What type of nurse should I be? It is a major decision, and there are lots of nursing specialties to choose from. As you evaluate each choice, consider factors such as patient population, work environment, personal interest, education requirements, and work/life balance. You might also explore opportunities for career advancement.
Nursing is an excellent career option for those seeking meaningful work that makes a difference and involves diverse challenges. As a profession, nursing also offers many different career possibilities, with a wider variety of employment settings and practice areas than most other careers. To enter the nursing field, you must earn a nursing degree and achieve licensure. Mercer University’s Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing track is one of the best ways to earn a BSN degree, with a 12-month blended curriculum comprised of online-based coursework, skills and simulation labs, and clinical rotations at top area healthcare facilities.
After graduating, you might be wondering “What types of nursing jobs are there?” In this post, we will explore several nursing career paths, along with the factors to consider as you decide “What type of nurse should I be?”
What is an accelerated nursing degree? Explore this fast-paced track here!
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Nursing Specialty
Before considering how to choose a nursing specialty, it is important to explore various nursing specialties, which are areas of practice or specialization within the nursing field. Some specialties are defined by patient population and others by work environment.
Nursing practice areas cover nearly the entire spectrum of the healthcare industry. It is important to choose a practice area that aligns with your skills and personality, as this generally leads to greater career satisfaction and continued interest in your work.
Align Your Career With Your Strengths and Interests
The best nursing specialty to choose is the one that aligns with your interests. For instance, if you are interested in promoting women’s health and reducing obstetric care deserts, you might choose the women’s health nursing specialty. It is also a good idea to consider your individual strengths. If you think quickly on your feet and work calmly under pressure, then the emergency room might be a good fit for you.
Work Environment
Another factor to explore when considering how to know what nursing specialty is right for you is the work environment. If you are self-driven and enjoy variety in your work environment, then perhaps home health nursing may be a good fit, as this profession involves traveling to the homes of different patients each day.
What Types of Nursing Jobs Are There?
To further explore the topic, “What type of nurse should I be?” you can explore the wide array of nursing roles that are available. Nursing roles can vary in schedule, work environment, and patient population, and can require vastly different skill sets. Below are several nursing role categories.
Ambulatory vs. Non-Ambulatory Care
Some specialties focus on ambulatory care. The word “ambulatory” refers to walking. An ambulatory care setting involves providing outpatient care for different patient populations. Some examples of nursing specialties in ambulatory care include:
- Family health
- Ophthalmology
- Dermatology
- Urgent care
An ambulatory care nurse might even work with surgery patients at an outpatient surgery center. Non-ambulatory care is typically delivered in an inpatient setting. Despite the name, many of these patients may still be capable of walking. Another way to refer to these specialties is “care at the bedside.” Some examples include:
- Obstetrics and midwifery
- Critical care
- Cardiac care
- Oncology
- ICU (intensive care unit)
- NICU (neonatal intensive care unit)
Other Specialized Roles
If you are considering, “What nursing specialty should I do?" it is important to know that there are many available choices. Many nursing specialties are growing and offer meaningful work opportunities. If you are passionate about another field in addition to nursing, you might find a way to combine the two. For instance, if you are interested in law, you might decide to become a forensic nurse, contributing your nursing expertise to the law field.
If you are interested in technology, you might become a nursing informaticist, using and managing electronic health records and systems to improve patient care.
Other specialized nursing roles include:
- Dialysis nurse
- Nurse educator
- Plastic surgery nurse
- Public health nurse
- Mental health nurse
- School nurse
- Bariatric nurse
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Roles
After you have a few years of work experience as an RN, you may decide to pursue career advancement. With a graduate degree, board certification, and additional licensure, you can become an advanced practice registered nurse.
There are different kinds of nurses at this level:
- Certified registered nurse anesthetist
- Nurse practitioner
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Certified nurse midwife
Within these APRN roles, there are also specializations like family nurse practitioner available.
What is the difference between a nurse practitioner vs. a registered nurse? Explore these roles here.
How to Know What Nursing Specialty Is Right for You
There are so many nursing specialties, it may seem challenging to choose just one. What if you are interested in two or more specialties and are unsure which to choose? Consider the following:
Identify Your Nursing Passion
The best nursing specialty for you is the one that will provide the most job satisfaction. One way to determine this is through clinical rotations. During clinicals administered through Mercer’s ABSN track, you will be placed at a nearby healthcare facility to work shifts and provide direct patient care alongside your preceptor and experienced instructors. Clinicals can introduce you to a range of practice areas and could potentially be your first exposure to a future practice area.
Consider Lifestyle and Work-Life Balance
Different types of nursing specialties can contribute to different lifestyles and may affect work-life balance. For instance, if you provide care at the bedside in a hospital, you might be expected to work four 10-hour shifts or three 12-hour shifts each week. This gives you more days off per week, but requires you to work longer shifts. If you prefer a more traditional work schedule, you might consider becoming a school nurse, forensics nurse, or public health nurse.
Seek Advice From Experienced Nurses
During your clinicals, you may also consider seeking guidance from experienced nurses. Ask them how they chose their specialty and whether they are happy with their choice. Ask about what they wished they knew before going into that particular specialty. The choice of specialty is yours to make, but experienced nurses can provide valuable insights to guide your decision.
How to Choose a Nursing Specialty: Factors to Consider
There are a few other factors to consider as you make your decision, like comparing and contrasting career prospects or considering how long it will take to enter a certain practice area.
Salary and Job Growth
What type of RN is most in demand? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not offer job growth statistics for most nursing specialties; however, for all RNs, the job growth rate is 6%, and for most APRNs, the job growth rate is 40%. All types of nurses are needed everywhere.
What about salary? The BLS does not offer breakdowns by specialty, but the employment market is competitive for all types of nurses. The median annual salary is $86,070 for all types of RNs and $129,480 for most types of APRNs.
Education and Certification Requirements
Another factor to consider is job qualifications. You can pursue almost any nursing specialty, aside from APRN roles, with just a BSN degree. Some roles could benefit from additional certifications, although you might not need to earn them right away. If you would like to become an APRN, you will need graduate-level nursing education and board certification.
What Nursing Specialty Should I Do? Making a Decision
Still having a hard time figuring it out? Remember that your decision is not necessarily final. You can switch nursing specialties later. Write down your shortlist of choices and then weigh the pros and cons for each.
Consider speaking with a nursing school advisor, instructor, or your preceptor at a clinical rotation as you begin planning your career pathway. Remember that your journey does not have to be linear; you can change your mind later and take a different path.
Begin Your Nursing Career Pathway at Mercer University
Are you ready to take the next step toward your nursing career? At Mercer University, you can apply your non-nursing bachelor’s degree toward a BSN in as few as 12 months upon successful completion of prerequisites. Our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing track prepares you for an exciting career in nursing.
Contact our enrollment counselors today and begin your journey toward a future in nursing.