Work Expectations
Nursing offers incredible Career Options and Career Flexibility. But what is it really like to work as a nurse day in day out?
While every job has its ups and downs, the demands and rewards of nursing can be a little more dramatic depending on the setting. Most nurses will tell you that no day is ever the same. Each shift brings brand new challenges that keep them stimulated and excited about their profession.
- Decent pay. Nurses are paid according to their education and experience.
- Teamwork & empowerment. Very often nurses work in a team of health-care professionals, sometimes leading that team. They manage and co-ordinate patient care or programs, often acting as an inter-professional liaison. A goal of all nursing should be collaboration and leadership.
- Multitasking. Because nurses are constantly exposed to competing priorities it is vital that they tend to their physical and emotional well-being. This is especially true when shift work is involved.
- Rich rewards. Day in day out, nurses work hard to improve the health of individuals and communities, providing many opportunities to have a positive and profound impact on those whose lives they touch.
The best way to learn more about what it’s really like to be a nurse is to talk to one, or two or three. Call a nursing association like the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, and ask for a few nursing contacts who will be more than happy to give you the ins and outs of what the job is like. Or ask a few friends if they know of any nurses who are willing to share their experience with you. The profession is demanding, but you’ll be sure to discover that the rewards are abundant.