We’ve all been there: the dreaded Dentist chair or that yearly checkup at your family practitioner’s office.   But as it turns out, most of our experiences at a health practitioner’s office are pleasant because of the friendly and professional people working in the Health Care Industry. Health Care and Social Assistance workers, especially nurses and physicians, are expected to see the highest amount of job growth for the industry according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.   In fact, about 26 percent of all new jobs created in the U.S. economy will be in the healthcare and social assistance industry. The industry is expected to grow by about 4 million new jobs due to an aging population and longer life expectancies. 

Registered nurses constitute the largest healthcare occupation, with 2.6 million jobs. About sixty percent of nurses work in hospitals where they treat patients, education patients and the public about various medical conditions, and provide advice or emotional support to patients and their family members. 

There are three typical educational paths for nursing:

·         A bachelor’s degree

·         An associates degree in nursing

·         A diploma from an approved nursing program

Advanced practice nurses like clinical nurse specialists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners need a master’s degree.

To find schools in your area that offer nursing programs, check out schools on Degree Driven with Nursing Degree Programs.

Here are some of our favorite schools with programs:  Alabama Nursing Schools, Connecticut Nursing Schools.