Every career has its tall tales, including nursing. Think you know the truth? Let us show you the real story by cracking down on these myths!

1.      I will only be successful as a nurse in a hospital or doctor’s office.

While many nurses work in hospitals and doctor’s offices, these are not the only places where nurses can find meaningful careers. In addition to there being many different types of specialties to choose from in nursing, there are also a vast array of facilities. For example, a nurse who prefers to work with the elderly population may choose to work in a place such as a long term care facility, hospice care or rehabilitation center. Not only are there many different organizations to work at, but also an assortment of position types within the facility that may include “nontraditional” nursing roles, such as administrative, management, case manager, and more. Additional nursing areas to consider for nursing job roles may include: urgent care, home care, nurse consultant, midwife, nurse educator, school nurse and more. The true success from being a nurse is finding the environment that you work best in, with so many options, the possibilities are endless!

2.      Nurses are just doctors who failed medical school.

This myth couldn’t be further from the truth. Although some nurses may aspire to become doctors, the majority of professional nurses did not go into the nursing field with the intention of becoming a doctor. Doctors and nurses have very different roles and there is no way to compare them. A doctor and a nurse not only have different tasks but also different abilities. The care a patient receives from a nurse will be different than what they get from a doctor, and both are equally important. Nurses typically have more direct contact with their patients, allowing them to empathize and cater to patient’s needs. Nurses may work across several units of the medical facility, while doctors stay within their specialization. There are many differences in doctor and nurse roles, but one common factor we can all agree on is they are both noble career choices!

3.      All nurses perform the same tasks

There are many different career paths that nurses can take, which call for different tasks. The health care field is always changing and evolving, and nurses’ responsibilities will continue to change as the field does. A nurse’s tasks are typically assigned based on the type of nursing or environment they are working in. For instance, a nurse who visits their patients’ home for home health care, would have very different types of tasks than a nurse who is in a hospital delivering babies. This is the beauty of nursing. When a nurse discovers the tasks they enjoy most, they typically realize the area of nursing they are most passionate about, which can assist in finding the career path that is the best fit.
 

4.      Only women are nurses

Fear not, aspiring male nurses! Women are still the majority in the nursing field, but that doesn’t mean that there are no men in nursing. With a growing demand for nurses, the field continues to offer opportunities for both males and females. The stereotype of nursing as a women-only profession is changing as more males enter the healthcare industry as nurses. We are proud to have many male and female graduates entering the nursing industry!

5.      The pay as a nurse is not competitive

According to recent reports from the federal government* the median income for RNs in 2013 was $68,910 per year, above the average household income for the United States.** Further, for those nurses looking to climb the ladder, some health care facilities may reimburse those choosing to pursue higher degrees. There is definitely room to grow in the field in terms of nursing.

Now that you know the truth behind some of these nursing myths, it’s time to explore nursing for yourself! Find out what program will suit you best and give you the fulfilling career you deserve. Visit https://www.jerseycollege.edu/nursing-programs/ today!

*(http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm)
**(http://census.gov/search-results.html?q=average+household+income&search.x=0&search.y=0&search=submit&page=1&stateGeo=none&searchtype=web&cssp=SE)