About Nursing: What You Should Know About Professional Nursing!

You need COMPASSION to be a good nurse.

You need TECHNICAL SKILLS to be a good nurse.

You need an in-depth SCIENTIFIC and LIBERAL EDUCATION to be a good nurse.

You need a lot of HEART to be a GREAT nurse!

Nurses are the largest single group of healthcare providers in the United States. Over the Years, professional nurses have shed their handmaiden role to become caregivers on the frontlines of health care. Purdue's four-year baccalaureate nursing program prepares you to work with any group of people, in any setting, at any time.

From surgery rooms to neonatal intensive care units to community health clinics, exciting and unlimited career opportunities are available for nurses:

• You can work in the emergency room of a large metropolitan hospital.
• You can help people in underdeveloped countries as a nurse in the Armed Forces or Peace Corps.
• You can deliver home health care to elderly or lower income families as a community health nurse.
• You can work in hospitals all over the world as a nurse employed by one of many traveling nurse agencies.

In the Midwest area, a new nursing graduate with a bachelor's degree earns approximately $30,000 per year. A highly experienced registered nurse can possibly receive slightly over $45,000 per year.

Volunteering and community service will increase your self-esteem and teach you to appreciate the simple joys of life. It also gives you hands-on experience with the nursing profession and the healthcare industry.

Hospital Volunteer

Most hospitals have volunteer programs that enable participants to experience various areas of the hospital - from emergency room to intensive care to pediatrics to physical therapy.

Home Health Care

During the last decade, more sick people have been cared for in their own homes. Often, these "patients" need a visiting nurse or home health care service to provide for their advanced medical needs. Volunteers help with small tasks, like reading to a patient. This is a great way to experience the special relationships that form between patients and caregivers.

Extended Care Facility (ECF)

Formerly known as nursing homes, ECFs fulfill residents' basic needs and medical requirements. Since residents also need contact with the outside world, most ECFs provide a variety of extracurricular activities. From chair aerobics to singing to adopt-a-pet programs, volunteers are always needed.

What else can you do?

Look around your community. Do you see people who need help? Don't be afraid to get involved. Community service is an important part of your future success, no matter what career you choose.

Talk to as many nurses and health care professional as possible. Interview them for a school report or ask if you can observe them on-the-job for a day. There may even be mentoring programs already set up through your school.

Learn about the history of nursing and the various facets of nursing.