If you’re thinking of making a career change, consider weighing the pros and cons of nursing. Benefits of being a nurse include high pay potential, advancement opportunities, diverse nursing specialties to choose from, and robust job growth. Some disadvantages of being a nurse include exposure to germs and physical fatigue.
The single largest healthcare profession in the U.S. is nursing, with almost 4.7 million registered nurses (RNs). Employment of RNs is expected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. If you’re thinking of joining the nursing profession, it’s helpful to weigh the pros and cons of nursing to guide your decision-making process.
Consider some of the benefits of being a nurse, such as the positive job growth, excellent salary command, opportunities for advancement, and a diverse range of specialties to choose from. Then, take a look at some disadvantages of being a nurse, like exposure to germs and emotional fatigue. Keep in mind that these disadvantages can often be addressed, such as by following proper hospital protocols and seeking emotional support when needed.
Why So Many People Choose Nursing as a Career
According to a 2025 report released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), enrollment in baccalaureate, master’s degree, and doctorate programs increased from 2023 to 2024. The enrollment rate in BSN-conferring programs increased by 4.9%, which equals 12,434 students. It’s clear that more people are choosing to pursue nursing as a career.
Everyone has their own reasons for becoming a nurse, such as the chance to serve their community, opportunities for great pay, and strong job growth. What will your reason be?
If you decide nursing is right for you, you can find a new home away from home at Madonna University. Madonna’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) allows you to graduate in as few as 16 months with a BSN if you already have college credits or a non-nursing bachelor’s degree.
How can you know if nursing is right for you? Explore factors to consider when deciding.
What Are the Benefits of Being a Nurse?
There are plenty of compelling reasons to choose a nursing career, including the following:
1. Impressive Job Growth Rate
It’s always a smart idea to check on the projected job growth rate of a career you’re thinking of pursuing. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the expected job growth rate for registered nurses from 2024 through 2034 is 5%, faster than the average for all professions. At a 5% growth rate, healthcare employers are expected to hire about 189,100 new nurses during this period.
The job growth rate for most types of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) is even more impressive. According to the BLS, the job growth rate for nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) is expected to be 35% from 2024 through 2034, much faster than average, indicating a need for about 134,000 more APRNs.
In other words, it could be a great time to weigh the pros and cons of being a nurse and start pursuing this career.
2. Strong Earning Potential
Another of the benefits of being a nurse is the strong salary command. According to the BLS, RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600, as of May 2024, while most types of APRNs made a median annual salary of $132,050.
3. Diverse Range of Nursing Specialties
Nursing offers an incredibly diverse spectrum of career options. You might choose to work in an oncology center, where you would help patients navigate cancer treatment and provide an empathetic ear. Another option is to work in a busy trauma center, where you would function as part of a high-performing team that responds quickly to severe and life-threatening medical problems ranging from traumatic amputations to internal injuries.
Other nursing specialties to choose from include:
- Home health nursing
- Pediatric nursing
- Women’s health nursing
- Orthopedic care
- Medical-surgical nursing
- Critical care
4. Career Advancement Opportunities
When considering the pros and cons of nursing, one clear advantage that nurses have is plenty of opportunities to pursue advancement. After earning your BSN at Madonna University, obtaining your RN license, and gaining some clinical experience, you might decide to pursue graduate-level nursing education. This can allow you to pursue board certification and APRN licensure, which would allow you to practice in your chosen specialty area with greater autonomy and serve as a nurse leader.
Other nurses choose to move away from providing care at the bedside, instead pursuing roles as nurse managers or nurse administrators. Still others decide to go into clinical research or nursing education. No matter where your career takes you, you’ll have opportunities to make a positive impact in your field.
Learn why nursing is a great career at any age.
5. Range of Workplace Settings to Choose From
Not sure if you like the thought of spending all day in a hospital? There are plenty of other places where nurses work. From doctors' offices and specialty practices to dermatology clinics and standalone urgent care centers, nurses can work across a wide range of settings. Other possibilities include:
- K-12 schools
- Colleges and universities
- Insurance companies
- Research facilities
- Consulting firms
- Public health departments
What Are the Disadvantages of Being a Nurse?
Although there are plenty of solid reasons to choose a career in nursing, a careful consideration of the pros and cons of being a nurse also warrants a look at the drawbacks. Some of the potential disadvantages of being a nurse include:
1. Some Specialties Require Physical Endurance
Nursing can require physical endurance. Nurses may have to work long shifts, including last-minute overtime. They often need to lift and transfer patients and help them ambulate.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all nursing specialties require long shifts or excessive time on one’s feet. Similarly, not all nursing specialties require lifting and transferring patients, and furthermore, many hospitals have invested in lifting equipment that makes the job easier.
2. Nurses Can Be Exposed to Germs
Exposure to germs is part of nursing. The good news is that hospitals provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to nurses to protect them from microorganisms. In addition, you might decide to transition your career away from the bedside later on.
3. Inadequate Staffing Can Be a Challenge
The U.S. is facing an ongoing nursing shortage that is showing signs of continuing for the foreseeable future. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the shortage, as it led to more than 100,000 nurses leaving the profession from 2020 to 2021 alone. While this means more opportunities for new nurses looking for work, it also means working nurses might feel stretched thin due to inadequate staffing levels.
Inadequate RN staffing increases the risk of medical errors and leads to poorer patient outcomes. The good news, however, is that the problem is receiving a great deal of attention and staffing solutions are being trialed, ranging from safe staffing laws to incentives to international recruitment.
4. Nursing Can Take an Emotional Toll
Nursing can be rewarding for people who enjoy helping others, but it can also take an emotional toll. Not every patient you help will survive. Not every patient or family member is easy to work with. While the work can be difficult at times, nurses can lean on their colleagues for support.
Is Nursing Worth It for You?
Only you can decide if switching careers is worth it after carefully weighing the pros and cons of nursing. Despite the potential disadvantages, there are plenty of compelling benefits of being a nurse, such as the high salary command, strong job growth rate, and opportunities for career advancement.
To aid the decision-making process, ask yourself these questions:
- What are the top three reasons why I want to be a nurse?
- How well would I handle the various challenges of nursing?
- Which nursing specialty or work setting do I envision myself in?
- Am I able to stay calm in emergencies and think well under pressure?
Find Out Why Madonna University Nurses Are Different
If you’ve decided that nursing is right for you, you’ll receive the support you need to thrive at Madonna University. Our graduates are different thanks to our values-based education, which is infused with our Franciscan beliefs. Furthermore, our ABSN program offers small class sizes, cutting-edge technology, and Academic Success Coaches.
At Madonna University, you could earn a BSN in as few as 16 months. Contact an admissions representative today.