Now that National Nurses Week is here, it’s a good time to think about all the great reasons to be a nurse. Here are some things to think about when people ask you about your career choice!

1. People Trust Nurses

A 2014 Gallup poll rated nurses as the most trusted and most honest professionals with 80 percent of respondents saying nurses were honest and ethical. The only time nurses weren’t at the top since 1999 (when nursing was first included in the poll) was 2001 when firefighters topped the list in the aftermath of 9/11.

2. There Are Lots of Nurses

You are in great company! There are 2,824,641 registered nurses and 690,038 licensed practical nurses in the US.

3. Minority Nurses Are Getting Degrees at a High Rate

Minority nurses are pursuing their bachelor’s of nursing degrees at a higher proportional rate than white nurses.

4. New Grads Get Job Offers

The 2013 Employment of New Nurse Graduates and Employer Preferences for Baccalaureate-Prepared Nurses survey offered great news for newly minted BSN graduates. At graduation, 59 percent of BSN graduates had a job offer, while 67 percent of entry-level MSN grads did. In a 2012 comparison study, only 23.9 percent of non-nursing college graduates of the 38,000 surveyed had job offers upon graduation. At the 4 to 6-month after graduation mark, 89 percent of BSN and 90 percent of MSN graduates had job offers.

5. Nurses Are Satisfied With Career Choice

A 2013 survey of registered nurses by AMN Healthcare found that 90 percent of registered nurses are satisfied with their career choice. The survey also found that nurses are continually seeking more information. Of nurses aged 19 to 39, 59 percent said they will seek specialty certification.

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6. Minority Nurse Percentages Are Climbing

Minority nurses represented 19 percent of the RN nursing population in 2013. increasingly representing the diverse population, up from 12 percent in 2000 and 7 percent in 1980. With the United States becoming increasingly diverse, there’s a big need for minority nurses who represent the diverse patient population.

When you’re reflecting on your career during National Nurses Week, think of these great statistics! What makes you happy to be a nurse?

Julia Quinn-Szcesuil
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