College preparation time once again. Have you decided what course you plan to take? Most 12th graders already know what courses to take in college. However, there are always some who will never find their career path. For some who are undecided, consider the healthcare service. You can be a professional or non-professional provider. Let me give insight on one of these professions that I know, nursing.

The Nursing Profession
The nursing profession is well known for providing a compassionate and caring service. The registered nurses are the largest occupation in the healthcare industry. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook written by the US Department of Labor-Bureau of Statistics, 2006-07 Edition, there are three out of five jobs available in the hospital for the registered nurses.

A personal reflection
From these past decades, more options are now available for nurses that are of non-traditional such as parish nursing, forensic nursing, entertainment business, flight nursing, and many more. When I started as a new registered nurse more than a decade ago, I was looking for something non-traditional. Coming out from the nursing school, I was hired to work in the emergency room for a year. One of the doctors from this hospital had started an independent healthcare service. The idea was to provide an annual and pre-employment physical examination, medical services, and laboratory services for employees from an independent contractor for health care services.

I was offered a job to work with this newly formed healthcare business and I was assigned to a five-star hotel as a company nurse to be based on-site cathering to about 400 employees. Having that short exposure and experience working in the emergency room gave me the confidence to set up the employees health service like a mini emergency room with some portable equipment and minor suturing sets. Most of the cases seen on this on-site employees’ health service were kitchen workers with knife cuts that need suturing and the usual illness like upper respiratory tract and gastro-intestinal tract infections. In addition, the company was also responsible for providing a physician on call 24/7 to hotel guests who need medical attention.

My other responsibility was collecting data for occupational health risks statistics that was used to develop an employees’ health wellness program and reduce the health care cost. The goal of the wellness program was to reduce occupational health related illnesses and accidents and to reduce employees’ absenteeism. Today, the concepts of health and wellness programs are popular, back then it was a new mindset.

As for me, it was fulfilling and enriching. It was worthwhile that I came to use the nursing process, critical thinking skills, and decision –making to my advantage. I learned to be independent, creative and innovative. That’s the beauty of nursing profession. It is a wholesome profession that develops and transforms one to a different level of functionality and rationalization.

It is up to you
Whatever you decide to invest on, you must remember that passion, persistence, and perseverance are the keys to success. You must be open and willing to explore a new venture. Your self-confidence will eventually follow. So, for all of you who are willing to invest your time in nursing, you have chosen an inspiring, challenging, enriching path and I’m sure that the reward is awaiting you.

To access the Occupational Outlook Handbook on Registered Nurse, please visit the related link.