5 Things to Consider When Pursuing a Career in Nursing
There are many jobs that will be going nowhere soon in this technological era, and one of those is nursing. In the healthcare industry, the nursing field is one of the most lucrative fields. Just like other careers in medicine, it requires a solid knowledge foundation, interpersonal skills, and passion. Those are just a few of the key elements needed to successfully become a nurse.
When you are equipped with the right tools, your pursuit of a career in nursing will be highly successful. It is a career path that should not be taken lightly, one that is honorable and puts the care of others first. Whether your last stream of income was for people to buy feet pics of yours or as a teacher, the nursing industry is different. As such an important profession, there are five things to consider when pursuing a career in nursing.
The Nursing Degree
You must consider obtaining the actual nursing degree. Attending nursing school or going through a nursing program is not like attending any other school or completing any program. You must meet a set level of expectations, requirements, medical competencies, and more.
Nurses rely on their education required through books and experience. You will need your know-how in your field and preparation is key. You can begin your nursing career with either an associate or bachelor's degree, but a BSN, or Bachelor of Science, will set you apart from your counterparts in the job market.
As with any other job search, a degree is not a guarantee for securing a job position. For this reason, it is important to have strong clinical experience and connections or networks. If you are interested in an advanced nursing degree such as Advanced Nurse Practitioner, ARNP, or obtaining a nursing specialty, starting with your nursing degree is a must.
Registered nurses with a degree have many options outside of the hospital and private practices for employment such as health departments and private research centers. Additionally, registered nurses with advanced degrees have increased opportunities for career advancement, particularly in management roles.
For those considering pursuing a nursing career by transferring from another medical field such as a physical therapist or CNA, the same education preparation will do you well along with the requirement of passing the nursing exam, or the National Council Licensure Examination.
Pass Your Nursing Exam
It takes more than having a nursing degree to be a nurse. While your nursing degree proves your knowledge and clinical competency, you cannot officially become a nurse until you pass your nursing exam or boards. Sometimes this takes two to three chances.
Don’t fret, along with preparation through schooling, there are a number of outside sources available to strengthen your chances of passing. In addition to passing, it would be remiss to not mention verifying eligibility to be a nurse on national and local levels.
Have A Good Bedside Manner
While all nurses may not be people-persons, all nurses must have a good bedside manner. Even the most reserved of nurses must master interpersonal skills to develop what’s needed to comfort and care for patients.
Nurses are usually the first people patients encounter and communicate the most with. Nurses must show compassion and engage with the people they serve. This may come naturally to some and not to others.
While there are many areas where a nurse’s personality can shine, at the bedside is the star spot. You will meet new patients (and people, in general) every day and must be able to adapt to and manage different characters, personalities and situations.
If interpersonal skills are not your strong suit, but you still want to pursue a career in nursing, consider participating in clinical trials and other volunteer programs to develop those skills.
How to Create Work-Life Balance
When becoming a nurse, time management is one of the most critical elements you must consider. Being a nurse is a serious time commitment. There are long work hours, long work weeks, and on-call days. Not to mention the work during those times. Time management is a crucial skill you must learn.
It is important to appreciate how demanding a nursing career can be, physically, emotionally, and mentally. You can depend on being up on your feet for hours, challenged frequently, and expecting the unexpected.
Despite the strictness and duration of work shifts, there are still options available for flexibility. Aside from the traditional five-day week at eight hours, nurses can work 12-hour shifts for three days a week or block-hour shifts at some institutions. There’s more flexibility in roles such as a travel nurse.
You want to put in serious thought as to whether a rigorous schedule and demand are right for you. Not only are the work hours tough, but balancing work and personal life might be challenging. It is necessary to keep that in mind and have a strong support system or decompressing system.
Not Everyone Can Be Healed
Medicine is a blessing, but there are good days and bad days. Not every sickness can be cured, not ailment healed. This does not mean that you need to develop a heart of stone, but it does mean creating a balance between personal armor and compassion. In short, you’ll need thick skin to make it.
Celebrate the wins. Lament the losses, but try again the next day. Hope in the future of research. There are now cures for illnesses of the past and there will be cures for those of the present.
How Much Do Nurses Make?
Becoming a nurse can be a rewarding and lucrative career choice, depending on how it is approached. Not only are you able to help others and make a tangible difference in people's lives, but salary levels for nurses can be quite impressive. Depending on the type of nursing experience and qualifications you have, salary levels range from $49,000 to over $100,000 a year. With benefits such as health insurance and retirement packages, your career as a nurse can be financially fulfilling as well as personally satisfying.
Another important consideration for nurses when estimating their income is learning how nursing works with taxes. Knowing your tax obligations and deductions can help you prepare and make filing taxes easier. The frequent movement between states can add complexity to the tax process thus compared with other nursing professions, travel nursing taxes may become complicated, so make sure you know how does travel nursing work with taxes to ensure that all rules and regulations are met. All in all, how much money you make as a nurse depends largely on how hard you are willing to work toward achieving your goals.
Nursing is just as challenging as it is rewarding. It is a growing field with numerous opportunities for employment with competitive salaries and a strong responsibility to patients and professionals. You want to prepare yourself for the best chance of success to become a nurse, and not just any nurse, a registered nurse.
Any career path requires some forethought and nursing has a number of variables to consider. Be sure to remember that in pursuing a career in nursing you want to consider your nursing degree, passing the nursing exam, utilizing your clinical and medical knowledge, time management skills, and ability to wear thick skin.
My name is Wojtek and I am very happy that you came to my healthy lifestyle blog. In human life, health is probably the most important factor needed for happiness, so I thought I will make a contribution to this and try to promote healthy eating and sport.
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