Nursing is one of the most lucrative and competitive fields today. The recently published Top Trends in Nursing by the National League for Nursing (NLN) offers insight into areas of nursing that will remain in-demand, or grow in demand, as the decade continues to unfold. This insight underscores data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other industry data reports confirming sustained growth in these critical areas:
The NLN reports that “By 2020, more than 20 percent of the population will be 65 and older, with those over 85 constituting the fastest growing age group.” With this demographic shift comes the need for home health nurses, palliative care RN’s and long-term patient care health workers. In addition, as private practices shift to accommodate and compete more effectively for elder patient confidence, RNs, medical assistants, nurse practitioners and physician assistants with expertise in elderly care may bolster their competitive edge by taking additional courses in this area of medicine.
As provisions of the Affordable Care Act continue to go into effect, nurses who desire a change and want to go into health informatics are in demand like never before. In addition, as professionals strive to create new software to meet the needs of electronic record-keeping, jobs are opening up for trainers, software developers and consultants to work on teams with IT specialists to create, analyze and implement new software and hardware in medical settings. For nurses with a penchant for technology, the possibility of merging nursing with IT can provide an exciting and lucrative change of pace.
For nurses who are looking for a career shift, but still desire some contact with patients, health education is a great option. In specialty areas like personalized medicine and genomics, health educators are needed to inform patients about how recent advancements in technology and medicine can be combined to offer new treatment options. Community-based nurses who can speak to groups about chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes are also needed as part of the shift toward more patient-centered healthcare. Nurses are also needed to help families caring for an elderly loved one cope with some of the challenges and stresses inherent to that experience. Expert nurses are also needed to serve as mentors and classroom teachers for younger nurses seeking additional expertise in a wide-range of specialties.
With changing demographics and shifts in the healthcare system, nurses seeking to advance their career in an in-demand area can prepare an effective career development plan by keeping aware of trends in the field. Professional organizations like the National League for Nursing offer up to date information regarding trends in the field which can prove beneficial for making informed decisions about which added specialties may bring about the best professional results.
References:
http://www.nln.org/nlnjournal/infotrends.htm
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