Introduction
All careers have certain advantages and disadvantages. Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) is one of the potential avenues of developing a nursing career. RNs are the most common type of nurses (Temple 10). The other well-known group of nursing professionals is Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) (Temple 10). The choice between the two career lines boils down to the willingness to spend time in school. It takes longer to become an RN compared to the time it takes to become an LPN. This paper looks at the advantages and disadvantages of becoming an RN.
Advantages of Becoming a Registered Nurse
The demand for RNs is increasing exponentially. The main driver for this phenomenon is that baby boomers are aging. Their need for nursing care is on the rise (Burke, Cooper, and Clarke 42). With old age, many people need nursing care to help them navigate the challenges of the age. They are more prone to diseases and are physically weaker. In addition to the demand brought about by baby boomers, the national needs for nursing care are also on the rise. The government is trying to increase access to healthcare for all citizens. This is creating demand for RNs across the country. The demand for RNs is creating job opportunities for anyone willing to pursue a career as an RN.
In open market economies, demand drives the prices of goods and services. Whenever demand outstrips supply, prices rise. On the other hand, whenever supply exceeds demand, prices drop. The rising demand for RNs is making the profession more lucrative. The low supply of RNs is responsible for the willingness of hospitals and other health care facilities to pay RNs higher wages. In many hospitals, RNs get a joining bonus of between five thousand and ten thousand dollars (Coyne, Timmins, and Neill 21).
These bonuses come with a contract requiring the RNs to work in the facility for a certain period. The higher the joining bonus, the longer the period the RNs remain in the facility. Health facilities use this method to be sure that they will not lack the services of RNs in a competitive marketplace. The outlook for the remuneration of RNs shows that RNs will earn more in the coming years because of the increasing demand for their services. Current projections show that the demand for RNs will keep increasing in the coming years (Temple 66).
Thirdly, RNs have the choice of working in different places because there is no difference between the needs of patients in any part of the country. However, each country has requirements relating to the qualifications and licensing of RNs. The only difference that occasionally comes to the surface is the cultural differences between different people. However, this does not have a significant effect on the services RNs offer. The ability to work in different countries makes RNs very flexible professionals.
The flexibility is welcome news for RNs who do not want to stay in one place for a long time (McEwen and Wills 22). They can offer their services where there is demand for fixed periods before moving on. RNs can gather invaluable experience relating to the operations of the different jurisdictions. This can be very enriching to the RN.
The fourth advantage of becoming an RN is that the nature of the work allows for flexible working hours (Temple 37). With some planning, RNs can use their spare time to carry out other activities for personal development. For instance, it is possible to use the spare time to pursue further studies or to volunteer as a social worker. RNs usually work in shifts, and they remain on-call during their off days. The reason for this is to ensure that they have time to rest, but at the same time are available to respond to emergencies. This does not mean that they report to work regularly during off days. This only happens when there abnormally high demand for nursing services. This occurs when there is a disaster, or when there is a disease outbreak. It is not a regular occurrence.
The working hours for RNs are usually longer than the conventional eight hours. They usually work for twelve hours or more, depending on the demand for their services. Therefore, the workweek for an RN has fewer days that have more working hours. The result is that an RN has more days off work than conventional workers. This leaves a lot of room for RNs to pursue other interests.
Disadvantages of Becoming a Registered Nurse
The first challenge that anyone seeking to become an RN must be willing to deal with is extended time in college. The training of RNs takes longer than most nursing programs. Becoming an RN requires a commitment to long hours of study. It also calls for one to prepare for a long period in college. In addition to the primary education towards becoming an RN, some states require RNs to take additional exams periodically for their licenses to remain current. For instance, RNs in Alabama must attend twenty-four hours of additional training every two years (Temple 30). This means that a decision to become an RN is a commitment to career-long learning. This may pose a serious challenge to people who are not academically inclined.
The second challenge of becoming an RN is exposure to diseases in the course of duty. Just like any other job, becoming an RN comes with risks. Many RNs suffer from an increased number of infections in their first few years of practice (Burke, Cooper, and Clarke 51).
The working environment of an RN is full of disease-causing organisms. It is common for new RNs to have regular breaks to recover from flu and coughs, among other easily communicable ailments. Lapses in observing safety precautions may lead to the contraction of serious infections such as HIV. The risk of infection is one of the most serious occupational hazards that RNs must handle (Burke, Cooper, and Clarke 11).
While the flexibility of working hours is an advantage for a young RN with no dependents, the same schedule is quite challenging for older RNs with dependents. It is normal for RNs to work twelve to eighteen-hour shifts in busy hospitals (McEwen and Wills 27). This can lead to severe physical strain because RNs do most of their work while on their feet. The severe physical strain can lead to other health conditions such as long-term back pain and joint ailments. In addition, it can lead to the aggravation of pre-existing conditions such as asthma. Besides, the physical stress can make it very difficult for RNs to carry on their work if they develop terminal illnesses and conditions that affect their physical strength. For instance, it is very challenging for an aging RN to work normally if the RN develops arthritis.
A related challenge that can affect an RN is the psychological strain associated with patient care (Burke, Cooper, and Clarke 21). It is one thing to see patients in hospital occasionally. It is yet another to deal with sick people needing care daily.
The training for RNs tackles this aspect of their work. However, some traumatic experiences involving patients can bring down even the most resilient RNs. For instance, when there is a large disaster such as an earthquake or a terrorist attack, RNs feel as scared as the rest of society. However, they must handle the needs of affected patients during the crisis. They usually provide services without psychological support because everyone looks up to them for support. Their own experiences may also pose a challenge. If an RN who suffered from rape handles a rape victim, the RN is likely to relive this experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the decision to become an RN is not something anyone should take lightly. Some people characterize the work of medical personnel as a calling. It is not enough to look at the pay and the benefits when deciding to become an RN. It is more important to think deeply about the demands of the job. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is important to state that being an RN can be very satisfying. Few professionals have the opportunity to save lives daily. Becoming an RN can be a very good career decision. However, it is not for everyone.
Works Cited
Burke, Ronald J, Cary L Cooper and Sharon Clarke. Occupational Health and Safety. Surrey: Gower Publishing, 2011.
Coyne, Imelda, Fiona Timmins and Freda Neill. Clinical Skills for Children’s Nursing. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
McEwen, Melanie and Evelyn Wills. Theoretical Basis for Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: MPS Limited, 2011.
Temple, Jenny. Becoming a Registered Nurse: Making the Transition to Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2012.