The Current State of Nursing Specializations and How to Choose the Best Fit for You

If you’re on track to become a nurse — or are interested in potentially pursuing a career in the field — it’s important to understand the various paths you can take. Contrary to popular belief, there are actually a variety of specializations you can pursue as a nurse. Gaining an understanding of your options can make it easier to start pursuing a career in the nursing field.

Here is the current state of nursing specializations and how to choose the best fit for you.

Travel Nurse

Across the United States, many areas and facilities sometimes experience a lack of nurses. When this happens, these facilities enlist the help of what are called travel nurses. In essence, travel nurses specialize in helping various medical facilities across the country deal with higher demands.

Travel nurses will perform stints at medical facilities for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Given the abrupt nature of their role, travel nurses are paid a premium wage that is higher than what their registered nurse counterparts receive.

While being a travel nurse can be rewarding, it can also take a toll. As the name notes, travel nurses must constantly travel across the country. This being the case, it can be difficult to feel normalcy in one’s relationships and find a solid footing in terms of home life. However, many love the excitement and lucrative wages that come with the job, making it a unique role that is perfect for some nurses.

Family Nurse Practitioners

Though many are unaware, nurse practitioners have the skills and autonomy to act as primary care medical professionals for families in some states. The nurse practitioners who do this are called family nurse practitioners. These nurses train for many years to step into this role and perform many of the same functions as a physician.

While some family nurse practitioners work in clinics and hospitals, others open their own private practices. This opportunity for entrepreneurship is a huge draw for many nurses in this type of specialization. However, it’s important to note that not all states allow nurse practitioners to have private practices. As such, if you’re interested in one day pursuing your own private business as a family nurse practitioner, you should verify if you’re legally allowed to in your area.

To become qualified for the role of family nurse practitioner, you’ll need at least a Master of Science in nursing. For some, the many years of study may be a hindrance to pursuing this role. For others, however, the opportunity to practice nursing at such an advanced level is sufficient motivation to pursue the educational requirements necessary to step into the role.

Aesthetic Nurse

Over the last several decades, cosmetic medical care has steeply risen in popularity. Given the growing demand for these types of medical services, many in the nursing field are now pursuing roles and aesthetic nurses. Essentially, aesthetic nurses are simply registered nurses that are trained to provide aesthetic services to patients.

Oftentimes, these types of nurses will work in clinics, dermatology offices, and private practices. Aesthetic nurses also have key skills that make them in-demand hires in today’s world.

In recent times, cosmetic medical services have basically exploded in popularity. This increase in demand makes aesthetic nursing a safe specialty to pursue given the growing number of facilities offering cosmetic medical services. This being the case, the role of the aesthetic nurse is quickly becoming a highly sought-after role for nurses.

How to Choose the Best Nursing Fit

If you’re intent on pursuing a career in nursing, you may be wondering which specialization is right for you. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet answer to this question. How happy and fulfilled you will feel in a specific nursing role depends on a number of factors such as your professional goals, monetary aspirations, and personality.

Choosing a specialization can help start by clarifying your career goals. If you want to open your own practice one day, you may want to pursue a nurse practitioner specialty. If you want to broaden your skills, have new experiences, and make a lucrative salary, travel nursing may be the specialization for you. Ultimately, your unique goals will help you determine which nursing specialization is perfect for you.

After clarifying your goals, it can help to talk to professional nurses working in different specializations. These nurses can act as great resources by imparting wisdom, answering questions, and outlining the pros and cons of their careers.

In the end, it is your own personal research efforts that will help you the most in making your decision. If you’re having difficulty choosing a specialization, it’s always alright to start as a general practice registered nurse before specializing. In the end, only you can truly determine which specialization will suit you the best.

There Are Endless Nursing Specializations for You to Pursue

When it comes to becoming a nurse, you have a seemingly infinite amount of career paths that you can pursue. From enjoying the autonomy of being a family nurse practitioner to basking in the excitement of being a travel nurse, there is a specialization for each type of person out there.

Ultimately, by clarifying what you want out of your nursing career, you’ll be able to determine which unique specialization is right for you as a professional nurse.