How to Start A Career in Nursing

Nursing is a popular profession, and it is easy to see why because there are so many benefits to this type of work. A few of the notable benefits include helping to save lives, job security, career progression opportunities, and doing good in the world. Even as a popular and competitive industry, nurses are in strong demand due to an ageing population, development of new technologies and current nurses retiring so those that have an interest in this field should seriously consider nursing as a career path. These are the main steps that you will need to take to enter the world of nursing and to find success early on.

Choose A Pathway

First, it is a good idea to think about a pathway as there are so many different areas of nursing that you can progress into. A few areas to research include:

• Certified nursing assistant
• Registered nurse
• Geriatric nurse
• Pediatric nurse
• Critical care nurse
• Family nurse practitioner
• Community health nurse

Try to Gain Any Type of Relevant Experience

It can be of great help if you can gain any kind of experience in nursing or healthcare before committing to study. This is so that you can see if this is the right type of role for you and also helps to show that you can work in this type of environment as it can be distressing, fast-paced and challenging so it is not for everyone. You could gain experience by:

• Volunteering at the hospital
• Work experience
• Finding employment in areas like administration and reception

Earn A Degree

You will then need to earn a relevant degree which will combine teaching with clinical experience. There are some programs to consider, and you will need to think about what is best for you, but a recent trend is to take an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing which can prepare you to enter the field of nursing in just one year. An accelerated BSN online is an intensive course that will provide teaching, clinical experience and interactive learning so that you can kickstart your career without taking several years to qualify.

Get Licensed

You will then need to get licensed before you can start practice as a nurse. It will depend on your chosen field, but the most common exams are:

• State competency exam (licensed certified nursing assistant)
• National Council Licensure examination (licensed practical nurse)
• National Council Licensure examination (advanced practice registered nurse)

Find Employment

Once you are licensed, you will then be able to go out and find employment. As mentioned, registered nurses are in demand right now with an ageing population, so hopefully, it should not be too challenging to find vacancies near you or where you want to work. If you are struggling to find employment even with a recognized qualification and licensing, then you might want to think about developing your soft skills, such as:

• Communication skills
• Presentational skills
• Time-management
• Teamwork
• Leadership skills
• Work ethic
• Critical thinking

Find A Mentor

One of the smartest steps that a new nurse can take is to find a mentor either through a mentorship program or in an unofficial capacity. A mentor can be invaluable during the difficult early stages of your career, and they can help by:

• Providing support
• Giving you advice
• Helping you to avoid common mistakes
• Introducing you to people
• Helping you to choose a career path

Learn from Your Experiences

You need to always be learning in the early stages of your nursing career as no amount of study can quite prepare you for life as a nurse. You are sure to make mistakes along the way but try not to let these set you back and instead view them as learning opportunities.

Go the Extra Mile

To succeed as a nurse, you need to be willing to go the extra mile whether this is sitting with a patient after your shift, helping a fellow nurse or putting your name forward for a project. This will help you to stand out from the crowd, showcase your work ethic and allow you to learn and develop critical experiences.

Stay Afloat on Nursing Practices

Nursing is a field which is always changing with new technologies, trends and ways of working. To succeed as a nurse over the long-term, you will need to stay afloat on all these changes which you can achieve by:

• Attending nursing events
• Subscribing to respected journals and magazines
• Joining online communities

Expand Your Network

As with all lines of work, having a large network of professionals can help you to succeed and advance your career. You should look to network both online and offline at every opportunity which could present new opportunities and help you to build your professional reputation

Pursue Additional Training

When the times comes to advance your career, you will want to look into additional training and earning additional qualifications. A typical step is for a registered nurse to become an advanced practice registered nurse which allows you to then apply for a wide range of roles, such as:

• Nurse anesthetist
• Nurse practitioner
• Nurse Midwife

Look After Your Physical & Mental Health

A great challenge in the early stages of a nursing career is looking after your own health as you will often work 12-hour shifts and have to cope with stressful and upsetting situations. A few tips for looking after your physical and mental health as a nurse include:

 

• Finding ways to de-stress after work
• Trying to get 7-9 hours of sleep
• Eating a healthy diet
• Socializing with friends and family during time off
• Having someone for emotional support
• Hobbies

Anyone with an interest in healthcare and a passion for caring for people should seriously consider a role in nursing. This can be an incredibly rewarding job with many advantages and good job security, plus it might not take as long to qualify as you might think if you follow the above steps.