In the spirit of the season that just passed let’s begin this article by making a list and checking it twice. For nurses the title of this list would be: Unparalleled Opportunities. What key questions can I ask myself to continue my personal growth progress?
January is a month where people pause to take stock of their life’s journey and career to ask themselves:
Where do I want to go from here?
Nursing is a profession where the skill set is long. They include the ability to multitask, communicate, motivate, and educate. Nurses are observant, caring, empathetic, and efficient. Nurses are proficient in planning, implementation, diagnosis, outcome identification, assessment, evaluation and critical thinking. By no means is that a comprehensive list.
Often that taking stock begins by asking oneself curious questions. The answers to these curious questions can be answered either quickly or after quiet reflection. But their intent is to move the questioner forward in personal growth. Professional development is self development and an investment in you. This has been proven to lead to increased job satisfaction, clinical performance and practice.
So the first question a nurse could ask him or herself is: which of those skills above are am I passionate about and which do I excel in? Don’t be shy about reflecting on your strong points or accomplishments.
Nurses are found in every part of the community not just medical centers. In thinking about possibilities reflect on the fact that nursing is a profession that is needed in all aspects of life from beginning birth to the last breath. Ask yourself: Who am I passionate about caring for?
Nurses provide a safe environment for culturally sensitive care. They are responsible for ensuring both the coordination and continuity of care from the medical center to home. They advocate for patients helping them get the utmost from their health care experience fore instance, by navigating the system. They educate peers, patients, and caregivers to help them achieve maximum health. They do all this by managing information and communicating skillfully, with and without technology. Nurses also create and execute care plans. So a nurse can ask him herself: Where in society do I want to make a difference? What part of the care delivery experience do I want to learn more about?
Here are some future possibilities the changes in the health care system are creating for nurses.
The Institute Of Medicine has stated that more nurses are needed in leadership, policy development, and active advocacy roles, as full partners with doctors and other health care professionals for participation in the redesign of health care. This will be based on innovation in delivery of nursing services.
How to start on that path?
If you have not done so already join a professional organization. Commit to networking or seek out a mentor. Networking and mentoring build confidence, provide encouragement and allows for the exchange of ideas. Factors to consider when contemplating further education are the time available to study, what financial aid is able to be accessed, and career options after completion. The Doctor of Nursing Practice focuses on turning evidence into practice, the PhD in nursing develops new knowledge for nursing science and practice.
There is an increased focus on the reduction of medical errors, and policymakers have acknowledged that the nursing profession will be a strong factor in the innovation of care delivery. For instance Transforming Care At the Bedside and Technology Drill Down have contributed greatly to improved care delivery. The creation of nursing sensitive quality measures is also an advancement in the study of health care delivery. The Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative has and will contribute to expanding the role of nurses in innovation. Also too the innovation will be dependent on valid data collection which will require an expanded information infrastructure. Chronic disease management is a widely discussed topic, as is end of life care. Nursing research and care delivery are and will be crucial in helping patients cope with these stages of life.
Nurses are key in the implementation of electronic health records. Their input into this field can be either as a bridge between the technical and clinical aspects or design of the system.
Nurses can start their own business. For example, nurses have started their own home care business, become involved in training caregivers in palliative care, or started an animal assisted therapy program. Two nurses Emerson Ea DNP APRN and Joyce Fitzpatrick PhD RN FAAN recently wrote a book titled 201 Careers in Nursing.
Sometimes many choices can be overwhelming. The starting point of any change should be your list of interests, skills, and passions. Of course there never seems to be enough time to pursue your ultimate dreams and it may feel like one more item on your to do list.. But take advantage of technology to access information and people. Advocate for continuing education, certification, or professional development time at your workplace. Often funding is available for these initiatives. Some sources to consider are state, association, employer or financial center funding. Networking is crucial, especially from alumni of courses you are considering taking. There are 8 agencies that accredit universities and their courses. Ensure the course you want to take is recognized by your employer.
Nurses and their peers are experiencing a paradigm shift in their role in the health care system. Patients are and will benefit greatly from this shift. Nursing is moving from care based on tradition to care based on science, from task oriented to knowledge application. Nurses are becoming lifelong learners. As the IOM stated: The nursing profession is the primary infrastructure to facilitate acceptance and implementation of evidence based practice.a
The 7th recommendation of the IOM Future of Nursing Leading Change Advancing Health is exactly as it titles states. The health care system is gearing towards preparing, engaging, and enabling nurses to advance the health of the nation. Recognition is slowly happening but there is no turning back on the journey that has begun.
- Sources:
K. Murray Advancing Your Education. Nursing Management Vol. 43 No1 January 2012 p 56
D. Sherrod et al Extend Your Career Shelf Life Nursing Management Vol. 42 No. 12 Dec 2011 P 49-51
E. Cadmus Your role in Redesigning Health Nursing Management Vol. 42 No 10 Oct 2011 p 32-42
http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-features/Exploring-Your-Nursing-Career-Options_38042.aspx
http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-features/Five-Tips-for-Advancing-Your-Nursing-Career_37766.aspx
http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-features/Electronic-Medical-Record-Implementation-Creates-Opportunities-for-Nurses_37442.aspx
I. Martin Good Business Good Practice. Canadian Nurse Vol.107 No.9 p 42-44.
Photo courtesy of Flickr and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ludiecochrane/
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http://www.facebook.com/people/Sam-Omulligan/100002078739359 Sam Omulligan
