Pick a Nursing Specialty Based on Your Personality Traits

There are many different nursing specialties that you can go into after you have completed your RN. Oftentimes nurses specialize for a few different reasons. 

For one, there are sometimes pay increases that come with the specialty. Additionally, it can help nurses work every day caring for patients that they specifically have a passion for. 

Whatever the reason that you might be considering to specialize, there are so many specialties that it can be hard to choose. Each specialty lends itself well to various personality traits. 

Let’s delve into this and help you pick a specialty based on your personality traits. 

Keep in mind that all of us have many personality traits so it would be best to decide based on your most prominent trait and weigh that against other important factors such as salary, work environment, hours, and requirements to ensure that it would fit the lifestyle you live.

Which Specialty Should You Choose?

If you are…

Organized, Strong Attention to Detail, Hardworking

Then you might consider:

Critical Care Nursing

Trauma Nursing

Cardiac Nursing

Neurosurgical Nursing

Surgical Nursing

These specialties are often fast-paced, involve a high level of knowledge, and attention to small details that make a difference. To be successful in these specialties, you should often have these personality traits. 

If you are…

Compassionate, Family-Centered, Gentle Care

You might consider: 

Obstetrical Nursing

Pediatric Nursing

School Nursing

Oncology Nursing

Hospice Nursing

The specialties above are sensitive fields that involve some of the most vulnerable populations such as children, pregnant mothers, and those facing the end of life. Because of this and because families are very involved in these specialties so it is important that the nurse has these personality traits. 

If you are…

Broad-Minded, Patient, Sociable

Think about: 

Emergency Nursing

Psychiatric Nursing 

Correctional Nursing

Community Health Nursing

These specialties listed above involve communities that may conflict with some values and also require the nurse to interact with many people on any given day. This is why a nurse in these specialties much be open-minded, patient, and sociable. 

If you are…

Explorative, Imaginative, Adaptable

Ponder these fields:

Travel Nursing

Flight Nursing

Research Nursing

Home Health Nursing

These fields often require nurses to be in alternative environments that can include quick-thinking and adapting to your resources. 

If you are…

Inquisitive, Cautious, Multidirectional

These might be good options: 

Forensic Nursing

Infectious Disease Nursing

Legal Nurse Consulting

Long Term Care Nursing

These fields above require the nurse to consider other causes of injury that they might not be used to as well as think about many different factors in every patient case. This is why these personality traits are so vital. 

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So Which Are You Choosing?

Though there is so much more to choosing a specialty, considering your personality traits can be a good place to start your investigation on which is best for you and your lifestyle. 

What other specialties or factors do you want to know about? Let us know in the comments below!