If you’ve decided to help others by pursuing your degree in nursing, you’re among thousands of men and women throughout the country wanting to make a difference in the lives of patients. While you’re in the program, you’ll experience a balance between class work, clinical work and labs. As a nurse, you’ll be able to work in a range of settings and have opportunity for job flexibility as well. The overall demand for nurses is on the rise.

If you enter a program to earn an two-year degree in nursing, once you graduate you’ll be able to effectively administer sound practices to patients in nursing homes, clinics, hospitals and more as well as work privately in homes. You’ll be exposed to the fundamentals of nursing that will always be necessary. For those who want a higher nursing degree, there are hundreds of bridge programs to advance your education.

Due to its versatility and speed at which it’s obtained, a four-year degree in nursing is the degree most counselors suggest obtaining. For starters, getting your Bachelor’s takes only a few years, and once you have it, you’ll have a valuable background on which to base your career as well as potentially specialize later down the road. Often, nursing jobs set pay grades based on one’s level of education, instead of experience, therefore a this degree gives you a middle ground from which to start.

Starting out as a registered nurse gives you a strong foundation in theory and clinical practice. You’ll be ready to work in many hospitals, community health departments or nursing home settings as a graduate. You’ll be responsible for disease prevention, health promotion and assisting individuals with their health care concerns.

If you’re ready to go to school for one to three more years after getting a Bachelor’s degree and passing your registered nurse exam, then you can apply for your Master’s degree in nursing. There is a strict qualification process; however, if you want to specialize as a nurse anesthetist, nurse practitioner or nurse midwife, a graduate degree is required.

Once you receive your Master’s degree in nursing, you’ll be more independent. You’ll also be taking on much more challenging roles such as community health concerns, geriatrics and disease outbreaks. You may be asked to join as college or university faculty or serve in any number of mid- to upper-level nursing management positions.

A nursing doctoral degree program will prepare you to take on an even greater leadership role. You’ll be working with research that may impact nursing education and practices or be offered to work at the university level. Earning your doctoral degree is for the elite few nurses who then become executives, deans and researchers.

by Natasha Bright