Nurses everywhere share a common problem – in the words of the late Rodney Dangerfield, sometimes they just get no respect. But a big part of the problem may be in the nursing community. Why do these multitalented professionals often under estimate themselves? Its time for a reality check…

Nurses cover a lot of territory in the world of health care. In addition to the professional skills and medical techniques acquired in nursing school, a professional nurse has skills and strengths that would be the envy of any CEO.

Start with problem solving. A good nurse is detail oriented but has great capacity to think on his or her feet, and come up with innovative solutions. Multi-tasking is also part of the package, along with the ability to constantly reorder priorities.

In the course of any nurse’s typical day it is safe to assume they will be called upon to teach, to mentor and to counsel. Other medical professionals, especially doctors, will rely on them for their observational skills and their ability to communicate with patients and their families. Administrators will depend on them to provide the best possible care with the available resources – and they won’t be disappointed.

The nursing profession attracts people with a compassionate streak and the smarts to learn a truly awesome amount of information and put it to use. Think about it for a minute; more and more doctors are specializing in specific kinds of medicine – but they depend on nursing staffs to provide the front line of care in private practices, hospitals and clinics. That RN or LPN dashing around your doctor’s office has probably delivered babies, assisted in the OR, rode in the back of many speeding ambulances and seen just about every kind of case come through the doors of a hospital emergency room. But for all these amazing accomplishments, how many times have you heard someone refer to himself or herself as ‘just a nurse’?

Of course, this perception is changing rapidly. The demand for well-trained, licensed nurses is increasing annually. In some communities the need is so great that doctors, clinics and hospitals are offering significant signing bonuses and other perks to qualified candidates. More doctors and hospital administrators are acknowledging the vital role a crackerjack nursing staff has in providing truly excellent health care. The public perception of nursing is also expanding as the role of the nurse practitioner is gaining greater acceptance in the health care community.

So if you know a nurse, tell them to take a moment to give themselves a long overdue pat on the back. And if you are considering joining this group of spectacular professionals, start looking at the enormous potential nursing offers. Because of the shortage of nurses, you may qualify for a financial aid package, so explore the options. Websites like Top-Colleges can give you valuable information about nursing programs that can work with your scheduling requirements and financial needs. And stand up tall – nursing is a proud profession with a great tradition and an even greater future.