Making the decision to become a registered nurse is something that is beneficial to both you and your future patients. A career in nursing gives you a chance and the opportunity to affect people’s lives and treatment in a positive way. When you work as a nurse, you get to be involved with the treatment and care of people of all ages, and you get to make an impression on their lives and experiences. This is something that you can rarely find in other careers. So, now that you know that you want to launch a career as a registered nurse, where should you start, and what should you focus on doing first?
Laying Out a Plan
Before you do anything else, you need to start working out a plan of action. Getting into nursing at any age is not something that should be taken lightheartedly. Having a plan will ensure that you can get into nursing as quickly and as easily as possible. When you put together a plan of action, it is important that you cover what you need to do, what you have to do, and by when. A plan should contain actions, goals, and targets, and this should be achievable. You can look at a plan of action, similar to looking at a career plan. However, a career plan maps out what you want to achieve within your career, whereas a plan of action focuses on how you will get started with your nursing career. It is important that you break down your plan of action into manageable chunks or sections. For example, you can begin by focusing on the first 12 months, which will include starting your studies. You can then continue by looking at the next 24 months, and these months will include developing your skills and gaining experience. If you do not lay out a plan of action, then you may struggle to get started as a registered nurse as soon as you would like to, and this may tarnish the start of your career.
Making A Change and Having an Impact
The healthcare industry and the nursing industry, more specifically, are going through times of change. Nurses are retiring, and their positions are not being filled, and at the same time, populations are increasing (and demand is not matching supply). There are nursing shortages that are visible for everyone to see, and this is where you come into action and where you can make a real difference. When you make the decision to become a registered nurse, you commit to helping people as much as you can, and this is what the healthcare and nursing industry needs right now. It needs nurses that can have an impact and make change too. As a registered nurse, you can influence and even change how patients receive care and also the quality of care that they receive. As a nursing professional, you get to build and establish a relationship with your patients, and this relationship means that you are best placed to influence and alter their care plan. These alterations can positively impact the care given, and they can also positively impact how a patient perceives their treatment and their situation.
Getting Qualified- Choosing a College/Place of Study
Where you study is just as important as what you study, especially when it comes to nursing. When it comes to choosing the right college, you need to think about what you want and what you need. For example, do you want a college that is close to your home or place of work? Do you want a college that allows you to study online, or would you like to attend a college that is there for you even after you leave (offering career support and guidance)? Not all colleges offer the same level of care and attention to their students, and this is why your choice and selection is so important. If you do not get what you want out of your time at college, then you may struggle more with the transition into work, and this is not what you want – especially within nursing. When you are getting together your lists of colleges, you need to look at success rates, acceptance rates, and quality of education. Not all colleges focus on the quality of education, and this can quickly be seen in the success levels/rates. If you value your time and your education, and you want to make the most out of your time at college, then do not be afraid to invest. Good colleges are affordable and not cheap.
Unrealistic Expectations
Everyone sees nursing differently, but it is important to realize that there are a lot of unrealistic expectations flying around. Do not let these unrealistic expectations deter or detract you from what nursing is all about. Nursing is about making a difference and having an impact. It is not about being glamorous or being perfect. The media can conjure up images of what nurses do on a daily basis; however, the reality can be very different. For example, nurses can work back to back night shifts for 1 or 2 weeks in a row. To be a nurse in today’s society, you have to break down and lose these expectations, or you will find that they will end up consuming you. The reality of being a nurse is not as glamorous as it is portrayed to be, but it is the heroic role it is portrayed as. Nurses change the lives of their patients, and they have a huge impact on everyone around them. Being realistic about working hours and about roles and responsibilities will ensure that you go into the industry with your eyes wide open and aware.
What Does A Perfect Nurse Look Like?
There is no such thing as a perfect nurse. There are good nurses, and there are excellent or outstanding nurses, but perfection does not exist. When you realize this, you can then bring your focus back onto what you need to be doing instead of striving for perfection. A good or excellent nurses will be focused on their patients at all times. They will also be focused on giving their patients the time, care, and attention that they need to recover or progress. A good nurse has time, and they have a caring and nurturing approach too. You can’t be a nurse if you do not care, the two simply do not fit together. Good nurses will also be committed to bettering themselves as much as they can. This could be through gaining more experience, or it could be through advancing their education. Good nurses never stop in their pursuit of better care, and this is one of their main driving factors. Good nurses learn how to handle situations, and they learn what needs to happen with a patient and with their care plan.
Gaining Experience
Once you have your education and your qualifications in hand, you then need to focus on gaining experience. Without experience, you will struggle to land the role that you want. To get some experience under your belt, you need to look at working in a hospital or other care setting. Ideally, you will look to gain experience while you are studying; however, this is not always possible. When you are building up your nursing experience, you can end up feeling overwhelmed. You can feel like you have been thrown in at the deep end. Getting through your first year as a nurse can be tricky, and it can be challenging. However, it can also be character-building. You need to have thick skin when you are nursing as not all patients and colleagues are nice and pleasant. Maintaining a thick skin while remaining caring and nurturing is something that can be tricky to master, especially in your first few months (or first year on the job). However, by taking your time and building up experience, you will soon find your level of comfort within your nursing career.
Developing Your Skills
The skills that you will have and develop as a nurse are just as important as your education and experience are. Over time you will build up your skills through experience. You quill be able to focus (and practice) a wide range of skills, from communication skills right through to listening skills. When you focus your time and attention on developing your skills, you can ensure that you are as strong and well-rounded as you can be. Being well-rounded as a nurse is crucial because this ensures that you can handle a wide variety of scenarios and situations as calmly as possible. To develop your skills, you need to constantly undertake a process of self-evaluation. Look at what you are regularly doing, and always look for ways that you can improve. When you self-evaluate regularly, perhaps once every quarter (or more often should you wish), you take control, and you develop your skills at a pace that is comfortable for you.
