Education

Nursing: discover what it's like to be a profession that takes care of human health and well-being in a comprehensive way 

The demand for nurses is on the rise in Brazil and abroad, which makes this professional one of the most sought after in the job market today.

Wednesday, May 14 | 2025
Nursing is present at different moments in life and plays a fundamental role in helping us live longer and better. / Photo: Laísa Mendes

Humanity is living longer. If in the year 2000 the life expectancy in Brazil was 68,6 years, children born today have a good chance of living until at least 75,5 years. This happens for different reasons, but one of the most relevant is the use of T applied to the health sector. Artificial intelligence through algorithms, for example, is capable of analyzing large volumes of people's health data, identifying standards, helping to diagnosis early detection of diseases and identifying possibilities of Treatments for each case, contributing to support clinical decisions. 

But don't imagine that in the future we will only be served by robots in health centers, clinics and hospitals. Technological tools are essential to provide an even better quality of life for the population, but nothing replaces attention and care that only a health professional can provide.  

Na Nursing, this humanized contact is even more evident, as the nurse provides direct assistance to patients, dedicating himself to both issues physical as to the needs emotional of each person. This profession, which goes far beyond technical knowledge, is present at different moments in life and plays a fundamental role in helping us live longer and better. 

Continue reading the article to find out what the packing list of the nurse in their daily lives, what are the possibilities of career, where you can work and how to promote in the profession. 

  1. What does the nurse do? 
  1. Where and in which areas can you work? 
  1. How is the market in the sector? 
  1. How to stand out as a nurse? 
  1. Is the Nursing course right for me? 

What does the nurse do?  

The great mission of this professional is care in a integral of human beings at all ages, promoting health, preventing illnesses, assisting in rehabilitations and giving more comfort at all stages of the life cycle. Nursing combines science, ethics, humanism and interpersonal skills to meet the needs of physical, emotional and social needs of patients. In other words, it contributes significantly to people's well-being and to making a healthier and more equitable society possible. 

Now let's look at some practical examples. Who has already watched Grey's Anatomy Meet the legendary scrub nurse Bokhee, who is always in the surgery scenes assisting during procedures. Another production that gives an idea of ​​what the routine of this profession is like is Virgin river. Although it is not about the health area, it has a nursing professional as the protagonist of the story and shows the character working in a small town in the United States. 

Of course, all of these works are fiction, but they help to understand how the career works and some of the ways that a person with a degree in Nursing can follow. In fact, there are many areas e locations in which the nurse can act, see? Regardless of what each person's interests and objectives are, there is no shortage opportunities both in Brazil how much in Exterior

Where and in which areas can you work? 

Nurses can also become managers, administering the provision of services in health institutions. / Photo: Laísa Mendes

When we think of nursing, what immediately comes to mind is a professional taking care of people, right? This is one of the activities that nurses perform most, but it is far from being the only possible path.  

In addition to working in direct assistance to people, the nurse can also become manager, managing the provision of services in health institutions, opt for research, conducting evidence-based studies to improve nursing and health care, or as teacher in technical, higher education or postgraduate courses. 

But going back to talking about patient care, we have listed some areas and places where nurses can work. Check them out below. 

  • Clinical Nursing: is an area of ​​nursing focused on direct patient care in clinical settings such as hospitals, clinics, health centers, and other care settings. This branch encompasses activities involving the assessment, diagnosis, planning, execution, and evaluation of health care, with the aim of promoting, maintaining, or restoring the health of individuals. 
  • Emergency Nursing: area dedicated to assisting patients in critical situations, such as accidents, traumas, acute medical crises and other conditions that require immediate intervention 
  • Community Nursing: works with health education, vaccination, home consultations and organization of public programs with the purpose of promoting health and disease prevention in communities.  
  • Aesthetic Nursing: specialized in aesthetic procedures and skin health care, as well as in the development of treatments aimed at the aesthetics and well-being of patients. 
  • Geriatric Nursing: provides assistance to elderly people in hospitals, long-term care homes or at home with the aim of monitoring their health and contributing to the well-being of patients.  
  • Obstetric Nursing: focuses on caring for women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum. You can work in health centers, Basic Health Units (UBS), maternity wards and hospitals, for example. 
  • Pediatric Nursing: works in the care of children, from newborns to teenagers, in hospitals, clinics, offices, schools, Basic Health Units (UBS), children's shelters, etc. 
  • Mental Health Nursing: works in the application of therapies, administration of medication and support in the rehabilitation of patients dealing with mental and emotional issues. Some places that offer vacancies are psychiatric hospitals, Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) and private practices. 
  • Oncology Nursing: Assists in the treatment of cancer patients by administering chemotherapy, helping with pain management, providing palliative care, and offering emotional support. May work in oncology clinics, specialized cancer treatment centers, hospice units, physicians' offices, and home health services. 
  • Intensive Care Nursing: cares for critically ill patients in adult, pediatric, neonatal, cardiology or neurological Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Their activities include monitoring vital signs, administering medications and controlling life support equipment. 
  • Surgical Nursing: assists in surgical procedures, both pre- and post-operatively, monitoring the patient's recovery. 
  • Occupational Health Nursing: performs occupational exams, promotes disease prevention programs and manages first aid in cases of work accidents. Companies from different sectors and sizes have these professionals on their teams. 
  • Aerospace Nursing: provides assistance prior to hospital care and/or during the transport of critical patients by aircraft. Job vacancies are mainly in air taxi companies that offer aeromedical flights. 
  • Nursing in Genetics and Genomics: performs genetic counseling, provides support to patients and their families, assists in decision-making processes, provides monitoring and prenatal care, among other activities. 
  • Nephrology Nursing: dedicated to the care of patients with kidney disease, involves the management of chronic and acute kidney diseases, monitoring patients undergoing treatments such as hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, and support for patients undergoing kidney transplants. 

How is the market in the sector?  

PUCRS has a Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, open to all health professionals. / Photo: Laísa Mendes

Quite simply, we can say that there is a shortage of nurses all over the world. The deficit is so great that the International Council of Nurses (ICN) defined the global shortage of these professionals as a global emergency. Countries like Canada, Germany, England, Portugal e United States They offer countless opportunities for Brazilians and people of other nationalities because they are unable to fill their open positions internally. 

In Brazil, there is also a large unfilled demand. Just do a quick search on LinkedIn to find more than 3 thousand vacancies available to nurses in clinics, hospitals, companies in different sectors, schools, among other places. There are also numerous Competitions launched every year to work in public health institutions. 

It is already clear that the job market in the Nursing field is overpromising. But, even offering so many opportunities, whoever wants to have success in the profession you need to find ways to differentiate yourself.  

Read also Meet the Nursing student who works to combat gender-based violence   

How to stand out as a nurse? 

Working in the field of Nursing goes far beyond technical and scientific knowledge. Of course these are essential aspects, but the interpersonal skills are also essential to becoming a good professional. Having empathy, proactivity, creativity, domain of T, flexibility e motivation are just some of these attitudes valued in the market.  

We can also mention as important skills knowing whether communicate effectively, be able to work in team, deal with high-pressure situations pressure, develop the critical thinking and be on top of the new technologies and care in health  

Speaking of staying up to date, one way to keep up with the latest evolutions of the profession and of specialize in specific areas is to continue deepening knowledge after completing graduation. PUCRS, for example, has the Graduate Program in Medicine and Health Sciences, which is open to all health professionals, offers both the course of Master's program how much of Doctoral Program for those who want to continue their studies in the academic world. 

Is the nursing course for me? 

Identifying with subjects such as Biology and similar subjects makes Nursing one of your career options. / Photo: Laísa Mendes

The first indication that this degree might be a good choice for you is that you enjoy taking care of people. Empathy is one of the key words of this profession. Having an interest in care with each other, respecting the particularities e complexities of each one, should be at the top of the list of goals of anyone thinking about becoming a nurse. In addition, identifying with subjects such as Biology and the like also makes it possible for Nursing to be among your career options. 

In the PUCRS course, for example, these subjects already appear in the disciplines of first semester, which also address more specific topics of the profession. See the curriculum structure: 

  • Fundamentals of Nursing and Patient Safety 
  • First aid 
  • Practices in General Human Anatomy 
  • Biophysics 
  • Biological Basis of Infections 
  • parasitology 
  • Health Education 
  • Basic Nutrition and Health 

From the second semester onwards, activities deepen the knowledge and introduce the areas of expertise. Some examples of these disciplines are: 

  • Nursing Practices and Patient Safety 
  • Semiology and Semiotechnics in Nursing 
  • Nursing Process 
  • Nursing in Skin Care and Aesthetics 
  • Nursing in Critical Patient Care 
  • Nursing in Complementary Examinations 
  • Nursing in Primary Health Care. 
  • Pharmacology Applied to Nursing 
  • Technologies Applied to Nursing Care 
  • Clinical-Surgical Nursing in Adult and Elderly Health 
  • Workers' Health. 
  • Mental Health Nursing. 
  • Nursing in Child and Adolescent Health 
  • Entrepreneurship in Health 
  • Nursing Management 
  • Nursing Work Process Management 
  • Nursing in Maternal and Child Health. 

The curriculum also includes two stages mandatory supervised for students to already earn professional experience during training. They also perform various practical activities throughout the course in the laboratory clinical simulation and real environments to experience different health scenarios and contexts, such as adult and pediatric hospital inpatient units, hospital emergencies, Basic Health Units (UBS) and communities. 

The Nursing degree at PUCRS is validated by Mercosur and in countries like Canada, United States e Italy, so the student who graduates from the University has all the conditions to work in these places. In addition, the course is part of one of the largest and most complete health and well-being ecosystems from Brazil and has professors active in the job market and renowned researchers in their fields 

So, are you interested in studying Nursing? This profession aims to provide the best possible care, using both technical knowledge and interpersonal skills to promote the well-being and quality of life of the population. Are you finding Nursing incredible and want to know more about the course?