see the world, you could work as a travel nurse. You’ll be paid to work in a resort area or even a cruise ship, and odds are you’ll be given free room and board in addition to travel. Or you could work as a camp nurse and get to enjoy the amenities at the end of the day spent providing first aid and prescription medication. Here are a few specializations for nurses who don’t want to work in a hospital setting:
- Nurse health coach
- Academic nurse writer
- Legal nurse consultant
- Public health nurse
- Occupational nurse
The field of nursing is so vast, and you’d be surprised at the number of settings where nurses are needed. So, we suggest that you broaden your horizons, and speak with a counselor that might be able to open your eyes to opportunities you didn’t know existed. Choosing a nursing specialization can be a challenge, and one of the most important decisions you will ever make. This is why it’s essential that you pick a specialization that suits you personally as well as the life you’d like to lead.