DiversityNursing Blog

Choosing the right Nursing specialty can be a challenging decision, as there are many areas of Nursing to consider. Here are some steps that can help you choose the right specialty:

Assess your interests

Think about the areas of Nursing that interest you the most. Do you enjoy working with children or adults? Do you like working in a fast-paced environment or a more relaxed one? Do you prefer working in a clinical setting or a community-based one? Weighing your choices based on your interests and personality traits will help you narrow down your options.

Research Nursing Specialties

Once you have identified your interests, research the specialties that align best with them. Look for information about the scope of practice, work environment, patient population, salary, and required education and certification. You can also talk to other Nurses who work in these specialties to get a better understanding of what it's really like to work in these areas. 

Johnson and Johnson offers A Nursing Specialty Quiz to help guide you in learning more about specific specialties that fit what you're looking for.

Consider Your Strengths

Think about your strengths as a Nurse. Do you excel at critical thinking and problem-solving? Are you skilled at patient education and counseling? Do you have strong leadership skills? Are you able to work well under pressure? Looking at the areas you excel in will help you pick a specialty that suits you.

Think About Career Goals

Consider your long-term career goals and how a particular Nursing specialty can help you achieve them. Do you want to advance into a leadership role? Do you want to work in a specific healthcare setting or with a particular patient population? Understanding your career goals can help you better choose a specialty that aligns with them.

“One of the best things about being a Nurse is your career can change and flex as you grow,” says Ashleigh Woods, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing at Berry College. “Nursing is versatile. Unlike other professions, as a Nurse, you can specialize in ICU medicine, but then after a few years, you can become a specialist in another area.”

Gain Experience

Once you have narrowed down your options, try to gain experience in different areas through clinical rotations or job shadowing. Some Nursing schools offer part-time work for interested students which would allow you to make money and gain experience. Hands on experience can help you get a better sense of what it's like to work in these areas and make an informed decision about which specialty is right for you.

Ultimately, choosing the right specialty is a personal decision that depends on your interests, strengths, career goals, and experience. Take the time to explore your options and gather information before making a decision, and don't be afraid to seek guidance from experienced Nurses and healthcare professionals.

Thinking about changing careers? At any stage in life, Nursing is a great choice because Nurses are always in demand. It's a challenging, but rewarding field and previous education can help you become a Nurse faster.

"I'm a second career Nurse. What's wonderful about Nursing, is that it's very accessible after you've already been to school or college for another type of degree," Telemetry Nurse, Victoria told Johnson and Johnson. 

If you already have a Bachelor’s degree in any field, an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program is the quickest route. It usually takes less than 2 years. If you don't have a prior Bachelor’s degree, you can become a Registered Nurse (RN) with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or you can enter the workforce even quicker by becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). 

After you earn your Nursing degree, you’ll be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), which is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).

There are two of the NCLEX exam: The NCLEX-RN is a computerized exam required by all state boards of Nursing to qualify for an RN license. The NCLEX-PN is required to practice as an LPN.

After you pass the NCLEX, you must apply to your state board of Nursing for a license to practice.

If you're asking yourself, "Am I too old to become a Nurse?" The answer is no, it's never too late to join  the Nursing workforce. According to the NCSBN, the median age of working Registered Nurses is 52 years old. 

It's also important to remember this point by Indeed, your career length doesn't reduce the impact you may bring to the unit once you work as a Nurse. Your contribution makes a huge difference regardless of how long you can be active in the field.

"If you are a baby boomer or Gen X, there’s a place in Nursing for you. Your past work experience, dedication and passion are all needed resources within the healthcare arena. As Uncle Sam once said, “We Want You!," wrote Judy McDaniel, RN, MSN in a Nurse.com article.

According to The Department of Labor, The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that more than 275,000 additional Nurses are needed from 2020 to 2030, and that employment opportunities for Nurses will grow at 9%, faster than all other occupations from 2016 through 2026.

This high demand is due to a variety of factors such as an increase in chronic conditions, an aging population and a stronger emphasis on preventative care.

Commitment, Conscience, Competence, Compassion, and Confidence

Learning and adapting these concepts will allow you to provide better care and will improve the relationships you have with your patients as well as co-workers.

If you're interested in learning more about different Nursing Specialties, Click Here! 

Nursing is a profession that requires compassion as well as expertise, making it both an art and a science. Empathy and compassion are critical characteristics of an excellent Nurse. These qualities help us to connect with patients on an individualized basis and improve patient outcomes.

Nurses must also be educated, motivated, and have a strong understanding of evidence-based practice. Nurses must find a unique balance between using their heads and hearts, as well as the balance between the art and science of Nursing to provide our patients with the highest quality care.

The Art of Nursing

Florence Nightingale was the first to coin the phrase, the Art of Nursing. She understood that Nursing is a profession in which physical tasks must be adapted into individualized patient care, making Nursing an educated art form. Empathy and compassion are at the forefront of what makes Nursing an art. Although compassion and empathy are similar concepts, they are vitally different and often confused with one another.

Empathy is the ability to feel the emotions of others. As Nurses, we care for patients when they are most vulnerable. When patients seek medical attention, they can often be fearful, sad, or even angry. To care for these patients respectfully and efficiently, Nurses must be able to empathize with patients to facilitate a strong Nurse-patient relationship to promote healing.

Compassion is the ability to feel the emotions of others while experiencing a desire to help. Nursing is a helping profession and to be an excellent Nurse, you must genuinely want to help others. The task-oriented approach to Nursing can sometimes challenge Nurses to maintain a human connection to our patient. Still, we must always strive to connect with and understand our patients to ensure they are cared for comprehensively. The emotions behind why we do the things we do is what makes Nursing an artform.

The Science of Nursing

The science of Nursing is the ‘why’ behind the tasks we carry out daily. The Nursing profession is built on evidence-based practice. Evidence-based practice collects, processes, and implements research findings into clinical practice and improves patient outcomes.

As Nurses, we strive to provide our patients with the best care possible, so we must ensure that our actions and tasks are well researched and have been shown to improve the health and safety of our patients. This is what the science of Nursing is all about, having a reason behind our actions and an understanding that our interventions improve the outcomes of patients.

Education is also at the foundation of the science of Nursing. To become a Nurse, we must complete coursework that prepares us to meet the diverse needs of our patients and become safe healthcare professionals. Nursing coursework includes detailed education on the intricacies of the human body, disease processes, health policy, and hands-on instruction to develop clinical skillsets.

The nursing curriculum has been well studied and tailored to ensure that new graduate Nurses can provide safe patient care. We know that Nursing programs are effective in producing safe healthcare workers because we have been able to research and understand what education and skills are needed to produce safe novice Nurses.

Once a Nurse has graduated from a Nursing program, they must complete continuing education courses to continue to improve their knowledge and skills. And as medicine is constantly ever-changing, Nurses can never stop learning and growing.

The Nursing Profession

Nursing is not just a career option. It is a true craft where individuals must be able to incorporate evidence-based practices into compassionate and individualized patient care. It is truly a scientific art that must be carried out precisely and efficiently for our patients to receive the highest quality and most up-to-date care.

Nursing is as much of a science as it is an art. The science of Nursing explains a Nurse’s daily work and why tasks are performed, while the art of Nursing is centered around the human connections needed to truly be an effective Nurse.

The art and science of the Nursing profession is ever evolving as we are continually developing new healthcare interventions and continuing to improve upon our human approach to healthcare.

Nursing is a delicate balance of skill, expertise, compassion, and empathy. Without each other, the Nursing profession would not be the respected profession it is today.

The Nursing field offers many Nursing specialties to choose from depending on your interests and skills. And, there are plenty of opportunities to get the necessary training to move on to a different specialty.

The stress of the pandemic has increased Nurses' interest in positions beyond the hospital setting. 

Some of those opportunities include:

Nurse Educator

Nurse Educators don’t work in a traditional hospital or medical facility. They teach in universities, technical schools, and hospital-based Nursing programs. They can also work as administrators, consultants, or independent contractors.

Forensic Nurse

According to ForensicNurses.org, Forensic Nurses provide specialized care for patients who are experiencing acute and long-term health consequences associated with victimization or violence, and/or have unmet evidentiary needs relative to having been victimized or accused of victimization. In addition, Forensic Nurses provide consultation and testimony for civil and criminal proceedings relative to Nursing practice, care given, and opinions rendered regarding findings.

Many Forensic Nurses work in hospitals but they also work in community anti-violence programs, coroner’s and medical examiners offices, corrections institutions, and psychiatric facilities.

Health Policy Nurse

A Health Policy Nurse (HPN) plays an active role in forming and communicating public health policies with the goal of improving the overall well-being of society. With a strong background of hands-on Nursing expertise, HPNs are able to aid and act as policy makers within our government and healthcare systems, according to Johnson & Johnson Nursing.

Flight Nurse

Flight Nurses provide care onboard medical helicopters, airplanes, or jets often used in emergency situations to get patients to the best hospital as quickly as possible.

Flight Nurses also transfer patients between facilities. Patients might need to be moved to obtain lifesaving treatment unavailable at the original facility or to relocate to another part of the country. They also communicate with medical professionals at the receiving facility, to ensure all case notes and patient files get to the right person.

Nurse Writer

Nurse writers educate readers on healthcare topics through their personal knowledge and experience.

According to RegisteredNursing.org, they can freelance for medical journals, guides, and other health-related publications (newspapers, magazines, websites, etc.) that require accumulated knowledge, education, experience, and objectivity. Nurses can also write academic papers, write grants for hospitals or programs, coordinate programs, or assist the Communications Department in hospitals or other organizations.

Camp Nurse

Camp Nurses typically serve children or teens, in a camp environment. This can include summer camps or other camps that last from days to weeks to even months at a time, but are usually temporary.

Depending on the size of the camp, Nurses could be required to work alone or as part of a team, making critical decisions on patient care. They may also be required to obtain and keep records on allergies, medical histories, and medications of all camp participants.

Dialysis Nurse

Dialysis Nurses work with patients suffering from kidney diseases and illnesses. They administer dialysis to patients at dialysis centers, nursing homes, or at the patient's home.

Yacht Nurse

As a Nurse/Stewardess, you will be expected to maintain the on-board medical ward and Nursing station. This includes overseeing stock inventory, ordering supplies, and recording inventories. Depending on the yacht owner's health, you may be required for certain medical duties.

Although long working hours are required, the benefits are amazing with salaries often higher than other Nursing positions. Yachting is not for the faint-hearted though and you must have a sense of adventure and an urge to travel.

A Nursing career isn't always a straight path. You have the opportunity to work in a variety of different environments and grow your skills and knowledge. Take a chance and use that degree to explore your options. Discover what Nursing path fulfills and challenges you.

Large job boards like Indeed and Glassdoor compete to display millions of jobs. Niche job boards like our DiversityNursing.com job board, help you reach a more precise audience.. 

Niche job boards are generally smaller job boards that are location or industry focused. Many niche job boards are sponsored and/or maintained by industry leading professional associations. From a recruiter’s perspective, the industry focus of niche job boards helps to target job advertisements toward qualified candidates. 

Healthcare organizations need to look at the importance of the recruiting function, and how, if recruiters are able to bring more high-quality talent into the organization, that level of quality will cascade through everything else employees do, ultimately impacting the delivery of patient care.

Recruiters like posting jobs on niche boards because they know everyone applying is in the right place. Applicants won’t find search results for jobs in other professions so recruiters won't receive resumes that don’t match the job description they posted. This leads to smaller candidate pools, allowing the recruiter more time to consider each application. 

According to a Nurse.com article, smaller job boards are familiar with particular specialties, job titles, certifications and keywords your desired audience uses and requires. They understand and stay up-to-date on the hiring trends for their niche profession. For example, if a large organization is laying off workers, a niche job board can help you target a specific market.

Niche boards offer branding opportunities like job alerts, job board widgets, banner advertisements, and company profile pages like DiversityNursing.com's Employer Profile.

Smaller job boards have staff who know your name and answer your calls and questions. They know your time is precious and good communication is key. That means you're talking to a real person not a voice recording. 

Niche job boards attract the right candidates that have the specialized skills and up-to-date experience that you're looking for. They also receive higher quality and more relevant applications. Therefore, niche job boards are the fastest way to find strong candidates, leading to lower cost-to-fill.

There are many Nursing specialties to choose from. There may be jobs that suit your needs and interests perfectly, but you had no idea they existed as an option. Here are some positions you might not have considered as a career path for yourself.

Camp Nurse

Camp nurses serve typically children or teens, in a camp environment. This can include summer camps or other camps that last from days to weeks to even months at a time, but are usually temporary.

According to RegisteredNursing.org, Nurses with a background in emergency care, pediatrics, and/or trauma will do well in a camp nursing environment. Beyond this, camp nurses usually work alone or fairly independently, so being able to make decisions and deal with any sort of medical emergency is a routine part of the job. Some camps may not even have reliable phone or internet service, so camp nurses need to have enough professional experience to expedite care in this type of environment. Camp nurses also need to have managerial skills, as they generally oversee the whole health office, and must be able to effectively document and record all visits and treatments administered.

NASCAR Nurse

A NASCAR medical liaison coordinator (MLC) is a Registered Nurse who no longer practices “hands-on” nursing. Five full-time nurses are based at corporate headquarters in Daytona Beach, FL.

Responsibilities consist of managing the day to day operation of the department and focusing on the medical needs of the Racing Series. A minimum of two MLCs travel to a new racetrack on a weekly basis.

Disney Nurse

Disney is the place where dreams come true. Could your dream job be there as well? With competitive wages and excellent benefits, jobs in theme parks like Walt Disney World provide Nurses with a positive place to work. These jobs require a skill set they would use to help the park's cast memebers.

Yacht Nurse

As a Nurse/Stewardess you will be expected to maintain the on-board medical ward and Nursing station. This would include stock take, ordering supplies and recording inventories. Depending on the yacht owners health you may be required for certain medical duties.

Although long working hours are required, the benefits are amazing with salaries often  higher than other Nursing positions. Yachting is not for the faint hearted though and must have a sense of adventure and an urge to travel.

Flight Nurse

Flight Nurses are Registered Nurses who provide nursing care on board medical helicopters, airplanes or jets. In the United States, flight Nurses respond to 2 primary types of cases or requests for assistance: response to accident scenes (commonly referred to as scene calls) and requests for inter-hospital patient transfers.

Transgender Youth Nurse

More children and adolescents are identifying as transgender or gender fluid, and they are being seen in a variety of healthcare settings where Nurses are present. Transgender and gender fluid youth are a vulnerable population and are at risk of poor health outcomes, including suicide. Nurses hold a unique position of trust and are therefore perfectly situated to support these youth at every health-related interaction.

Nurses interact with transgender and gender fluid youth in a diverse array of clinical settings, including primary care, the emergency department, and other hospital units, as well as in schools, community settings, and most other areas of care.

Health Policy Nurse

According to the University of California San Francisco, Nurses with policy expertise are employed by health services research firms, work in legislative and regulatory offices at the county, state and federal levels, or hold elective or appointed office. Others work in the legislative or policy offices of health maintenance organizations, advocacy organizations, health care companies or health care provider associations, or consult for these and other organizations. One can also find Nurses with careers in policy and program planning at international government health organizations and non-governmental organizations.

If you know of other unique Nursing positions please comment below!