Why Are Seniors Earning Nursing Degrees?
Are you an older adult looking for an exciting and rewarding career? While it might seem like there’s no time to make a career change when you’re nearing the last decades of your career, there are plenty of reasons to look for a job in a field with more available jobs, better benefits, and daily opportunities to improve lives.
If you want a career that’s challenging and enriching, nursing is the perfect fit. And because nurses are in such high demand, it isn’t difficult to get started: you can complete your nursing education in little time, at an affordable price.
Here are the top reasons seniors are considering earning a nursing degree — and why you might want to as well.
Your Job Will Be Secure
As you get older, it can be more difficult to find work. And if you lose your job, it could affect your retirement.
Fortunately, nursing is a very secure field. Nurses are always in demand. Unlike other job fields, nurses are in need at hospitals, doctors’ offices, and care centers across the US. The US Bureau of Labor projects that the nursing employment rate will grow 15 percent in the next 6 years alone.
Additionally, nursing is a recession-proof profession. If the market changes and companies lay off workers, nurses won’t have to worry. When the job market and economy slump, nursing doesn’t. As US News reports, nursing is one of the most secure jobs available — and in 2018, nursing was named one of the best jobs to have.
With an aging population and health problems on the rise, nurses will only become more in demand.
You Can Enjoy Flexibility
Most people associate nursing with long, grueling hours, but nothing could be further from the truth. The schedule is actually more flexible than most traditional jobs.
Nurses can choose to work whatever hours and shifts they prefer: early mornings, midday, evening, or even the middle of the night. You can choose to work weekends or to keep your schedule Monday through Friday only. Some nurses prefer to stack their shifts, for example working 3 days on and 4 days off; it’s entirely up to you.
When you become a nurse, you have the option to adjust your schedule as needed. You can work 12-hour shifts or opt for shorter or long shifts. You can set your schedule based on vacation plans, life’s changes, or anything you’d like. And this gives older adults great flexibility — as well as entire days off in a row.
Student Loan Forgiveness Is Available
College tuition may be growing more expensive every year, but student debt doesn’t have to be a concern if you earn your nursing degree. If you need to take on loans in order to finance your nursing degree, you can get them forgiven after graduation. Special grants, scholarships, and student loan forgiveness programs are all available for nurses.
The federal government will forgive loans if you work at a government facility or a military hospital. Or, become a Peace Corps nurse, or work in an impoverished community; you’ll also qualify to have your loans forgiven. That means you could become a nurse without spending a cent!
You Can Take Advantage of Travel Opportunities
Want a job that allows you to see and experience the world? With a nursing degree, you can do just that. You don’t have to wait for retirement. With nursing, you can choose to find work that allows you to travel.
As a nurse, you don’t have to stay in a single hospital – you can explore the many different avenues of nursing and choose a career that takes you around the world. You can become a travel nurse, accompanying athletic teams everywhere. Or, you could join the Peace Corps or Doctors Without Borders, helping people in international destinations. Your skills and knowledge will serve you absolutely anywhere.
You Can Earn Your Degree Online
Becoming a nurse requires learning a challenging curriculum – but you can do all of your studying online. Many nursing degree programs are now available online, making a BA or BS more affordable and available for all students.
Online classes make it incredibly easy to get your foot in the door and start your degree. You don’t have to go through a lengthy application process, nor will you need to pay $10,000 or more per semester to attend classes. You’ll get the same valuable education without paying the huge price tag of in-person college tuition.
Online nursing degree programs are especially beneficial for older adults and seniors. You don’t have to return to a classroom. You can learn right at home, fit courses and assignments into your busy life, and choose the speed of your degree program. And there are even programs designed just for senior students.
Start Earning Your Nursing Degree Now
How can you get started on a nursing degree of your own? You can search for and choose an online college that suits you. There are so many options available that allow you to begin an exciting career in the medical world.
The path to a nursing degree is affordable, flexible, and quick. You just need to do your research online. You can find a nursing degree program with low-priced classes that offers you all the benefits of a traditional RN degree without taking on a huge financial burden – and you can do it all in less time.