Health

Developing your career and bettering yourself as a nurse

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Successful nurses have a wide-ranging skillset, talents that help them navigate a demanding career and lead a fulfilling personal life. As the profession is constantly changing, nurses need to adapt and accept new procedures and technologies to remain current. Furthermore, as well as being empathetic with patients and able to manage multiple tasks at once, they also need to take care of themselves to avoid burning out.

Understand the importance of self-care

Once you walk out of the clinic or office, you need to learn ways of relaxing and leaving your professional concerns behind. This can be especially difficult for nurses who are often called upon to check out a friend’s rash or diagnose the sore throat a neighbor’s child can’t shake. The best ways to unwind vary from person to person, so whether a warm bath helps or walking your dog clears your mind, seek out ways of de-stressing every day.

Be proactive with day-to-day learning

Nursing skills are taught at university but mastering the more complex aspects of the job takes time. Make the most of your orientation program if your hospital or clinic offers one, but also use your initiative whenever possible. Observe what more experienced colleagues are doing when they interact with physicians or patients, ask questions if you don’t fully understand, and take additional courses to remain informed. If you are interested in advancing your career, moving between departments can give you a fuller picture of nursing and equip you with more skills.

Go back to college

Moving from an RN to MSN course is not easy, but at Wilkes University, you can study online to lessen the impact on your career and your personal life. Their master’s programs have three different starting dates each year, and the coursework is 100% online so that you will be learning in a convenient way. With an advanced qualification, you can seek out more specialized roles such as laboratory research, health department management, and educational provision. You can follow your passions, as well as commanding a higher salary.

Learn to use technology

Nursing involves more and more interactions with technology. Some apps help manage dosages, while patient health records are electronic, and communication tools ensure it’s easier for colleagues to stay in touch. Newer nurses are usually familiar with these ways of working, although they lack clinical experience, whereas older nurses could struggle. Nevertheless, the adoption of technology brings many benefits for both patients and healthcare workers, so ask for training if you feel uncomfortable.

Challenges and rewards in nursing

Nursing can feel like a relentless profession. Once you’ve mastered the basic skills, you need to keep up with the latest trends to improve outcomes for your patients continually. Whether you plan to move up through the ranks of your hospital or you want to gain further qualifications and go for a leadership position, nursing will remain an exciting career because it is a vocation that constantly evolves.