How to boost your nursing career
Nursing is an honorable profession that involves going the extra mile to care for patients and ensure they remain safe and comfortable. The healthcare industry is largely made up of the nursing workforce and when you can increase your skills and knowledge, you can go far in your nursing career. If it’s a promotion you’re looking for, there are many things you can work on to jumpstart your career and move up the ladder.
1. Improve your education
A BSN is no longer enough to take you higher, you should consider getting an MSN to open career doors. Considering that you can enjoy classes online, you really don’t have to put your job on hold to continue your education. You can choose a nursing program that is convenient enough for your work schedule. An advanced degree will definitely lead you to executive level roles in your nursing career.
2. Keep learning
Even when you finally get your degree, you should strive to improve your knowledge in your field. Sometimes volunteer opportunities and attending conferences and meetings can go a long way in keeping you current with the field of nursing and the healthcare industry in general. It is important to remember that nursing is a fluid profession and there will always be changes in technology and new information. To work best, you need to be up to date with the latest.
3. Learn to communicate effectively
As a nurse you will come across all kinds of patients. Without the proper communication skills, some of them will be very difficult to handle. In addition to knowing how to communicate with your patients, you also need to know how to treat your loved ones and give them the best medical care you can. You need to start by being a very good listener in order to communicate effectively. Pay attention to the patient’s verbal and nonverbal cues and respect her perspective and you will go a long way in your career. You must remember to respect their fears, opinions, literacy and their way of digesting news that is not so pleasant.
4. Respect the privacy of your patients
Medical information is very private and as such should remain. To be a trusted and respected nurse, she must learn to limit the information she can openly share with anyone, including her colleagues in the clinical setting. Even if you know the patient on a personal level, you cannot reveal sensitive information to anyone else, no matter how complicated the diagnosis. Your patient information must be treated with the utmost privacy and respect.
5. Join a professional nursing organization
It can prove invaluable when it comes to professional development, education, advocacy, and networking. When you join such an organization, you can create communities of shared interest where current information can be shared, professional knowledge maintained, and competition practiced. The organization can also be resourceful in offering webinars and conferences that improve education among nurses.