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As more and more companies eliminate jobs, the unemployed, under-employed, and career-undecided are
seeking training for careers that will survive the effects of a recession. One of the best careers
to train for, regardless of the economy, is nursing. In times of plenty and in times of want, there
will always be a need for nurses. Because people are living longer, desiring to live healthier and
strive to take care of themselves through the use of early detection methods and preventative care,
the need for nurses will always be a realistic employment trend. Because the “Baby Boom” generation
is aging, more and more new nurses will be needed to fill the vacancies created by retiring nurses
and because seniors today are living longer than those just a few generations ago, highly-skilled
nurses will be needed to care for an aging population.
Nursing is also one of the few careers today where employees can still have a traditional pension
plan. If able to work in a state, local or national government-employed nursing position, the employee
benefits for active and retired workers is outstanding. Nurses interested in working for a government
agency should investigate employment options with public health clinics, schools, V.A. hospitals
and the military.
Because many grants and employer-sponsored tuition assistance programs are disappearing, it is
harder and harder for the average student to go to college. Since there is a shortage of nurses,
many hospitals are sponsoring their top-performing employees and paying all or part of their
tuition to become a nurse. Even if a student has to take out loans, many government agencies will
forgive student loans if employed as a nurse in a sought-after location. These reimbursements and
loan forgiveness options usually require an employment commitment of three years or greater but
the benefit of receiving a free education is phenomenal. To continue their education, many
employers also offer free continuing education units (C.E.U.’s) to their nurses.
If a family has had to downsize due to the economy, nursing is a great career option. For families
sharing a vehicle, nursing’s scheduling flexibility makes vehicle-sharing easy. Additionally, there
are many physician offices, clinics and schools in most neighborhoods. Nurses can even start their
own business by offering private duty services. To afford vacations, nurses can also sign up for
travel nursing assignments which allow the nurse to work for a brief period of time in their chosen
destination. Lodging or a living stipend is provided along with a per-diem rate which can be double
or triple the average rate for a non-traveling nurse. As more and more companies are looking to
recruit the best nurses, employee perks such as these and others will continue to lure those
seeking a comfortable lifestyle and rewarding career.
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