Which Nursing Specialties are in High Demand?
Most experts agree that nursing is a career that will be in high demand for a long time, but some disciplines in nursing are more in demand than others. When deciding which nursing careers are most in demand, there are a few ways you can look at it. You can look at the availability of jobs, number of schools pushing that particular area of specialization, or average salary. Average salary is probably the best indicator, as it clearly shows how much the industry needs and is willing to pay for a particular type of nurse.
Nursing Specialties that are in High Demand
Nurse Anesthetist
A nurse anesthetist is among the highest paid nursing specialties, they make an average of $130,000 per year, according to ExploreHealthCareers.org. A nurse anesthetist works with a surgeon, dentist or an anesthesiologist to administer and maintain the medication to keep someone under anesthesia. In addition to an RN license, a nurse anesthetist needs experience in critical care, two years of anesthesia education and certification from the National Board on Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists. A nurse in this area of specialty can work in hospitals, doctor or dentist offices, pain clinics or outpatient surgery centers.
Nurse Researcher
A nurse researcher is another career in high demand. It is a non-clinical job, but it requires either a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, and in most cases even a Ph.D. The average salary for a nurse researcher is $95,000 per year, and jobs are usually with health-policy nonprofit organizations or private companies. The job involves gathering and analyzing information to create reports on medical products and practices.
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
A certified nurse midwife works with female patients to provide gynecological exams, prenatal care, baby delivery, postnatal care and family planning education. An MSN or similar master’s degrees along with RN certification is required for this job. A nurse midwife might work in a hospital, clinic, health department, private practice, or frequently in patient’s homes. The average salary for this specialty is $84,000 per year.
Pediatric Endocrinology Nurse
Juvenile diabetes continues to be a major health concern, and as long as this continues, the demand for pediatric endocrinology nurses will rise. These nurses help children suffering from ailments that affect the endocrine system, and they make an average of $81,000 per year. A major focus for this profession is in education, both for parents and patients, about preventing diseases that affect the endocrine system and dealing with diabetes or obesity. Pediatric endocrinology nurses need an RN license and usually about two years of nursing experience, although there is no official certification for this specialty.
Nursing Informatics Analyst
The modern era of computers has created a high demand for nursing informatics specialist. This job is essentially that of a data manager, help handle the wealth of medical data used by doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. They also act as a bridge between technology and users, help make sure that they are using the modern tools effectively and efficiently. The job requires an BSN and may require a master’s degree in health informatics, quality management, or healthcare management. There are actual master’s degrees or Ph.D’s available in nursing informatics, as well. These specialists’ salaries are over $80,000 per year.
There are many nursing specialties to choose from, and just about all of them have a relatively high demand. For someone who wants to have the best chance of getting a high paying job in nursing, however, following a career path that leads to becoming a nurse anesthetist, nurse researcher, certified nurse midwife, pediatric endocrinology nurse or nursing informatics specialist would be the way to go.
