Nursing as a profession can offer a meaningful career, filled with many opportunities, challenges, and rewards. Skilled and registered nurses earn high salaries, work with interesting people, and — perhaps most importantly — significantly affect people’s lives, often even saving their lives. Nursing has got a huge demand in both India and abroad. In this post, we will look at nursing careers and jobs in details.
Nursing Careers and Jobs in India and Abroad
Co-authored by Parinita Gupta
“Nursing is the medical profession for administration and taking care of the patient with the help of health care science”. It is within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nursing is one of the strongest pillars that the medical profession stands on. Besides this, a nurse dispenses the medicine, keeps the patient records and operates the medical equipment along with the routine duties. In India, Kerala and Rajasthan have produced the most numbers of nurses for our society.
The English nurse “Florence Nightingale” was the founder of modern nursing over the world. Although an age-old profession, nursing gained popularity after the work done by this legendary English nurse.
Careers and Job Opportunities in Nursing
The career opportunities in nursing are very high not only in India but also abroad. With more and more nursing colleges opening up each day, it is a sign of the requirement of skilled and qualified people required for the service. Undoubtedly, this career is not for everyone as it asks for a lot of patience and hard work. Nursing is the right career option for those candidates who have the zeal and interest to serve mankind. The person who believed in the curing of medically ill people and can work in hard condition for long hours may choose nursing as the career for himself/herself.
Nursing Career Path
If you are interested in taking up nursing as your profession, then you can begin just after clearing Class X by applying for the Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM program). Else, you can make an entry into this realm after completing your schooling (after Class XII) by way of applying for General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM program) or a B.Sc. program.
The demand for nurses is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the near future since there are national plans to expand the health network as well as a renewed interest by private organizations. Nursing jobs may be found in – Government and private hospitals, Nursing homes, Sanatoriums, Clinics, Creches, Schools, Offices, Factories, Orphanages, Old age homes, NGOs working on health issues.
The top job profiles in the field of nursing are as the following:
- Staff Nurse
- Assistant Nursing Superintendent
- Department Supervisor
- Deputy Nursing Superintendent
- Nursing Supervisor or Ward Sister
- Director of Nursing
- Nursing Superintendent
- Teacher of Nursing
- Community Health Nurse (CHN)
- Military Nurse
- Industrial Nurse
- Nursing Service Administrators
- Nursing Service overseas
Top Nursing Courses
B.Sc (Nursing): This is a beginner’s course in nursing. In this course, the very basic knowledge of this profession is provided like nursing, first aid treatment, midwifery etc. The course also imparts theoretical and practical aspects of nursing.
General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM): This course helps in preparing general nurses to hold first-level positions in the hospitals and other such places.
Auxiliary nurse midwife and health workers (ANMHW): In this programme, training is provided to nurses on how to take care of health-related needs of the people living in the rural areas especially children, mothers and old persons.
Diploma in Nursing: The minimum eligibility for this course is Class 10th or equivalent. This may be a one year or two-year course.
Nursing Course Content
In all nursing education programs, students take courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, psychology, and other social and behavioral sciences, as well as in liberal arts. BSN programs typically take 4 years to complete; ADN and diploma programs usually take 2 to 3 years to complete. Diploma programs are typically offered by hospitals or medical centers, and there are far fewer diploma programs than there are BSN and ADN programs. All programs include supervised clinical experience.
Bachelor’s degree programs usually include additional education in the physical and social sciences, communication, leadership, and critical thinking. These programs also offer more clinical experience in nonhospital settings. A bachelor’s degree or higher is often necessary for administrative positions, research, consulting, and teaching.
Generally, licensed graduates of any of the three types of education programs (bachelor’s, associate’s, or diploma) qualify for entry-level positions as a staff nurse. However, employers particularly those in hospitals—may require a bachelor’s degree.
Shortage of Qualified and Trained Nurses in India
As of May 2018, India has only 1.7 nurses available per thousand population against the WHO recommendation of 2.5 nurses per thousand population. In other words, the country is short of 2.5 million nurses. The situation is complicated by a declining number of student enrolments and poor educational facilities. This despite the fact that India churns out the highest number of trained nurses in the world and is also amongst the top 5 exporters of nurses.
By 2030, India will need 2 million doctors and 6 million nurses – The Hindu
High Demand for Qualified Nurses Abroad
Nurses are always in demand and can work almost anywhere in the world. Here is the list of top countries with high demand for nurses and good salaries:
- Australia
- UK
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Dubai
- Canada
- USA
- New Zealand
- Ireland
- Luxembourg
- Denmark
- Switzerland
- Israel
- Iceland
Related Articles:
Best Degrees and Courses for Jobs Abroad
MBBS Abroad for Indian Students
Important Qualities for Nurses
Because patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities need round-the-clock care, nurses in these settings usually work in shifts, covering all 24 hours. They may work nights, weekends, and holidays. They may be on call, which means that they are on duty and must be available to work on short notice. Nurses who work in offices, schools and other places that do not provide 24-hour care are more likely to work regular business hours.
Key qualities the Nurses should possess:
Critical-thinking skills – Nurses must assess changes in the health status of patients, such as determining when to take corrective action and when to make referrals.
Communication skills – They must be able to communicate effectively with patients in order to understand their concerns and assess their health conditions. Nurses need to clearly explain instructions, such as how to take medication. They must work in teams with other health professionals and communicate the patients’ needs.
Compassion – They should be caring and empathetic when looking after patients.
Detail oriented – Must be responsible and detail-oriented because they must make sure that patients get the correct treatments and medicines at the right time.
Emotional stability – Registered nurses need emotional resilience and the ability to manage their emotions to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses.
Organizational skills – Nurses often work with multiple patients with various health needs. Organizational skills are critical to ensure that each patient is given appropriate care.
Physical stamina – Nurses should be comfortable performing physical tasks, such as moving patients. They may be on their feet for most of their shift.
Top Nursing Colleges in India
- CMC Vellore
- RAK College of Nursing, Delhi
- Department of Nursing- All India Institute of Medical Sciences
- Manipal College of Nursing- Manipal University
- M. Birla College of Nursing, Kolkata
- Government College of Nursing, Kozhikode
- Father Muller College of Nursing, Mangalore
- Sreeb Ramachandra Medical University, Chennai
- SNDT Faculty of Nursing, Mumbai
- National Institute of Mental health and Neurosciences, Banglore
- College of Nursing, Kottayam
- College of Nursing, Thiruvananthapuram
- Apollo College of Nursing, Chennai
- Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research
- Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai
- School of Health Sciences: IGNOU
- Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai
- John’s College of Nursing, Bangalore
Some institutions, offer admission in nursing courses through an entrance examination, which are mentioned below:
Top Universities for Nursing Abroad
- European University Cyprus, Cyprus
- University of Tasmania, Australia
- Middlesex University, UK
- Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland
- University of South Florida, USA
- Savonia University of Applied Sciences, Finland
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Toronto
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of Manchester
- King’s College London
- Yale University
- National University of Singapore
Salaries for Nurses
Early in the profession, one can start earning a monthly salary of Rs.8,000 to Rs. 15,000 per month. For a Diploma holder, the salary can be anywhere between Rs.5,000-Rs.8,000. This may increase with experience and skill. Mid-level professionals earn anywhere between Rs.15,000 to Rs.35,000 per month. On gaining experience in this field one can expect somewhere around Rs.48,000 to Rs. 72,000 per month.
In Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA, etc., nurses can earn USD $50,000 – $65,000 per year. In the Middle East and Gulf Countries, the average annual wages are around USD $25,000.
Like any other field, the salary of a professional in this field also depends on factors such as qualification, experience, and reputation. A B.Sc nursing graduate can get a monthly salary between Rs.8,000-Rs.10,000 as a nurse in private/govt. hospitals but can earn a higher salary if appointed in nursing colleges/schools for teaching. A candidate with an M.Sc Nursing degree can certainly earn more as he or she has the opportunity to head the teaching department of a nursing college.
Choosing a nursing career abroad can be financially rewarding. If you have the desire to go abroad for better career prospects then your degree of B.Sc. /M.Sc. Nursing will help you earn a higher salary as well. There are huge openings in Gulf countries as well as in the UK, US, and the Middle East.
Author Bio: Parinita Gupta is a full-time banking professional. Additionally, she is also a passionate blogger and digital marketer.
She mostly writes about the Banking & Finance, Technology, and FinTech sector. But, she also enjoys writing on other topics as well. You can follow her on Twitter.
Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Featured Image Source: Mata Sahib Kaur College of Nursing