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Careers in Nursing
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Overview

What Type of Nurses Are There?

Nursing is a dynamic and diverse profession that offers careers focused on patient care, advocacy and health promotion. Nurses can work in hands-on roles such as registered nurses (RNs), or pursue advanced practice and leadership positions like family nurse practitioners (FNPs). While some advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are patient-facing, others may pursue roles such as nurse educators or nurse administrators. 

With opportunities across hospitals, clinics, schools, community health organizations and specialty practices, understanding the different types of nurses and nursing roles can help you identify pathways that align with your interests, strengths and long-term career goals.

1.9 Million

Job openings for healthcare occupations projected, each year, from 2024 to 2034(See disclaimer 1)

Careers

Explore Careers in Nursing

Below, you’ll find examples of the many career paths available in this field.

Nurse stands smiling in hospital arms crossed
How To Become a Registered Nurse
group of nurses in purple scrubs that are crossing their arms and smiling
How To Become a Public Health Nurse
PMHNP certificate holder in light blue scrubs taking notes while talking with a patient.
How To Become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
A female nurse practitioner holding a clipboard in an exam room.
How To Become a Family Nurse Practitioner
Blog Articles

Discover More on Nursing Careers

Browse through some of our related blogs to further explore pursuing a career in nursing.

Nurse providing compassionate bedside care to a hospital patient during a routine checkup.
Reasons To Be a Nurse

Discover the meaningful motivations that draw people to the nursing profession and explore the personal and professional rewards that can make nursing a fulfilling career choice.

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Healthcare professional discussing patient information with a colleague in a clinical setting.
What Kind of Nurse Should I Be? Explore Different Nursing Specialties

Learn about the wide variety of nursing roles available, from bedside care to advanced practice and specialty careers, to help you find the path that reflects your interests and strengths.

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Nurse using a laptop outdoors, wearing teal scrubs and seated at a wicker table.
Qualities of a Nurse: Top Traits That Make a Difference

Explore key traits and characteristics that contribute to nursing excellence, including compassion, communication and critical thinking, and see what it takes to pursue this profession.

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Healthcare worker in scrubs standing in a medical facility, raising a lopes up gesture while wearing a stethoscope.
Start Making a Difference in Nursing

Explore GCU’s nursing programs and discover how our purpose-built programs can help prepare you to care for others.

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  1. COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective August 2025, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Healthcare Occupations, retrieved January 2026. 
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