5 Great Reasons Why Becoming A Registered Nurse Could Be Your Best Career Move

If you haven't given nursing as a career some serious thought, perhaps it's time you did so. If you become a licensed registered nurse, hospitals and healthcare facilities nationwide will come knocking on your door, asking you to work for them.

With the current state of the economy, having a secure job counts for a lot these days. But wait, there's a lot more that will be offered to you if you get a degree as an RN.

Owing to high vacancy and turnover rates, recruiters have come up with more enticing ways to get nurses to work for them, and to stay with them. Many employers these days will provide registered nurses:

1.) Student loan forgiveness. This offer is especially attractive to newly-licensed nurses who are saddled with student loans. In exchange, the nurse will have to sign an agreement to work for the facility for a specific length of time. Obviously one should check out the facility and make sure that it is somewhere they want to work at for some time to come.

2.) Subsidy for continued nursing education. Many facilities will pay for a nurse to progress to a bachelor's degree of science, or a master's degree, or to specialize in certain areas. Then, the nurse can command a higher hourly rate once they have received their - free! - continuing education.

3.) Monetary assistance upon relocation. If you're based in another city or state, the hiring hospital would be willing to shoulder your relocation expenses.

4.) Cash bonuses upon sign on. A signing bonus can be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 but then again, there is a corresponding return service required of the hired RN.

5.) Highly-flexible schedule and opportunities to earn more. Nurses get paid "shift differentials" - a higher hourly wage - to work the less popular shifts, such as the evening, overnight, or weekend shifts. Many facilities offer the option to work three 12 hour shifts and pay full-time. Some offer the chance to work two 16 hour shifts and be paid a full-time salary.