Well…the term “nursing” needs no introduction. Every individual right from a school kid to an adult develops a common image of trained personnel taking care of patients as soon as they hear the word “nursing.” The nursing profession not only affects the life of patients significantly but often save them and this is the reason why nursing is considered to be one of the most popular professions in the healthcare industry.
That being said, Nursing is one of the important aspects of the Health Care Industry without which it cannot function properly. Taking care of the individuals who are unwell is certainly not a task so easy, but the nursing profession trains them not only to serve the people in need but to do so while putting a smile on his/her face. Filled with various challenges, rewards and opportunities, the profession also develops compassion in the professionals while training them and gives them the purpose of their life. This, in turn, leads to the development of the society, and thus this profession is growing rapidly and attracting young minds. While the field might seem lucrative enough, there might be some queries in your mind, which is why we are here.
Key highlights of the blog are:-
- What Is Nursing?
- Significance of Nursing
- Eligibility to become Nurse
- Career Paths In Nursing: Types of Jobs For Students
- How To Get Started?
- Top 5 Hospitals and Nursing To Start Your Career
- The Bottom Line
What Is Nursing?
- It is one of the strongest pillars on which the medical profession stands on. The nursing profession is clubbed within the health care sector and includes activities such as administration and taking care of the patient with the help of medical science.
- It primarily focuses on taking care of individuals, families and communities and helping them to attain, maintain or recover optimal health and quality of life.
- Besides this, nurses dispense medicines, keeps a record of patients and operates on various types of medical equipment along with their daily routine to serve the society in general and patients in particular.
Significance of Nursing
Now that you have got an idea about nursing, you would have probably drawn a conclusion that “the nature of their job affects human life and they are the backbone of the health care sector.” Now, let’s dig in deep and try to analyze the various significance or importance of this profession.
Provides Mental And Emotional Support To Patients
- Nurses spend more time with patients than their doctors do. They spend time, comfort them and try to understand their frame of mind and also advise doctors to take a different approach due to the unique circumstances of their patient if required.
- Without nurses, patients would not be able to receive the quality of care at the scale that is necessary for hospitals to care for large groups of people at once.
- Nurses in a hospital play the most important role and are always present for them and thus support them emotionally as well while they receive medications and stay away from their families.
Helps The Doctors In Complex And Critical Situations
- Many nurses dedicate their careers to specializing in specific practice areas or skill sets (e.g. ICU, CRNA) that make them an invaluable asset to any medical team.
- These nurses comprise multidisciplinary teams that care for patients and also help the doctors while they are dealing with complex disorders of the patient and require a wide breadth of specialized knowledge and experience.
Refining The Process of Patient Care
- Nurses are also the eyes and ears of the hospital. They know which healthcare products work best and thus they refine the processes for patient care and also identify excessive waste and other inefficiencies of the patient’s healthcare process.
Changes, Improves And Shapes The Society/Community
- Nurses also take on challenges that extend beyond the hospital doors. That might seem idealistic, but they find practical ways that can be implemented and work towards changing and shaping the society and community for good.
- They love dealing with people and influence people uniquely that sticks with them even after they leave the hospital.
For e.g.:- Bridging the income gap by providing the same treatment to the rich and the poor, overcoming the gender barrier by treating equally to men’s and women’s, spreading awareness among young people about birth control, educating patients on proper hygiene, optimal nutrition, and overall health practices etc.
Eligibility to become Nurse
- Candidates should be 10+2 pass from a recognised university with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as major subjects.
- The general eligibility for candidates is 45% marks in 10+2 or equivalent. The marks eligibility varies from college-to-college and categories.
- An important requirement for getting employed as a nurse is to register yourself with a State Nursing Council.
Career Paths In Nursing: Types Of Jobs For Students
Today, with more and more nursing colleges opening up, the requirement for skill and qualified people for service is also growing. This is the reason why the scope and career opportunities in nursing is high both in India and abroad and thus is considered as the right career option for compassionate individuals who have the zeal and interest to serve mankind. Following are the types of jobs offered to students in this field:-
Registered Nurse (RN)
registered nurses are registered by medical institutions and organizations. They work within the hospital premises with the doctors or physicians and perform tasks related to different medical settings.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Licensed Practical Nurses are the ones who work with or under the supervision of registered nurses or doctors. They are responsible for checking and maintaining medical requirements and giving injections.
Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Nurse Practitioners are professionals who usually work under the supervision of a doctor or physician. However, with proper training and knowledge, Nurse Practitioners can also become independent medical practitioners prescribing medicines and diagnosing diseases.
Travel Nurse
Travel Nurses are nurses who work nationally and internationally on a temporary basis. The work culture of a travel nurse is equivalent to that of a registered nurse.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registered Nurse
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Registered Nurses have a prescribed and definite role designed only for taking care of medical requirements and maintenance related to the ICUs of hospitals or nursing homes. They can work for a particular type of patients or patients of a particular age group.
Operating Room (OR) Nurse
Operating Room (OR) Nurses are also known as Perioperative Nurses or Scrub Nurses, and they are responsible for taking care of patients before, during and after the operation or surgery.
Home Health Nurse
Home Health Nurses are the ones who provide medical help and support to the patients at the comfort of their home. These nurses offer care mostly for patients with mobility or development issues.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Clinical Nurse Specialists are nurses who are skilled to diagnose and treat illness within their area of expertise. The role of Clinical Nurse Specialists includes focusing on patients and their families or managing the nursing department or handling administration.
How To Get Started?
- By this point, we believe that you have started seeing yourself probably 5-7 years down the line in the field of nursing but are you still confused about how to start from level 0. Well, don’t worry much, all you need to this take one step at a time.
- For the time being, just focus on getting good grades in your class 12th board exams. Additionally, you can also dig in deep and study some extra stuff in the subject of biology. This won’t help you to fetch good marks in the examination but will help you to develop an idea of the field/domain. On top of it, you can take help from study materials and start preparing for various entrance exams as a good score would earn you a seat in a reputed college/university and could actually help them in turning your dream into reality.
- Next, communicate and interact with like-minded people who are as much interested in this domain as you are. Talk to them and try to acquaint yourself from their perspective and you will find yourself more equipped with knowledge and skills that you will probably need in this journey. And if this doesn’t work out for you, attend a career counselling session. Most of these sessions are conducted online and include one to one interaction and trust me you won’t regret your decision.
- A career counselling session will not only add to your knowledge in this field but will also include activities to understand stuff from your perspective and will help you in the way. Additionally, you can also interact with your teachers, read a new article/book, listen to the podcast and watch videos through which you will learn more and more every day.
- Finally, after having a degree in nursing and getting yourself registered with the State Nursing Council, you will find so many openings in this field. Along with work, you can also choose to specialize in the field of your interest and add meaning and value to your life, interest and profession. Also, maintaining regular contact with your university alumnae could help you get in touch with the industry.
Top 5 Hospitals and Nursing To Start Your Career
For all the aspirants of nursing seeking a job, here we have listed top 5 hospitals for nursing jobs. Please check the vacancies and eligibility before applying for any nursing job.
- All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
- Kokilaben Hospital, Mumbai Apollo Hospital, Chennai
- Moolchand Hospital, New Delhi
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi
- Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai
The Bottom Line
Wrapping it up, all I would say is “a career in nursing is more than just a degree.” You will require your skills and implement your learning to improve the process of patient care and enhance their recovery along with your degree to make your name in this field. Just go with the flow, keep learning, keep growing and that’s how you will earn your name and place in this industry.
This is all from our side. We hope that this blog was insightful and would help you take the first step right for your career in nursing. In case you have a doubt, please let us know in the comment section below and we will be more than happy to help. We wish you a great career ahead!
