A career in nursing is one that brings with it plenty of challenges, opportunities to grow, and a sense of fulfillment. This is why so many people each year decide to take the plunge and enroll in nursing school.
Such a move marks the beginning of a long and, at times, emotional journey to becoming a nurse. Because of the demands of the job itself, it should come as no surprise that the road to becoming a nurse can be a tough one to stick to.
In fact, a significant number of nursing students every year find themselves making a difficult call and changing course entirely by dropping out of nursing school. While there is no shame in discerning away from a path that you initially thought was right for you, you want to give yourself the best chances of success if becoming a nurse is truly your calling.
If you have decided to embark on the road to becoming a nurse, there are many things that you should make yourself aware of regarding this path. With the right degree of preparation for the road ahead, you can get your career as a nurse off to the best start possible.
With that in mind, here are a few tips for anyone who has just started their nursing journey, or is looking to become a nurse.
Choose Your Program Wisely
There are many reasons why a significant number of nursing school students drop out and abandon their wish to become a nurse. One such reason that is not uncommon has to do with the type of nursing school program that the student chooses.
It should be known right from the start that not all nursing schools are exactly same. Different programs will vary greatly regarding the structure of the classes and clinicals as well as the quality of instructors available.
While there are naturally many similarities regarding the knowledge, you will acquire and the practical skills you will develop, it is important to remember that a school that is a good fit for one person might not be the right place for another.
If you are looking to choose the right nursing school for you, be sure to take your time and weigh your options. Ask yourself what sort of learning environment will allow you to perform your best academically. If you discover that an online program will work better for you than a traditional, in-person learning format, then only pick from schools that have such options available.
Furthermore, some programs can be completed in less time than others. Therefore, if you are looking to get your nursing career started as quickly as possible, options like an ABSN degree from Marymount might be right for you.
If you can pick a nursing school that is the right fit for you, you will be able to give yourself a better chance of being successful.
Become More Resilient
There are many characteristics that you will need to develop to become a qualified nurse. One such characteristic that should be particularly emphasized throughout your professional development is that of resiliency.
To say that nurses have to put up with a lot throughout the course of their careers would be an understatement. Long shifts spent working on your feet can exhaust you, and the emotional aspects associated with the job can challenge you mentally. If you are going to be truly prepared for a career in nursing, you will need to become more resilient.
Make a concerted effort to look after your mental health throughout nursing school and beyond. Nurses tend to be susceptible to things like stress, anxiety, and burnout due to the demands of the job. Making sure that you practice good self-care and are prioritizing your mental health will help you to remain mentally resilient to the demands of your role as a nurse.
Never Stop Learning
The field of healthcare is one that is in a constant state of development. Across all disciplines, there are a vast number of scientific studies, clinical research projects, and efforts to innovate going on at any one time. All of this is in pursuit of the best possible outcomes for patients, no matter what sort of condition or ailment they are suffering from.
Because medicine as a field is always evolving, any nurse worth their salt will need to adopt a personal policy of continuous learning. Unfortunately, the day you think you have learned it all is when you stand in your own way and prevent yourself from being an effective nurse.
Not only will you have continuing education requirements placed on you so that you can maintain your license to practice, but you should also look for any and every opportunity to learn. By picking up a new skill here and there and by always looking to learn more about how you can administer effective healthcare to your patients, you might very well be able to make a major difference for someone under your care.
Know How to Be There for Your Patients
As a nurse, you are going to be faced with many difficult situations from an emotional standpoint. There will be plenty of instances when you are going to be required to be there for people when they are essentially at their worst. This can be a difficult position to be in and can make your job that much harder.
However, as a nurse, your job is to be the source of strength for your patients. Therefore, they might come to you with very little, if any, knowledge about their condition and treatment options. They are also likely to be frightened and concerned about potential outcomes.
You will need to be there for your patients to provide them with the knowledge and stability that they need in times of crisis. Approaching each scenario with as much empathy and kindness as possible should always be your goal.
Learn to Be a Team Player
The job of a nurse is one that is meant to operate in conjunction with other members of a healthcare team. Whether you are taking your direction from a physician or if you are working with other nurses to administer certain treatments, you will need to have the ability to work with others as part of a team.
This can be a difficult task for those people who see themselves as independent workers. However, you will not be able to find much success as a nurse unless you develop the ability to function as part of a team.
One thing that you will need to work on if you hope to be a good team player when you start your career as a nurse is your ability to communicate. Generally speaking, communication is essential when you are working as part of a team. This will involve learning how to listen to those you are working with as well as how to effectively communicate your own thoughts and perspectives respectfully and constructively.
More often than not, it is those nurses who excel at being team players that find themselves being given opportunities for advancement throughout their careers. This is a skill that you should start working on right at the beginning of nursing school.
Find a Mentor
The road to becoming a successful nurse is one that you should not always have to walk alone. While you will want to learn how to find your own way in this profession, there is something to be said for having the ability to ask for help when you need it.
For this reason, many nurses find themselves looking for a professional mentor. This is an individual who has built a successful career in nursing and who is willing and able to pass along their knowledge and experience to another.
Moreover, a mentor is someone you can turn to when you are in need of professional advice and guidance. Because they have experienced similar things in their own career, a mentor can serve as a reliable sounding board for your deliberation and discernment. They will be a great source of help when you are struggling to make a decision regarding your career.
Finding a good mentor is not as difficult a process as you might think. In fact, there might very well be a mentorship program in place at the hospital or health system where you work. If so, waste no time enrolling to be connected with a mentor sooner rather than later.
If no such program exists at your place of work, you can still find a mentor in a less formal manner. Take the time to consider nurses in your professional network who have reached a point in their career that you hope to one day reach yourself.
If you feel comfortable going to that person with questions about your own career, consider asking them to be your mentor. Chances are, they will be more than happy to assume such a role in your professional life.
