We surveyed 11,846 nurses to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical nurse. Here are the results.

How much intelligence is required as a nurse?

Low

High

Working as a nurse typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.

Can I learn to become a nurse?

Intrinsic Talent

Acquired Talent

A career as a nurse typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.

Is it easy to get a job as a nurse?

Easy

Hard

It’s typically difficult to find a job as a nurse. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for nurses.

Info

Do nurses work full-time or part-time?

84% of nurses work in full-time roles while 16% work part-time.

Is being a nurse stressful?

Low

High

Stress is very commonplace for nurses, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.

Is being organized important as a nurse?

Low

High

Organization is considered a very important trait for nurses, and is critical to success in the field.

How competitive is the workplace for nurses?

Low

High

Nurses see mild competition in their workplace.

Does being a nurse require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?

Low

High

Nurses will see frequent time pressure on the job, likely contributing to an occasionally stressful work environment.

Are nurses allowed to express themselves creatively?

Low

High

Nurses rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.

Do nurses have control over the direction of their work?

Low

High

Nurses tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.

Is being a nurse physically demanding?

Low

High

Being a nurse requires significant physical work, and is not a career for those unable to perform continuous and/or strenuous physical activity.

Are nurses exposed to a wide variety of work?

Low

High

The workload of a nurse changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.

Does being a nurse require attention to detail?

Low

High

Attention to detail is a vital skill for nurses, as small mistakes can make or break one's ability to succeed in the career.

Does being a good nurse require compassion and empathy?

Low

High

Strong compassion and empathy are critical to success as a nurse.