Choosing nursing as a full-time profession requires a lot of dedication and hard work. Saving lives and taking care of people can be a very fulfilling job. If you are a nurse, you know more than anyone just how focused you have to be. First, all the work you put into getting your degree, then finding a good place to work where you can learn and hone your skills, and then trying to find some balance for yourself.
Before the article progresses, give yourself and all your fellow nurses a round of applause for all your work. That being said, many nurses must feel stuck in a rut because their careers have seemed to hit an unwanted wave of stagnancy. It can happen to anyone, and it is not an impossible rut to get out of. Read on to know how you can advance your nursing career.
Tips on advancing your nursing career:
As a nurse, practicing or not, you must already hold a relevant bachelor’s degree that qualifies you as one. Once you get your degree, here are the things you should consider to help boost your career.
- Invest in an advanced degree
Getting your hands on an advanced degree will open up a lot of doors for your career progression simply by virtue of your qualification. You will have access to better opportunities, earn more money and be granted great promotions because of having multiple degrees in nursing. If you are serious about studying further, why not go for a DNP? As a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), you will immediately be able to project your nursing career to amazing heights.
Feel free to take a look at the University of Indianapolis DNP programs while you are on the hunt for a good school to get your advanced degree. These online programs allow you to work on the side and teach you everything you need to know to advance your career.
- Get relevant certifications
Some areas of nursing require you to take specialized certifications that make you eligible to handle the responsibility. For example, there are certifications like BLS (basic life support), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), etc. Having such certifications will allow you to take your career down a focused path so you may continue to learn new things and will keep you up to date with the latest in-field practices.
- Be part of strong networks
There are so many fantastic nursing networks spread across the USA that you should be a part of if you are a nurse. Networking is an essential skill because it helps you find terrific job opportunities and chances that otherwise would be difficult to come across.
Some of the biggest nursing networks include the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, and the International Council of Nurses. There are many more out there, often localized and relevant to marginalized groups such as the National Black Nurses Association.
- Seek a mentor
A good mentor can be the difference between doing well in your nursing career and wanting to change fields. As a young nurse, it can get overwhelming to work such long hours under stressful conditions, often causing feelings of confusion regarding one’s career path. That is where mentors step in and provide you with their wisdom and guidance to help you navigate your journey.
Mentors are also excellent emotional support systems when things get tough. They know how to help you feel relaxed when the workload increases. They can also help you make sound decisions regarding your job by connecting you with relevant resources and people.
- Specialized careers
If you are one of the lucky people who have stumbled upon their calling and you know exactly where you want to take your nursing career, consider choosing a specialized job. Selecting a niche in nursing doesn’t mean you are limiting yourself; on the contrary, you are paving a path for yourself to follow to grow your career exactly how you want to.
As a nurse, you have many options to choose from to specialize in your job. You could be a psychiatric nurse, a health policy nurse, an oncology nurse, etc.
Conclusion
If you have come as far as getting a degree in nursing, you might as well put effort into your career to take it to the next level. That is pretty much the only way you can justify putting in so much work for your nursing education. It is a very tough job, no doubt, but it can be a very fulfilling career because you get to save so many lives and help so many people.
