Transitioning into post-secondary education can be overwhelming for students without proper career guidance. To select the best major for nursing, you must analyze your skills and passion and find a field of study that leverages your strengths. Nursing students can find it difficult to know what degree for nursing is right for them, as they have many majors from which to choose.
This article will teach you how to choose a major for nursing. Dive in to find out why it’s a great career option and learn the best tricks and tips for selecting a nursing major. This extensive list of related majors to the field of nursing is sure to help you ace that admissions process and kickstart your career as a professional nurse.
Why Choose a Career in Nursing
Choosing to major in nursing can be quite rewarding. At a minimum, you can help patients attain and maintain good health and return to normalcy. You may get the chance to save lives in a variety of settings. Patients’ lives are dependent on you, and although that’s a critical responsibility, the fulfillment of providing care to individuals cannot be beaten.
The nursing profession is quite dynamic and presents you with new challenges every day. A registered professional nurse (RN) has numerous opportunities for specialization in the job market depending on their preferences. Besides a great annual wage, they can access education loans to advance their education and acquire doctoral degrees.
Nursing Job Outlook
Graduating from a nursing program provides promising job outlooks. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) foresees that the United States employment of registered nurses will grow by nine percent between 2020 to 2030, as roughly 194,500 job openings for certified nurses emerge in the United States annually.
The talent shortage in the health industry also fuels the demand for registered nurses. Even though the number of nurses has grown significantly over the past half-decade, the demand still eclipses the supply. In the year 2020, Statista recorded three million registered nurses. Nurses will likely be needed more as the world’s population continues to grow.
Nursing Job Satisfaction
Nursing records a 98 percent job satisfaction rate across all specialties, ranking in the top rank in the Gallup poll of ethical standards and honesty scale for the 18th year in a row. The public health sector has immeasurable trust in nurses to steer healthcare change. Ongoing health reforms improve healthcare delivery, further enhancing satisfaction among nurses.
Nurses Salary Potential
| Career | Minimum Level of Education | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Nurse Anesthetist | Doctorate Degree in Anesthesia | $128,920 |
| Nurse Practitioner | Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree | $114,708 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist | Master of Science in Nursing | $111,407 |
| Nurse Educator | Master’s Degree in Nursing | $78,503 |
| Pediatric Nurse | Associate Degree in Nursing | $74,400 |
How to Choose a Major for Nursing: Tips for Selecting the Right Nursing Degree
Tip 1: Consider the Course Delivery
Before enrolling for any degrees in nursing, find out how they deliver their courses. Broadly, colleges for nursing offer online programs or full-time study. Online nursing programs are relatively affordable and spare you commuting and on-campus living expenses. Online programs are also convenient for those working or those who have a family to care for.
Tip 2: Research Available Nursing Internships and Clinical Rotations
Health organizations and hospitals that employ recent graduates prefer graduates with practical clinical skills. Most agencies would prefer a graduate who has completed internships and attained an RN license. It’s advisable to choose a nursing school that helps prospective students gain hands-on experience as well as educational experience.
Tip 3: Ensure You Attend an Accredited Nursing Program and School
The best nursing schools are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). To receive your RN license, you must first graduate from an accredited institution and an accredited nursing program. Some nursing colleges also attain regional accreditation which enables students to work in certain states or varied clinical settings.
Tip 4: Set Personal Nursing Career Goals
Knowing what you’re passionate about can help you choose a program in nursing that you’ll enjoy pursuing in this field of study. You should consider the wide variety of opportunities for growth in every nursing program. As an experienced RN, you can further your nursing education in an advanced nursing program to become a nurse practitioner.
Tip 5: Choose a Nursing Specialty
To thrive in the nursing field, you should consider specializing. Experts are more marketable than general professional nurses. Research different nursing specialties and identify a marketable one. You can also choose a program in nursing with multiple congruent specialties. Combining mental health nursing and elderly nursing care offers unique clinical experiences.
What Degree for Nursing: Best Majors for a Nursing Career
Nurse-Midwifery
A registered nurse-midwife offers care to women from the start of a pregnancy, through childbirth, up to menopause. Certified nurse-midwives qualify as advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), allowing them to work in a variety of healthcare settings. A nurse-midwife can also double up as a physician, prescribing medications and treating certain medical conditions.
Associated Career Paths: Clinical practice, neonatal, perinatal, perioperative, trauma nursing
Levels of Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Doctoral Degree
Holistic Nursing
Holistic nursing is based on the idea that a person’s physical health is connected to their spiritual and mental health. A holistic nurse combines western and eastern medicines to treat a patient’s mind, soul, and body. They also provide acupuncture, stress management therapies, biofeedback, meditation, and physical exercise therapies that treat the whole body.
Associated Career Paths: Wellness coaching, aromatherapist expert, massage therapist
Levels of Education: Associate Degree in Nursing, Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, NCLEX Exam
Nurse Case Management
Nurse case managers create, implement, and review healthcare plans for individuals. Patients could be recovering from serious injuries, are geriatric, or have chronic diseases. Nurse case managers also collaborate with medical professionals and doctors to offer patients comprehensive care. They can work both within and outside of a hospital or medical center.
Associated Career Paths: Disease expert, service expert, specialty expert, duration expert
Levels of Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Doctoral Degree
Pediatric Nursing
Pediatric nurses attend to children that are healthy, ill, disabled, or handicapped. They understand child growth and development and can assess a child’s development milestones. They typically work in hospitals and doctor’s offices where they provide routine check-ups to kids. In addition, they can collaborate with families to provide children with holistic development.
Associated Career Paths: Family nurse practitioner, registered professional nurse
Levels of Education: Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree
Forensic Nursing
Forensic nurses treat trauma related to physical or sexual abuse and violence in a clinical setting. They work with law enforcement agencies to propel anti-violence efforts and collect and present testimony in courts to help apprehend abusers. They can integrate various medical care programs for the wholeness of their patients.
Associated Career Paths: Sexual assault nurse examiner, death investigator, corrections nurse
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Levels of Education: Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree
Other Nursing Related Majors
There are numerous equally great courses and health care settings that could lead you to a fulfilling career. Whether you’re starting with a nursing diploma or you’re taking an advanced level graduate study, these courses present opportunities for you to work in a variety of health care environments to improve public health.
- Nursing Administration
- Nursing Science
- School Nursing
- Occupational And Environmental Health Nursing
- Clinical Nurse Leader
- Emergency Room Nursing
- Critical Care Nurse
- Community Nursing
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Adult Health Nursing
Is a Career in Nursing Right for Me?
A career in nursing is right for you if you’re an empathetic person who enjoys helping other people. A fulfilling nursing career depends on your passions and strengths. Nursing can be stressful, especially during emergencies and some nurses find it difficult to cultivate a work-life balance.
Taking education courses in behavioral sciences can help fine-tune your skills. Nursing education courses are also very demanding, requiring you to dedicate most of your time to your studies. If you can handle the pressure and complete the prerequisite coursework, you’ll be presented with an array of leadership experiences and opportunities.
Best Major for Nursing FAQ
To be a registered nurse, you need an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. However, if you’re already working in clinical settings as a medical assistant, you can use your community college courses to shorten your study time. A licensed practical nurse can also bridge courses to accelerate your studies.
Requirements for math and science course depend on the nursing major you pursue. A licensed practice nurse must take anatomy, human growth, development, physiology, and nutrition courses. Some legal practitioner nursing programs may require you to study math. Whether you’re taking a bachelor’s or an associate degree, you need health-related science courses.
The types of degrees for the best nursing majors are associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees. Each degree level has associated nursing majors, each with a degree level resonating salary. Your degree level determines your salary and particular nursing major.
Some of the schools that offer the best nursing programs are Duke University, University of Washington, and University of Pennsylvania, according to US News & World Report. As mentioned before, you’ll find the best program for you by considering your strengths and interests. There are also accelerated nursing degrees for those interested in completing their studies faster.
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