AURORA, Colo. – As health care grows more complex, there’s no shortage of specialty areas where today’s ambitious nurses could focus. What is most important is how a nurse zeroes in on a preferred specialty that can help fulfill his or her career goals.
“There are many benefits to specializing, including increased respect and recognition, greater job security, enhanced career satisfaction and increased salary potential,” says Cheryl Wagner, Ph.D., MSN/MBA, RN, associate dean of graduate nursing programs at American Sentinel University. Dr. Wagner details what nurses should consider to help determine the specialty that’s perfect for them.
Personality and interests – Every nursing specialty comes with its own pace and environment. Dr. Wagner recommends that nurses try to choose one that complements their personal style, so they can work comfortably and at an optimum level.
“For nurses who thrive on an adrenaline rush, constant challenges and expecting the unexpected, a trauma center or emergency department is the right specialty,” says Dr. Wagner. On the other hand, for nurses who are detail-oriented and methodical, a career in clinical research might be a great fit.
Job role – This is a natural tie-in with a nurse’s personality type. For nurses comfortable in the role of a leader, Dr. Wagner notes that they may make a great nurse manager or even rise to the ranks of nursing executive leadership.
For those nurses who want to work closely with patients in a “high touch” role or would prefer to be away from the bedside, there are many nursing specialties that allow nurses to use their clinical knowledge without engaging in direct patient care – in such specialties as case management, education, infection control and informatics.
Job setting – Nurses work in many non-hospital settings, including schools, public health departments, corrections facilities, industrial job sites, rescue helicopters, research labs and more. Even if a nurse chooses a more traditional hospital job, he or she will want to consider the setting before choosing a clinical specialty.
Various levels of pressure – Often times, more demanding jobs come with higher prestige (chief nursing officer) or higher salaries (certified registered nurse anesthetist) – career perks that can be very rewarding for someone who thrives on meeting challenges head-on.
Dr. Wagner says it is important for a nurse to consider how much stress he or she can manage. She recommends that nurses ask themselves if they can handle being on-call 24/7, perhaps as a surgical nurse on a transplant team.
Long or irregular hours can result not only in job stress, but also the strain of juggling work with home and family – so it may be wise for nurses to consider their existing support systems before choosing a high-pressure specialty.
Typical salary ranges – Nurses who are ambitious about making more money can aim for an executive position or choose an in-demand clinical specialty with a high salary potential. Nurses will have to balance the financial rewards with the higher demands that will be placed on them, not to mention the fact that they’ll likely need to obtain higher levels of nursing education.
Special qualifications or certifications – Many specialties require nurses who have specific skills, training and certifications. If a nurse chooses one of these areas, he or she can expect to spend a good amount of time advancing their professional education, building skills and studying for certification exams.
“In order to specialize, nurses must have the requisite education,” says Dr. Wagner. “Nurses cannot just learn the ropes, and experience must be coupled with a strong educational background – an advanced degree or certification of some type is the most desirable in the nursing profession.”
Relationship with technology – Nurses who’ve studied computer science or who naturally gravitate toward technology should definitely consider the specialty fields of nursing informatics or telemetry. Nursing informatics is a growing field, especially with the advent of accountable care and meaningful use.
Level of engagement with people – Some nurses are naturally introverted or just don’t take pleasure in constantly meeting new people. It is important that nurses understand that the personality-style subgroup they fall into plays an important role when choosing a specialty.
If a nurse is not a “people person” but is good with numbers, has good analytical skills, enjoys a quiet environment, or prefers to listen rather than to talk, they can enjoy a career as a nurse researcher, legal nurse consultant, informatics specialist, or forensics nurse.
Education requirements – Nurses wanting to specialize will almost certainly need a master’s degree, so it is important to consider an online RN-to-MSN degree program as a potential first step toward any career specialty.
“Gone are the days when a nurse was just a nurse,” says Dr. Wagner. “Today nurses have to be able to specialize in various areas, and there is so much to know about nursing and health care in general. Education plays an important role when considering the benefits to specializing and the professional rewards that come with it.”
For more information or to register for American Sentinel University’s health care and nursing programs, visit http://www.americansentinel.edu/health-care.
