Extremely High Demand for Registered Nurses

How bad is the nursing shortage? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurse positions are projected to create the second-largest number of new jobs out of all occupations. Getting your nursing degree now will put you in high demand among employers and offer a rewarding, stable career.

While there is a need for registered nurses in general, there are some nursing specialties where the need for qualified and specially trained nurses is severe. One such field is critical care nursing.

What is Critical Care Nursing?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that critical care nurses are specially trained registered nurses who work in critical or intensive care hospital units. Critical care nurses provide care for those patients who are facing cardiovascular, respiratory, or pulmonary failure.

Accelerated Learning for Registered Nurses

Owing to a severe shortage of critical care nurses in Massachusetts, there are some schools now offering accelerated training programs to help registered nurses become critical care nurses. Registered nurses with at least one year of experience can enroll in these new programs, which are specifically designed to prepare them for the emergency room or intensive-care unit.

Registered nurses who enroll in these new programs not only learn how to monitor and care for patients who are in these units, but these 14 unit programs also ensure that they are better-prepared to think and act quickly in order to save a patient's life.

If you're looking for career that offers excellent growth opportunities, as well as the rewards that come from helping others and saving lives, maybe its time to consider becoming a registered nurse -- or taking additional classes in order to become a critical care nurse.

Sources

• Boston Globe
• Bureau of Labor Statistics