Many people consider the right job one that provides both a sense of fulfillment and the opportunity to achieve financial security and stability as one’s career advances. Given that criteria, the field of nursing should make for an attractive career path.

The outlook for registered nurses, often referred to as “RNs,” is very strong. In its recent “Occupational Outlook Handbook,” the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, issued a highly favorable employment outlook for registered nurses. Estimating the projected percent change in employment between 2018 and 2028, the BLS estimated that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 12 percent during that 10-year period. That’s more than double the average growth estimate for all occupations.

The outlook is equally strong in Canada. According to the Canadian Occupation Projections System, which is provided by Employment and Social Development Canada, new job openings for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses are expected to total 157,100 between 2017 and 2026. The ESDC anticipates a nursing shortage during that same period, estimating that only 143,900 new job seekers will be available to fill those positions. But that gap between job openings and qualified candidates means that nurses should not experience much difficulty in regard to finding work.

While the outlook in terms of availability of work is strong for current nurses and those who aspire to one day follow this career path, that outlook should not alone compel people to pursue a career in nursing. Few fields can be as demanding as nursing, which means not everyone is necessarily cut out to be a nurse. The demands are perhaps best exemplified by examining the hours registered nurses may expect to work, especially at the beginning of their careers when they have no seniority. The BLS notes that hospitals and nursing care facilities require round-the-clock employees every day of the year. That means nurses can expect to work long hours on nights, weekends and holidays. That requires considerable sacrifice on the part of nurses, and those aspiring to enter this line of work should consider if they’re willing to make those sacrifices before enrolling in a nursing program.

Estimates suggest the employment outlook for qualified nurses will be very strong over the next several years, which should compel more and more talented people to pursue this fulfilling career path.