Michala Sledd

I am writing about Nursing and the shortage of nurses that we have. My essay is
to inform high school seniors and college freshmen about the shortages of nurses. I
choose this topic because I want to be a nurse and I would like the learn more about the
topic and the benefits of being a nurse. I would also like to know the advantages and
disadvantages. A nurse is a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, especially in the
hospital. Nursing jobs require not only treating patients who are sick and injured, but
also offering advice and emotional support to patients and their families, taking care of
paperwork (lots and lots of paperwork), helping doctors diagnose patients and providing
advice and follow-up care. There are many different types of nurses but the main ones
include: Nurse Anesthetist, Family Nurse Practitioner, NICU nurse, ER nurse, Labor and
Delivery nurse, Travel Nurse, Neonatal nurse, Pediatric nurse, Ambulatory Nurse, and
LPN. Being a nurse is more than just treating sick patients.
One of the main reasons I choose to be a nurse is because I want to help people
and encourage them. The benefits of being a nurse vary. Some benefits include having
a flexible schedule such as working three twelve hours shifts and then having three
days off. Also, you receive things such as 96 vacation hours and 120 sick hours
annually. You can also receive dental, vision, and prescription coverage which is
awesome! And last, nurses play an important role in others lives. There are also
disadvantages of being a nurse. Some include often having to work nights, weekends,
or even holidays. Also, nurses work on their feet for many hours and are often required
to lift patients and equipment. To become a nurse you must have a diploma in bachelor
of science of nursing. When applying for nursing school, you must have a 2.5 GPA or
higher to be accepted. And just because you have a 2.5 GPA does not mean you will
automatically get in.
The average salary for a nurse is 71,000 a year. You can make more money by
being a NICU nurse or being a nurse anesthetist. It all depends of what type of nurse
you want to be. To be a nurse you have the be a good listener and know how to speak
to a patient. Being a nurse is not all about the money and you should not become a
nurse if you do not feel in your heart that it is for you. While being a nurse, you will
never stop learning and you will always be learning new things. Nurses have a huge
responsibility and I hope while writing essay two I can learn more about nursing to
inform others and teach myself things I didnt know.