Thanksgiving is over, but the spirit of the holiday doesn’t have to end. In fact, the warmth and introspection can help illuminate this season as we plunge into darkness. When you count your blessings you probably list your loved ones, the roof over your head, and every cupful and plateful that nourishes you.
But do you consider your profession and how it supports you financially, and in less tangible ways? You don’t have to wait for National Nurses Week in May to celebrate your role.
At the beginning of this holiday season I wrote blog posts about gratitude for this site. At the same time I was also interviewing nurses for other blog posts and articles so I’d casually ask them what they were thankful for right now. Big, small, and in between—it was fascinating to hear their responses.
They confirm some of what I’ve learned over the years talking to nurses from different backgrounds and in varied health care environments and specialties. Almost always, I hear that nurses are grateful for some, if not most, aspects of their chosen career.
Here are some of the main reasons nurses say they’re thankful:
Nurses make a difference in someone’s life every day. When they go to bed at night they have the gratification of knowing their work matters. A lot of people in other jobs, whether blue collar, pink collar, or white collar, don’t have that satisfaction. Many of this nation’s workers are now employed in “paper shuffling” occupations that don’t seem to have intrinsic meaning.
Nurses are working in a field that’s in high demand and that pays a family wage. Kiplinger magazine recently reported that the best return on investment when it comes to a college major is nursing. Based on the average income that a graduate could anticipate and the average tuition and fees to earn a bachelor’s degree, nursing came out on top. Their next best choice for major is biomedical engineering.
Nursing has so many different specialties and paths, so as a nurse you don’t have to ever get bored. Nurses can also stick to the same specialty but switch to a different health care environment. One nurse said she was thankful that when it was too physically demanding for her to work as a floor nurse in a busy hospital she was able to transfer over to a quieter asthma clinic.
Nurses are also able to add to their skill sets or even go for advanced degrees, and often their employer will cover the tuition. That’s becoming less common as companies refuse to pay for training and development for their existing workforce.
When nurses start families and want to be home more they can often cut their hours to part-time. Or when they get to the point that they want to retire, they can sign on with a travel nursing company that will get them temporary jobs in their preferred locations.
Some semi-retired nurses hit the road in an RV, taking their homes with them. That way they’re comfortable as they travel to assignments. They can also choose to work in resort areas or to pursue outdoor activities, wintering in the mountains and summering at the beach, for snow skiing and water skiing adventures.
Finally, nurses are making a real impact on health care as doctors and administrators have become more bottom-line or left-brain oriented in their approaches. The nursing profession still holds a holistic view of patients and encourages a humane approach to care. Patients (and fellow staff) are fortunate to be surrounded by nurses, genuine people who carry so much kindness and eagerness to do good.
The more that you recognize the positives of your role as a nurse, the easier it is to put up with the negatives. Because every field has its pros and cons, periodically it’s good to examine what you’re getting out of it. That awareness and sense of gratitude is what makes for a happy and healthy nurse, which makes for a long and sustainable career.
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