With two and a half million men and women working as nurses in the United States, nursing is the largest occupation in the health care industry. It is also one of the most dynamic, as new technologies, new medicines, and new approaches treatment are continually developed and introduced into the nation’s hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. Maintaining nursing competency and keeping up with the latest medical advances is an ongoing challenge for every health care worker and for nurses in particular. In their efforts to keep pace with these changes, nurses turn to various forms of continuing education.

Most nursing jobs require some level of continuing education, but even where such courses are not required nurses often take it upon themselves to upgrade their skill sets. There are many reasons to do so, ranging from the opportunity for increased salaries and promotional opportunities to becoming familiar with the newest technologies and techniques. Obtaining various graduate degrees or becoming certified in specific areas of nursing often open up new avenues of advancement for nurses. Many nurses use continuing education as a means to acquire specialized skill sets that allow them to move into highly focused areas of nursing such as cardiac care or gerontology.

Read the rest of this entry »