There are many reasons to become a nurse practitioner, and it offers diverse and valuable opportunities to develop your career. The U.S. News & World Report ranked nursing second in the 100 best jobs of 2023, evidencing that you can expect a stable yet exciting career. However, with the sheer number of options available in the field, choosing a nursing specialty can seem overwhelming.
Demands for high-skilled and specialized nurses have been increasing for the past few years, so making the right nursing specialty decision is essential to satisfy your personal and professional needs. Even if you are only looking at ‘conventional’ hospital nursing, a plethora of sectors that prioritize distinctive skills still exist. The following will provide some tips and tricks for you to give the right answer to your nurse career calling, and ensure that your choice is the right fit for you.
What is a Nursing Specialty?
Nursing has undergone drastic transformations in the past century, especially with the rapid development of technologies. One of the major changes has been the introduction of specializations in the field. These specialties can focus either on patients from a specific demographic or those with a particular medical condition.
There is a manifold of nursing specialties that cover different areas and sectors. In May 2023, a total of 3.1 million registered nurses were recorded by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S., and many too work in an individual field. Usually, this requires additional training or education beyond the scope of what we think of as ‘traditional’ nursing. Regardless of your interests and goals, there will eventually be a nursing specialty perfect for you.
A List of Nursing Specialties
There are many different types of nursing specialties and even too many to mention in this article. Here are some of the most popular and fastest-growing specialties that you might consider for your future nursing path:
Registered nurse (RN)
An RN is the ‘conventional’ nurse we usually think about. They coordinate patient care, educate patients about health and treatments, and provide emotional and physical support to patients and family members. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) projected a 5% job growth for RNs between 2021-2031. Even within the RN sector, there are different specialties and settings, so multidisciplinary and upskilling opportunities will always be available for career development.
Aged care or geriatric nursing
With the U.S. having a rapidly aging population, nursing care for older people is an increasingly in-demand specialty. Having an expected job growth of 9% between 2020-2030, as an aged-care or geriatric nurse you can work in a residential care facility, a nursing home, a hospital, or as a home-based private nurse. You would generally be working for people with a range of chronic or degenerative conditions, and duties can include administering medication and providing emergency response.
Critical care nursing
As per its name, a critical care nurse works in emergency situations. They are very similar to RNs, but critical care nurses primarily deal with patients suffering from critical or serious medical conditions. They are also called ICU nurses and are responsible for administering life-sustaining medication and providing preemptive measures in the case of an emergency. A 1.24% job growth is expected over the next few years for the field.
Emergency room (ER) nursing
While ER nursing and critical care nursing are similar, a few factors still make them different. ER nurses provide immediate assessment and assistance in the order of life-threatening priority. For example, ER nurses are on the front lines if a patient has been carried into an ER due to a cardiac arrest. ER nurses must also be adept at making quick decisions in administering proper treatments and stabilizing patients. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expected a 7% job growth rate for ER nurses between 2019 and 2029.
Pediatric Nursing
This field is known for providing care to clients under eighteen, i.e. children. A pediatric nurse has the duties of any other nurse such as performing physical examinations, diagnosing illnesses, and providing treatment. The projected growth of pediatric nurses between 2018-2028 was 6%.
Telemetry nursing
Digital and telemetric medicine has experienced an astronomical rise in the post-pandemic era. Telemetry nurses utilize digital technologies and devices to monitor patients who require constant care, such as those with diabetes or respiratory conditions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics concluded that there has been a 24% increase in telemetry nurses between 2014 and 2024, and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years.
Family nurse practitioner (FNP)
An FNP provides care to all ages and specializes in what we commonly refer to as family medicine. FNPs can perform many of the same tasks as a primary care physician would.
Mental health nurse
More than one in five (57.8 million) U.S. adults live with a mental illness, so naturally mental health nurses are in great demand. Being also referred to as behavioral health nurses, they work with clients who are struggling with psychiatric or mental health disorders. Duties can include assessing symptoms and helping the patient to manage their treatment/s.
Some other specialties not mentioned include labor and delivery nursing, responsible for providing care to parents during childbirth; surgical nursing, which provides assistance to surgeons in the operating room and often involves taking care of patients before and after surgery; oncological nursing, which works with cancer patients; orthopedic nursing, which focuses on those with musculoskeletal problems. Your education institute is the first and foremost way to consult the specialty you wish to take on in your nursing career.
Factors to Consider
Choosing a nursing specialty is one thing, but how you go about moving into that field is another. As a nursing student, you should weigh several of the following factors when making your final decision. It is only when you feel comfortable and secure in your interests and goals that you will have a sense of certainty in your area.
Your skill set
What certifications, unique skills, and strengths do you have? They should be the main priority when selecting your desired area, as strong clinical skills and specialized knowledge in certain areas are required for numerous specialty fields. Geriatric nursing for example demands excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Reflecting upon and understanding your skillset can allow you to determine a field where you can excel and make meaningful contributions.
Your passions
What kind of a nurse do you want to be? You should reflect on areas that bear genuine appeal to you. If you wish to care for a specific demographic, then consider pediatric or geriatric nursing. If there is a particular illness or condition that you would like to address, such as cancer or rare bone disease, then you can always consider oncological or orthopedic nursing. Ensuring that your passions and interests align with your specialty would dramatically increase your job satisfaction and allow you to realize long-term career goals.
Your work environment preferences
What environment do you like to work in? It is a crucial part of making your final nursing specialty decision. For example, if you favor more dynamic environments, then a telemetry nurse might be the role for you. Contrariwise, if you cannot handle stressful situations, you should avoid choosing ER nursing as it requires one to thrive in chaos.
Your answer to your nursing career calling should be informed and resolute. Desires and priorities may change over time, and that is okay. After all, given the sheer amount of options available, you do not have to settle for one area for the rest of your career.
