Nursing is a constantly growing field that offers a wide range of specialties and thus career opportunities. Having a wide range of options allows you to specialize in an area of interest. As soon as you get the required educational credentials, you can start working in your field of interests.
Healthcare is becoming more diverse. Several diseases that used to be unheard of are now spreading, changing the needs of patient care. Therefore, nurses and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are entering the nursing field at an unprecedented rate to meet these changing demands.
While service delivery in the healthcare industry is becoming increasingly challenging, on the positive side it is allowing nurses to fulfill their goal of helping humanity. In addition, they have highly competitive salaries, so the field is not just mentally satisfying, but also financially rewarding.
Nurses who attain the necessary certifications and qualifications of in-demand specialties have a higher chance of securing their dream job. In comparison, those with outdated knowledge are much less likely to be offered higher compensation, autonomy, and responsibility. Listed below are some of the promising nursing specialties to pursue for better career prospects.
- Adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner
Today, this specialty is one of the most sought-after in the nursing field. The role of an adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner is to help stabilize the condition of the patients. Moreover, they prescribe medicine, diagnose patients, monitor the patient's condition, and seek help from doctors with the right expertise.
They provide patients with palliative care and ensure no complications occur during treatment. An adult-gerontology nurse practitioner is adequately trained and experienced to treat critically ill patients in private patient care settings and hospitals. As a result, they can work in the emergency department of a hospital, in laboratories, or in private healthcare clinics.
In 2020, the median salary for a primary care nurse in adult-gerontology is estimated to be $117,670. Salary brackets are determined by factors such as location, state, and work setting (public hospital, private clinic).
- Cardiovascular nurse practitioners
Cardiovascular nurses monitor their patients' condition and communicate any changes to the appropriate doctors. They also assist doctors with diagnostic procedures for patients suffering from lung problems.
In addition to providing medical care to patients with heart disease, these professionals communicate regularly with the patients, their families, and educate them about how to stay healthy and manage the disease. These practitioners work with a variety of age groups, and often work with children as well.
Cardiovascular disease is on the rise, and one out of four deaths in the United States are caused by lung issues. This has prompted an increase in the demand for cardiovascular nurse practitioners, who are expected to earn $75,330 per year by 2020.
Clinical Nurse Specialists, also known as CNSs, are next on our list of top nurse specialties. Their primary duty is to collaborate with other nurses on improving patient care. In addition to diagnosing and treating patients, they also play an important role in the management and research of healthcare systems.
Clinical nurse specialists are often assigned to leadership positions where they are responsible for educating and improving fellow nurses. A hospital, a home health facility, and a doctor's office are the preferred work settings for these professionals.
CNSs make an average salary of $93273 per year, making it one of the highest-paying nursing specialties.
- Trauma or emergency department nurse
Working as a trauma nurse involves working with patients who have been injured or ill. These patients could be of any age group, from infancy to elderly, and may be victims of accidents, head trauma, gunshot wounds, emotional or physical abuse.
Often, ED nurses are called upon to respond quickly to trauma situations with little knowledge of the causes and histories of the trauma. Since the nature of this field doesn't offer enough time to develop the best treatment plan, trauma nurses are required to respond quickly and remain calm and composed at the same. Those interested in this specialty must be prepared to work in an intensely stressful and chaotic environment.
A trauma or emergency department nurses' average yearly salary is $91,025, making it one of the more lucrative specialties of Nursing.
ConclusionIn contrast to the past, nursing is no longer confined to a few dormant specialties. As the healthcare field has become more complex, so have the needs of patients visiting medical facilities. In order to meet those needs, nurses need to be at the top of their profession and provide excellent patient care. It can only be achieved if the healthcare facility has nurses who are skilled in specific areas of patient care. As we live in a highly dynamic healthcare environment, nursing offers an extensive array of specialties that make this goal achievable.