Attend Nursing School

Lindsay Mays never thought she would be a nurse. She was convinced that she was going to pursue a criminal justice until she took some time off of school at Michigan State University to figure out what she really wanted to do. After a year of self reflecting in Florida and no clear ideas for a career path, Mays moved back to Michigan, where her mother, a nurse herself, mentioned the hospital she worked at was hiring nursing assistants and suggested Mays try it.

"After my first day at the hospital, I knew that nursing is what I was born to do," Mays said. "The pull felt so strong, I could not deny it."

Now Mays, 28, works in the Progressive Care Unit at Banner Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Ariz.

Mays works 12 hour shifts and generally attends to four patients each day. Her day begins when she receives a report from the night nurse, which helps her organize each patient's medication times, treatments and scheduled testing for the day. She prints their heart rhythms and, if ordered by the patient, their blood sugars and treats with insulin.

Throughout the day, Mays administers medication, a head-to-toe assessment of her patients and hourly patient checks. Toward the end of the day, she empties catheters and tubes, charts the information and reports off to the night-shift nurse.

To Mays, the challenge of being a nurse is learning time management without sacrificing the best possible care for the patient.

"I don't like how little time I get to spend with my patients," she said. "I went to nursing school and was taught to be patient and was not necessarily taught the time management piece."

Mays says she loves many things about being a nurse, such as the feeling she gets when she is truly able to help a patient or a patient's family member, the respect she gets from her community and constantly using her critical thinking skills.

"I am amazed some days that I actually get paid to have a career that I find so fun and intriguing," she said.

Learn about the many nursing careers .

Job Description:

Registered nurses, or RNs, treat and advise patients about health conditions. They typically record the medical histories of patients, take note of their symptoms, perform tests and interpret their results, dispense medicine and observe patients. Registered nurses can find work in a hospital, private practice, outpatient facility and immunization clinics.

RNs can also choose their specialty by age, providing care to only newborns, children, adults or senior citizens. Additionally, they can focus on a type of disease or condition, such as cancer, AIDS, diabetes, addictions and traumatic injuries. The best skills to possess in this field are an interest in science and health care, patience, people skills and a high tolerance for stressful situations.

Education:

Registered nurses with a bachelor's of science degree in nursing tend to fare the best in the job search but an associate degree or diploma from a nursing school are also acceptable. No matter what degree is attained, a license is needed before a registered nurse can legally work, which can be obtained after passing a national licensing test called the NCLEX-RN. Any advanced position in the nursing industry requires a master's degree, which takes about two years to complete.

Compensation:

Recent graduates can make $45,266 per year, while those with over 20 years of experience are likely to make $58,727. The median annual salary is $52,330.

Related Careers:

Considering the vast expansion of the health care industry, registered nurses can often advance their careers with a few more years of schooling. They can delve more into a certain specialty or become therapists, physician assistants or paramedics. They can achieve management roles after obtaining a master's degree or become doctors with about four more years of school.

It's 5 pm.. All over the city, weary executives shuffle home in rush hour traffic but not you. You are perched high above the noisy freeways on the 9th floor oncology unit. "I need a nurse STAT," someone yells suddenly. "And grab the crash cart!" You fly down the hall and begin your job of saving lives.

Saving lives is not only part of the job description of being a nurse but one of the rewards. But with great reward, comes responsibility. In nursing, mistakes are often a matter of life and death. Not everyone is able to handle the pressure that comes with many nursing jobs. However, for those crave that kind of pressure, nursing may be the field for you.

Nursing is a field that has the benefit of flexible scheduling. In hospitals, for instance, nurses often have the flexibility to work twelve, eight and even four hour shifts. Nurses can work full time, part-time and even per diem . One downfall, however, is nurses often are required to work nights, holidays and weekends.

If hospital work isn't what you are looking for, there are several other types of nursing positions such as a home health nursing. Another option is travel nursing, which involves working on location for a period of time in places like Hawaii and New York.

Nursing can be a rewarding career with a multitude of job possibilities and flexibility. Nurses can be teachers, salesmen, managers, caregivers and researchers. It is a selfless job that requires patience, compassion and sacrifice.