Considered by many to be the most ethical, noble, and honest profession of them all, a career as a registered nurse can be as challenging as it can be rewarding, with the average registered nurse walking an impressive five kilometers each and every day on shift.
If you are one of the inspiring registered nurses and are looking to progress to the next level, then you have come to the right place as here are four next-step career advancements for registered nurses.
1. Start Right Now & Take Control
Finding the time to think about progressing your career in nursing and, moreover, having the energy to approach mentors and other professionals to put yourself forward, is incredibly hard when your working life is so busy and stressful.
However, scheduling time to cast an objective view over your current position, what you enjoy and what you do not, and more specifically what is important to your career progressions is necessary. Once you know how you want to proceed, you can, for instance, look into enrolling in an online rn to bsn program. An online program will more easily fit around your professional duties and personal responsibilities than an in-person course.
2. Compile a Career Folder
Even though gathering your professional documents, academic articles, and other paperwork pertaining to your career sounds more like you are heading to see your academic advisor at school, it can be a massive help.
Start researching the options available and build your options by searching the internet, joining professional networks, learning new schemes and initiatives, and reading relevant nursing publications and journals. This will put you in a good position to know what is available to you and where you need to improve to get the career journey you want.
3. Look Into the Job Market in Your Local Area
If you already know the direction you want your registered nursing career to progress, then as well as considering additional academic qualifications, it would also be prudent to investigate the needs of the current job market in your specialism in the local area.
Ask the following questions to start:
- Is your desired job currently in demand in your state?
- Which other roles are in demand that you may also be interested in?
- What skills, experience, and qualifications are mandatory for the specific desired role?
- Which roles are out there that fit the level of experience you have?
4. Join Professional Forums & Networks
Alongside being affiliated with a nursing union, it would also be a great idea to start looking for local networking opportunities for registered and practicing nurses.
Networking is an amazing way of finding out about the latest opportunities and innovative developments in nursing technologies, as well as getting yourself into contact with practitioners in other hospitals who may know of a job position soon to be opening.
Joining a dedicated nurses’ forum is also an excellent way of finding out for yourself what jobs are available that suit your skills and experience levels and feel as if you are part of the progression of the profession in general. It also helps keep you motivated, energized, and inspired by connecting with others in your position.
