A career in nursing can be profoundly rewarding. However, it isn’t a walk in the park as some people perceive it to be. You’ll often find yourself struggling to maintain an optimum work-life balance. Even so, nursing is one of the most fatiguing professions in healthcare. Your long working hours will leave you no time to do anything for yourself. Your efforts will sometimes go unrecognized. Nevertheless, there are several incentives to pursue this profession, such as seeing the smiles on patients’ faces as they recover the feeling of saving someone’s life, the admiration from society, etc.
However, the overwhelming challenges you face might send your career into a state of stagnation. Doing the same kind of work every day can get severely dull and tiresome. You’ll lose your will to wake up in the morning and make your way to work. We all need change to keep things interesting, feel energized again, explore new options, and learn new things. There is plenty of room for advancement in a career as exciting as nursing. You can explore various areas of specialization or learn new skills. Continue reading to find out more about how you can diversify your career in nursing and provide better care to patients.
1.Explore new areas of specialization
There are plenty of options to explore when it comes to nursing specializations. You can explore options that may help career growth and provide better pay or empower you to work in specific niches. Nurses who specialize in fields like forensic science or anesthesiology earn better salaries than some doctors. As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a forensic nurse salary can range from $59,000 to $89,000 annually as of January 2021. Other options include pediatrics, neonatal health, gerontology, business and entrepreneurship, pediatrics, public health, emergency care, orthopedics, mental health, education, oncology, administration, etc. So consider specializing if a change is what you need.
2.Earn an advanced degree
You never really get to close your books and pack your bags in healthcare careers. Continuing education is a precious tool in nursing careers. With the normalization of online education, you can now earn your degree entirely online. Not only is it more convenient, but you get to have a flexible schedule, and it’s cost-effective too. You can earn different qualifications at different levels of your career. Initially, you can opt for post-graduate certifications and diplomas. After that, you can pursue a master’s degree in your preferred area of interest. Finally, you can obtain a DNP and earn the title of a doctor! These qualifications teach advanced skills to benefit your career and prepare you for leadership positions in nursing. As a nurse leader, you can do wonders for improving patient care with your unique set of research skills and decision-making powers.
3.Consider travel nursing
Travel nursing allows you to practice your skills in different locations and environments. You get to work with new people from different cultures and learn from their experiences. Each destination has a diverse working environment, which means you get to learn beyond what you could have learned while working in a single healthcare unit. Working in different cities and countries will also allow you to explore your favorite areas to work in. Most travel nurses get perks like air tickets, extra compensation, discounted accommodation, medical coverage, etc. Travel nursing isn’t just adventurous but challenging too. You’ll always need to be prepared for what’s coming next. This hustle and bustle will profoundly help you to climb up the ladder in this profession.
4.Volunteer for extra responsibilities
Career growth isn’t a consequence of following orders or going with the flow. You’ll need to exhibit strong leadership skills in order to stand out from the masses. Accept any challenge that comes your way. Sign up for extra shifts but only do this if your physical and mental capacity allows you to do so. Do more than what’s expected of you. Guide your colleagues, subordinates, or nurses who are new to the profession. Volunteering for extra work will not just add to your skills and knowledge; it’ll also make your superiors remember your name.
5.Work on improving your interpersonal skills
Communication is the key in every aspect of your life. Nevertheless, it is the foundation your nursing career depends on. You need crisp and clear communication when you’re treating a patient, maintaining patient history, educating others, and so on. Besides that, you need to be considerate and choose your words wisely when informing a patient about their illness or giving bad news to a patient’s family. You can attend workshops and seminars to enhance your communication skills. These will teach you non-verbal communication, active listening, and emotional management. You can also learn a second language to improve your cultural competency. Lastly, always ask your superiors for feedback to know whether there’s room for improvement.
6.Attend nursing events and conferences
Active participation in nursing events and conferences is a wonderful addition to your resume. These events allow you to learn from the experience of highly successful healthcare practitioners and other influencers and motivators. They discuss their goals, the roadmap they made to achieve them, the hurdles that came their way, and how to tackle them. There are numerous conferences held each year. Thankfully, some of them have even gone digital recently. Events and seminars also provide excellent networking opportunities. You get to connect with people on the same journey as you and take notes from their roadmap. They may also notify you when other similar events are happening around you.
7.Practice self-care
Nursing job is exhausting. If you work harder to reap better rewards, you will eventually experience burnout. All your efforts will go in vain if you don’t take out time to look after yourself. To prevent that from happening, you can invest your time in some self-care techniques. Among these is yoga. It reduces stress and improves your physical and mental well-being. You may also practice mindfulness to relax your body. Or find a hobby that piques your interest, such as cooking, knitting, playing a musical instrument, etc.
Conclusion
Nursing is a challenging but gratifying career. However, remaining on a singular path might halt your professional growth and your ability to provide patients with better care. To avoid these situations, you can explore new areas of specialization and keep things exciting on the job. You may also learn new skills by obtaining advanced degrees and certifications. They immensely impact your career growth and the salary you earn. While you’re at it, volunteer for extra responsibilities to stand out from your colleagues. Consider working as a travel nurse to make your career slightly challenging and tremendously adventurous. Don’t forget to look after your mental and physical well-being while you’re soaring in your career.
