Think about nursing when making career choices

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” When asked that did you answer, “A nurse?” So many of us did, but we don’t know how many of us actually followed through.

What we do know from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is that they expect employment of registered nurses to grow 26 percent from now until 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.

“Growth will occur primarily because of technological advancements; an increased emphasis on preventative care; and the large, aging baby-boomer population who will demand more health care services as they live longer and more active lives,” BLS website says.

With school ending a few weeks from now and this week being National Nurses Week, maybe it’s a good time to look at nursing as a profession, and certainly, if you have the opportunity, thank one for their dedication to their field.

“Nursing is a profession that embraces dedicated people with varied interests, strengths and passions,” Bonner General Hospital’s CEO Sheryl Rickard wrote in this month’s employee newsletter. “We witness our nursing staffs’ dedication to safe, compassionate, quality care every day.”

“I applaud all of you for your professionalism, your experience, and the talent that you bring to the daily delivery of care. You’re here for our patients and Bonner General Hospital is a better place because of you,” Rickard wrote.

Now that you’ve decided that you want to be a nurse, what kind of a nurse do you want to be? The field has a wide range of career opportunities from entry-level practitioner to doctoral-level researcher. So, the two questions are how much time, and financial resources do you want to put into your education? Naturally, the more you give the more you get back.

Closest to home, North Idaho College offers courses in becoming a certified nursing assistant, a licensed practical nurse and a registered nurse with an associate nursing degree. All three of these health care professions are in high demand in today’s workplace.

Idaho Department of Labor estimates a steady growth in the need for CNAs in the five northern counties. NIC’s 12-week program provides students with 80 hours of classroom study and an additional 40 hours of on-the-job, hands-on training typically at surrounding healthcare facilities.

Nurse Barb Chestine, one of NIC’s CNA instructors, is credited on their website for saying that there are perks to being a CNA, such as quick employment, no shortage of jobs, flexible schedules and readily available opportunities for advancement.

“It is an entry-level position to get your feet wet in the medical field, to see if you like it and want to stay with it,” Chestine said.

The 11-month LPN program prepares students for entry-level employment as practical nurses in hospitals, home health care, convalescent homes, and related health service professions. The curriculum includes basic and clinical foundations of nursing, medical and surgical nursing, maternal and infant care, nursing of children, psychiatric nursing, pharmacology, and geriatrics.

North Idaho College officials say that their RN program strives to provide competent, caring registered nurses who are committed to lifelong learning.

Students learn to act in accordance with professional values, ethics, legalities, and standards, to collaborate effectively with others in planning, providing, and evaluating care within the health care system.

Explorehealthcareers.org says it best, “Nurses promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. Nurses also serve as advocates for patients, families, and communities. They develop and manage nursing care plans; instruct patients and their families in proper care; and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health.”

Now that’s what you want to do when you grow up!

Kathy Hubbard is a trustee on Bonner General Hospital’s Foundation Board. She can be reached at 264-4020 or kathyleehubbard@yahoo.com.