Many freshmen students start out college undeclared; they aren’t sure what they want to major in and hope to use their first year to find something they want to study. Unfortunately, many students take up to 2 years to decide on a major, and they may even switch major several times up into their junior year. This wastes a lot of time and money, and can significantly delay graduation.
If you have no idea what you want to major in, one option you might consider is taking time off from college. If taking a break isn’t an option for you, doing your research and finding a major you can be passionate about should be your number one priority. The sooner you declare a major that you want to stick with, the more you can focus on taking the classes you need to graduate, allowing you to stay on track to graduate on time.
If you’re interested in exploring some of the less traditional careers in healthcare, you’ve come to the right place. This feature on nursing careers is just one in our series, “Undeclared,” which explores potential career options in different fields, from cybersecurity to social work.
A Degree in Nursing
When you think of nursing, you probably imagine a scrub-clad individual bustling down hospital corridors. While that’s one example of where a career in nursing can take you, it’s certainly not the only option you have.
Nursing school follows an approach that combines textbook know-how, laboratory skills, and on-hands clinicals. You’ll be required to learn about anatomy, microbiology, and nutrition, among other things, like administering medication and checking vital signs.
Then you’ll move on to clinicals. These learning experiences allow students to perform real shifts at healthcare facilities, which may include public health agencies or hospitals. The hands-on skills you’ll learn during clinicals will instill you with the confidence to function in real-world scenarios.
Because there are so many different kinds of nursing specialties, a degree in nursing can be anything you want it to be. Your time in college offers you the ability to explore a variety of fields before determining which best suits you.
Travel Nurse
For understaffed and out-of-the-way communities, travel nurses are in high demand. Travel nurses switch from location to location depending on their current contract, and housing is usually covered in addition to salary.
Travel nurses are incredibly important when gaps need to be filled or when healthcare supply and demand just don’t match up. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel nurses were in especially high demand as some areas experienced overwhelmed medical facilities. Oftentimes, local nurses are unable to satisfy a spike in the need for healthcare professionals. That’s where travel nurses come in.
Hailing from a variety of clinical backgrounds, travel nurses enjoy higher-than-average pay and unique benefits not available to other healthcare professionals, like the chance to explore the world and interact with patients across geographic areas.
Public Health Nurse
Another career choice that’s risen in popularity recently is public health nursing. Exploring careers in public health is a big task in and of itself — career options range from epidemiologists to health policy analysts.
As a public health nurse, however, you’ll have an opportunity to make a big impact on public health as a whole. Rather than focusing on individual patients, public health nurses rely on research and data to implement solutions that improve the community’s health.
As a result, public health nurses play crucial roles in the prevention of illness and maintenance of community and global health. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic have shown the true value of public health nurses in the prevention and containment of disease. Public health nurses are always ready to manage challenges, whether that’s an aging American population or the possibility of wide-scale health problems on the horizon.
Telehealth Nurse
The ongoing technological boom has resulted in a more cohesive merger between technology and medicine. COVID safety concerns also mean it’s now easier than ever before to see a doctor or nurse in the form of a virtual appointment. Not only does telehealth save patients time and often money, but it also provides a great deal of flexibility to nurses considering a remote career.
The widespread use of mobile devices makes the shift to telehealth a simple one. Nationwide, telecommunications coverage is becoming stronger and more ubiquitous, making telehealth services accessible to new markets, including the elderly and those in rural areas.
Telehealth offers the possibility for patient monitoring, record storage, and a plethora of other medical usages. Experts estimate that around a quarter of all doctor’s visits are unnecessary. Telehealth represents a massive step forward in efficiency, providing doctor-patient communication without the cumbersome process of setting and attending an appointment.
Pediatric Nurse
There’s a specialty for everything in nursing and providing basic medical care to children and infants is right in the wheelhouse of a pediatric nurse. This kind of nurse usually specializes in providing preventative or acute care for children of all ages.
The duties of a pediatric nurse largely consist of performing physical examinations, diagnosing illnesses, and designing customized treatment plans for each child. Pediatric nurses must also provide school immunizations and developmental health screenings. These screenings are essential in identifying conditions like autism, which can then be addressed by a skilled professional.
Communication skills are also essential for a pediatric nurse, who must learn to communicate with children of different ages, backgrounds, and temperaments, as well as their parents. For those who want to make a difference in kids’ lives, consider a career as a pediatric nurse.
Conclusion
Nursing is an incredibly diverse profession, meaning you can specialize in anything from mental health to pediatrics. For those unsure of what career trajectory to follow, it’s a wise idea to first attend college, to gain a better understanding of your passions and explore areas you might not otherwise. Choosing the right college major is a big step in building a career you enjoy. Who knows, you might just find that nursing is right up your alley!
About the Author:
Jori Hamilton is a writer from the Pacific Northwest who has a particular interest in social justice, politics, education, healthcare, technology, and more. You can follow her on Twitter @ HamiltonJori.
