Types of Nursing Specialties for Students To Consider
If you’re a high school student in your senior year and you’re trying to figure out the best path for your higher education, this page might help you learn whether nursing is the right course for you. Nursing is undoubtedly a fulfilling career, and if you’re the kind of person who has always loved being a caretaker, then it may just be the right field for you to explore. More importantly, roles in the STEM field are always high in demand, so you’re likely to have guaranteed job security throughout your career.
The best part about the nursing field is that it has plenty of growth opportunities. There are different nursing specialties for you to consider depending on a variety of skills and interests. Whether you’re a college student who has yet to pick a major or a high school student knee-deep in college applications, you might want to consider the following options. Maybe a future in nursing is exactly what you’re looking for!
Dermatology Nurse
With a two-year or four-year degree, you can become a nurse specializing in dermatology. This involves hands-on work with patients who have skin conditions or are recovering from cosmetic surgery. When it comes to treating patients with skin diseases, you can advise them on how to properly care for and protect their skin. This may involve doing pre-surgery and post-surgery care.
Critical Care Nurse
This nursing specialty is all about treating patients who are in critical condition. Most of the time, this involves caring for patients in the ICU. If you think this might be a great field of study for you, there are scholarships for high school students available to help you kick-start your career. Navigating financial aid can be cumbersome, which is why the NSHSS supports high school students throughout the college admissions process. They can connect you with scholarship opportunities, internships, and even college fairs. If you think critical care nursing might be the job for you, looking for a scholarship fund is a great place to start.
Geriatric Nurse
Geriatric nurses tend to work in hospitals, assisted living facilities, or their patients’ homes. Colonial Nursing Home is a great example of a senior living community where geriatric nurses can provide the highest standard of care to elderly patients. If you don’t like the hospital environment but still want to be a nurse, you might want to consider an assisted living community or a long-term care facility. They focus on wellness and providing the comforts of home but with the help of skilled personnel. Places like Colonial Village also schedule daily activities for residents so they can have an enjoyable experience.
Ambulatory Care Nurse
This is another good specialty to explore if you don’t want to work in a hospital environment. Ambulatory care nurses concentrate on pain management. They also provide patients with recommendations and solutions to manage any chronic pain or illnesses. Some ambulatory care nurses work in pain centers or treat people in the comfort of their own homes.
Family Nurse Practitioner
Unlike the other specialties mentioned above, this is a role that requires the completion of a Master of Science in Nursing program. This is because an FNP provides care for patients of all ages and assists physicians. Becoming an FNP requires a lot of academic commitment.
By now, you know all about the exorbitant costs of college, and pursuing a nursing career can definitely be expensive. Thankfully, there are resources to help high school students and college students look for different types of scholarships. So, get a head start in looking for the right field for you. With a career in nursing, you can make a real difference in other people’s lives. It’s a rewarding career no matter what specialty you choose!
