Whether you’re relatively fresh on the ward or you’ve been working as a nurse for many years, progressing your career is a constant aspiration. That can take many forms, from working towards a more senior position to returning to university or college to secure extra qualifications. Advances in health care have also led to the growth and development of the nursing field. The Nurses who are looking to explore the nursing profession can benefit from GP online learning. In this short guide, we’ll take a look at the main methods nurses use to take their careers to the next level, which may give you impetus and motivation to achieve new heights in your career.
Senior Roles
As a nurse, you’re aware of the hierarchy in which you sit. There are newly-qualified nurses, who usually require some supervision. Then there are your jobbing nurses, who’ve become confident on the ward and perform their duties skillfully. Finally, there are senior nurses who tend to have some managerial and organizational responsibilities beyond simple nursing tasks. Wherever you are in this hierarchy – and it’s often graded in more than these three positions – it’s possible to climb up to new heights if you set your mind to it. Be especially cognizant of when a more senior role opens up, putting yourself in the running to secure it if you’re eligible.
Training
Nurses learn on the job, but they learn in the classroom or through online courses too. It’s these latter educational opportunities that can take your career to the next level, returning to university or college in order to gain skills and qualifications that’ll put you in line for better jobs. For instance, if you check out the University of Texas Arlington BSN, you’ll see that you can take a master’s degree in nursing education. That’ll mean swapping the ward for the lecture hall, helping to educate the next brilliant generation of nurses.
New Horizons
Sometimes, nurses will stick to a local hospital that’s close to where they grew up. They may never leave that role – especially if they’re raising a family in that area, having settled down for some years already. Nurses with a little more flexibility on where they live, however, should seriously consider making a move to pastures new, in the form of new hospitals, clinics and facilities. Getting to know how different healthcare centers work is a useful way to gain skills and experiences that’ll help you climb the ladder as a nurse. Plus, you may be able to secure a more senior role at a different hospital, making a sideways move that results in increased wages and responsibilities.
Private Specialties
If you’re motivated by a particular area of nursing, or you’re simply interested in working with excellent clinicians in a given field, then applying for jobs in the private practice space might be for you. Working as a nurse in these environments often means offering a more bespoke level of care, and earning more cash as a result. So if you admire a particular local surgeon or consultant, it may be worth getting in touch to offer your services as a nurse, making a move away from busy wards and towards specialized clinics.
There you have it: top ways in which nurses regularly progress their career to the next level.
