Nursing and medicine are very different practices. One attractive aspect of nursing is that there are so many different settings and specialities to work within, as well as different age and illness populations. You can work in a private homes, offices, within a hospital setting, rehabilitation or long term care facilities. And while some choose to work nine to five, you can also arrange your schedule to work other shifts, nights and weekends. Russell notes that if she couldn't have worked alternate shifts while her family was young, she would have had to give up nursing for some years.
Nursing can also be a very stressful career, especially as health care changes.
There is quite a bit of nurse burnout today and many nurses are looking to change their specialty area. Great trust is placed in nurses.