According to the American Nurses Association (2004), there are nearly 2.9 million registered nurses in the U.S., and 2.4 million of them are actively employed.

How do I know if I want to be a nurse?

If you've always imagined yourself in a healthcare job that fulfills you both personally and professionally by helping people while you earn a living, nursing may be the perfect career for you. Nurses must possess both intelligence and humanity, they must have an interest in helping people maintain their health and they must be able to perform under pressure. The image of the nurse from long ago is an evolving one; there are many opportunities to branch out and pursue many specialties such as nurse practitioners, nursing professors, clinical nurses, nurse researchers and more.

What exactly do nurses do?

Nurses are patient and family advocates first. They hold hands and offer care during all parts of the life cycle: birth, life wellness, and death. Whether they work at a school, a hospital, a doctor's office, a research center, in a long-term care facility, or elsewhere, they balance their knowledge of science and health with patient needs. Any of the following skills might be performed during a day in the life of a nurse:

• diagnosing and communicating with patients/families
• learning about patients and their conditions
• planning for treatment and care
• collaborating with doctors and other health care colleagues
• administering care
• advising patients toward wellness
• so much more!

Do nurses find jobs?

It's a fact: Everyone's aging. And current healthcare advances mean people are living longer lives. As a result, there are more elderly people in need of health care. The number of people becoming nurses in America is not growing at the same rate, thus leaving a shortage.