Is nursing a good job?

A nurse anesthetist, for example, averages $183,580 per year, while nurse practitioners average $111,680 per year. Moreover, nurses generally enjoy comprehensive benefits packages, including overtime and holiday premiums, paid time off, 401(k) matching, health insurance, and maternity leave.

As much as nursing is financially rewarding work, it also comes with a great personal reward: you get to make a difference. Most nurses agree that the best part about entering the profession is the ability to help those in need and change their lives.

In fact, nursing ranks 5th in Best Health Care Jobs and #12 in 100 Best Jobs, according to U.S. News. This is largely due to the higher salary of nurses and job prospects.

While the compensation in nursing is one perk, most nurses will tell you that it's not a profession but an art. Nursing is not a career you can do well if you are doing it for the money alone. You are at a person's side in their most vulnerable state, and you offer support to families in crisis situations.

Many nurses say they didn't choose their career as much as it chose them and that nursing is a calling.