What is a Nurse?  

Nurses are professionals who are prepared to promote, restore and maintain health for people of all age groups in diverse settings. Nursing is a unique profession in which caring is the central theme. Nurses provide care by considering the needs of the person, their family, the community and their environment. Nursing is an exciting, ever changing profession.

What are the opportunities for nurses in West Virginia?

We are here to tell you that there are lots of job opportunities in the nursing field, and that there are going to be even more jobs in the future.  For instance, in the State of West Virginia 7000-10,000 new nurses are going to be needed in the next 6-8 years.  That’s a whole lot of new jobs and West Virginia is only one state out of 50.

What are the possibilities for me in a nursing career? 

When we talk about nursing careers, you are probably thinking about nurses who work in a hospital.  But that is only one of 100’s of different nursing specialties.You could be a flight nurse, traveling on helicopters to injured victims of accidents, or airlifting critically ill newborns to hospitals where they can receive specialized services. You could be a labor and delivery nurse, taking care of families as they give birth. Or, you could take care of babies in a nursery. You could give care to chronically ill children in their homes, or those same children and many more as a School Nurse. Maybe, you would choose to assist in surgery to save the life of a patient with a life threatening disease. The sky is really the limit when it comes to a nursing career.  

Where can I find out more about nursing?

How about talking to a nurse? If you are a West Virginia high school student (grade 9-12), send us an email to wvnli@hsc.wvu.edu-- we’ll find a nurse enrolled in our leadership program in your West Virginia county to introduce you to nursing as a career. Just tell us your name, grade, your middle or high school name, and your county. Email us today!!