Join Judy Sweeney from Vanderbilt University School of Nursing and hear about the many and varied opportunities available for nurses. Nurses play a large role in the medical system of the United States. They are the single-largest population in health care. Healthcare is one of the fastest growing professions throughout the world. As the population ages, and healthcare costs rise, the demand for nurses will continue to increase. The health care delivery system is shifting, and nurses, particularly those with advanced education, will be in demand for quite some time. American hospitals, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices are in a serious crisis from a severe and dangerous shortage of nurses. This a shortage can best be summed up by the fact that there are now over 130,000 open positions for registered nurses nationwide.
Nurses work not only in hospitals and clinics, but in physician's offices, schools, private duty and home health. Nurses also work in the legal arena as consultants and lawyers with a nursing degree, for insurance companies, and as clinical researchers, and sales reps for drug companies and medical equipment firms. Occupational nurses work in industry all over the world. Nurses such as Diabetic Educators and Wound Ostomy nurses educate other nurses in new medications, treatments, equipment, and treatment modalities. There is a rapidly growing field of nursing informatics which involves computerizing medical records and health information. Nurses are also teachers in nursing schools at all levels. Nurses can also travel extensively and work by working for travel nursing agencies who place them for short and long term assignments in various facilities throughout the world. Military opportunities for nurses exist in most nations with active militaries. The military will often pay for your education based on a work commitment afterwards.
Patsy Partin, M.Ed
Director, Virtual School
Vanderbilt University
2007 Terrace Place
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 322-6384
