Nursing as a profession has been long associated with only patient care and clinical work. Today, it has become much more than that due to emerging technological advancements and rising healthcare challenges. For instance, a surge in aging baby boomers is filling up hospital capacities, creating the need for geriatrics specialists and personal nurses to cater to them. Furthermore, drastic changes in technology and medicine are paving the way for new subfields, for instance, digital health.

Moreover, the arrival of COVID-19 and the increasingly dire situations have called for an experienced nursing workforce, especially where terminally ill or aging patients are involved. Now, nurses are taking on leadership roles and supervising staff members across various healthcare settings. The roles and responsibilities of nurses are advancing, compelling them to take on different strategic positions. Thus, offering tons of opportunities to those who wish to pursue this field.

Now, let’s look at how this field is advancing and what we can expect from it in the years to come.

Specialization opportunities

Undoubtedly, nurses have always served as an integral part of the healthcare industry. Still, much of their work was restricted to assisting doctors or carrying out menial tasks. However, with time their responsibilities evolved, and the need to have a more committed nursing workforce increased. And this was mainly because of the rising healthcare issues stemming from an aging population and emerging viruses and diseases. This trend eventually led to the establishment of various nursing specialization fields and domains. For instance, military nurses, forensic nurses, cardiac nurses, and clinical nurse educators are emerging occupations in nursing. Specialists in these fields are working effectively to ensure a steady improvement in the healthcare systems.

Some professions like nurse consultant and geriatrics nurse offer a more wholesome experience of serving people. Others provide rapid career advancement opportunities along with promising earning potential. For instance, the impressive forensic nurse salary attracts most nurse aspirants to opt for this domain. It’s a rapidly evolving nursing specialty with lucrative returns and career prospects.

Rise in holistic care services

With increasing physical and mental health awareness, patients are often encouraged by physicians to take a more holistic approach to ensure overall well-being. Holistic healthcare is a kind of treatment that considers the psychological and social issues instead of merely emphasizing the symptoms of the disease. It tends to promote and retain good health for a longer time by taking into account various aspects. These include physical, emotional, mental, social, intellectual, and spiritual health.

In addition to this, healthcare facilities are urging their workers, especially nurses, to focus more on preventive medicine and holistic healthcare services. According to a study, nurses who practice this approach tend to extract a relatively positive patient response. They foster trustworthy relationships with the patients and develop a mutual understanding of all the elements of holistic care to promote wellness.

Growing online nursing education

The nursing field is not oblivious to the advancements of the technological world, especially those occurring in healthcare education. While technology is assisting nurses in carrying out daily tasks, it is also allowing them to pursue higher education effortlessly. Today, there are renowned educational institutes providing nurses with the opportunity to continue education through online platforms. Whether you’re at the beginner level or striving for senior positions, eLearning will allow you to add more academic credentials to your profile.

One great advantage of choosing an online nursing school is that you’ll be able to finish the majority of your coursework from the comfort of your home. In addition to this, you can also get a flexible schedule that allows you to manage work and studies simultaneously. Due to this, many students and working nurses find it exceptionally beneficial and advantageous to opt for online nursing education.

De-stigmatizing gender

Back in the day, nursing someone back to health was associated with a specific gender. However, with the changing times and homogeneity of cultures and professions, this perception is gradually diminishing. According to one statistical report, men make up to 12% of registered nurses. With that, we greatly anticipate that there may be more gender diversity in nursing in the years to come. It’s understandable why more men are contemplating a career in nursing as it offers excellent benefits, lucrative earnings, and job security. Besides, nursing is a highly respectable and honorable profession, something we all witnessed during the recent pandemic. Anyone possessing the traits of commitment, empathy, and hard work is well-capable of entering this field irrespective of their gender.

Telehealth

From Electronic Healthcare Records (EHRs) to medicine intake reminders, there is no doubt that technology has found its way into the nursing sector. The healthcare data acquired through information technology such as wearable devices, patient portals, electronic health records, etc., is bringing further improvements in this field.

For instance, EHRs tend to improve data flow between medical providers. Thus, allowing the nursing staff to manage patients’ overall health in remote locations. The need for face-to-face visits is slowly becoming unnecessary as nurses can now gain patient data with the click of a button. Through digital means, nurses can obtain real-time information on patient vital signs, such as heart rate or blood pressure.

Conclusion

Nursing is a highly commendable field that deserves praise for always serving humanity in the most testing times. The pandemic was a bitter reminder of how much the healthcare industry depends on the nursing workforce. We saw nurses battling the novel virus with little to no regard for their health. Additionally, many nurses had to take on leadership roles given the rising gap in the healthcare workforce. Today, the responsibilities of nurses are evolving rapidly, compelling them to upskill themselves. Among all of these advancements in nursing, we can also notice how holistic care is becoming a crucial part of nurses’ job roles. Likewise, we can expect to see more nursing specializations and a rising inclination toward online nursing education. With nurses having so much to juggle, online learning platforms will prove monumental for their career progression. So, if you’re an aspiring nurse, keep an eye on these advancements that are reshaping the nursing field.