There are many different career choices you could make in the field of healthcare. Some are more traditional, while others are a little less so. You could try becoming an LPN, a nurse practitioner, or even an RN.
Diagnosis of which area you want to work in can be made by doing research on what the average salary might be for each nursing field, what the responsibilities are, and what the education requirements are too.
Whatever path you choose, the choice to become a nurse is one that should not be taken lightly, and time needs to be spent thinking it through before making any final decisions.
What are the Career Options?
Nurses assist patients and improve the quality of their medical care. They provide a caring environment and perform a number of duties like administering medications, diagnosing illnesses and injuries, performing basic medical procedures, providing physical therapy and post-operation care, and educating patients about all kinds of diseases, illnesses, and injuries.
Education Requirements
In order to become a nurse, you must complete an accredited nursing program or ACEN in your chosen degree option. The graduation requirement for nurses is either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
You also have to have at least one year of experience as an RN before you can apply for your state-registered nursing license.
School Success Tips from Beginner Nurses
If you’re just starting nursing school, you’re probably wondering what it takes to get accepted.
While many factors determine your acceptance, it is important to keep in mind that there are some common characteristics all nursing schools look for when sifting through applicants.
These traits help them (the school) filter out candidates who don’t fit their criteria and accept those who do. With this in mind, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of nursing school, your clinicals, your placements, and even your first job as a fully qualified nurse.
Get Organized Early
Being organized as a nurse is crucial to making the most of your time in nursing school. Your courses will cover a vast amount of knowledge, and you’ll need to be able to retrieve information quickly at a moment’s notice.
Taking the time to organize early will help you focus on learning instead of searching for materials and resources during an exam or clinical. For example, you may wish to keep a detailed class syllabus so that you have all your coursework listed in one place. You can also use this as a reference guide if you get behind or have questions about assignments or exams.
Use the Right Resources to Study
You don’t have to study all by yourself. Ask your professors, your classmates, and even nurses who have graduated before you for any tips they can give you.
Graduated nurses are a great resource because they’ve already been through all the information you’ll encounter during nursing school, and they know which textbooks are the best. They can also advise when certain concepts become irrelevant and you should stop studying them.
Go to Clinicals
Clinicals are a great for figuring out what nursing is all about. They’re also an excellent way to get hands-on experience with all the different procedures and explore the skills you’ll be learning.
The more clinicals you do, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the better prepared you will be for your nursing school clinicals. It’s also important to research what to expect during your nursing clincals so that you are properly prepared for them when you begin.
Create a Study Plan
The time between classes is not the only time to study. Don’t fall victim to the ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’ motto because studies have shown that students who create a plan for studying actually perform better academically than those who don’t.
Create a study schedule that fits in with your lifestyle and schedule. For example, if you are out of school at night, do your studying when you get home. If you work full-time and spend little time at home, consider studying during lunch break or in the early evening after work.
Get Help from Your College/University
Many nursing programs offer academic and career counseling services. Some even provide financial assistance for unemployed or underemployed students. These services can help you with the application process and answer any questions about your future that may be on your mind.
Get Support from Your Family
No one can sit in your day-to-day life and tell you what to do. Although you may be the best person for the job, that doesn’t mean your family can’t help.
Your family will likely give you feedback and opinions on what you’re doing, but ultimately it is up to you to decide if it’s helping or hurting your future. Still, family and friends can be a great support net, even just for blowing off steam and having a listening ear when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Take Time Away From Your Studies
It’s easy to get lost in the sea of books and papers and forget to have fun, but try to devote some time to a hobby or even meet up with friends for a little recreation every now and again. This will help you stay mentally and physically healthy so that when it comes time to pulling all-nighters, you’ll be ready.
Take the Time to Get Involved
Whether it is joining a sorority or fraternity, volunteering, or working on campus, taking some time to get involved will help you learn about yourself and what you want out of life. You’ll also make friends and contacts that may be helpful with getting into school or finding a job.
Join Outside Programs
Many nursing schools have special programs that allow students to earn college credit while they are still in high school. These programs (such as Early Admissions) enable students to take college courses while they’re still in high school and get a jump start on their collegiate careers.
Don’t Try to Take the Shortcut to Get Ahead
Lastly, this one is the most important tip of all. Don’t take shortcuts when it comes to your studies, and you’ll be thankful at the end of it all.
For example, don’t buy a study guide instead of reading the book, or decide to copy your friend’s answers instead of doing your own work. These shortcuts will only make your work harder because, in the end, you’ll have to learn everything on your own anyway.
How to Manage Stress as a Nursing Student
When you are studying and putting in a lot of long hours, it’s only natural that you’ll experience some degree of stress. As a student, stress is something you can’t avoid; however, there are several ways to manage it so that it doesn’t get out of hand.
- Try to understand the source of your stress and take action – when you are stressed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by everything going on around you all the time and feel like no matter what you do, you can’t make a difference.
- Decide where you are and where you want to be – this will help you realize that feeling stressed is a normal part of the journey.
- Make a plan and work toward it – a schedule with goals will help you see your progress and motivate you to keep moving forward.
- Ask for help when necessary – when stress becomes too much, ask those around you for help. They can give guidance, offer support, or even just listen. Talk about your feelings with members of your family, friends, professors, college personnel, or others.
- Don’t try to do everything yourself – this can lead to mistakes, more stress, and less time for yourself.
- Don’t beat yourself up if you have a problem – this will only make matters worse. It’s best to try to find a solution than wallow.
Becoming a Better Nurse Starts At School
Nursing is one of the most in-demand professions out there. It has a huge impact on society and the healthcare sector because it is an extremely difficult job that requires knowledge, skills, and expertise.
Nurses are extremely important and undertake a high level of responsibility for patient care. They spend the majority of their time caring for patients who need help with their medical needs and even deal with severe complications and death, which takes a certain level of resilience.
In addition to caring for patients, nurses are also responsible for educating them about what they can do to stay healthy as well as helping them process the emotions that go along with being sick or injured.
Due to their importance and wide range of duties, prospective nurses need to be properly prepared in advance for the nature of this career field and ensure they make the most out of their time at nursing school, which are vital for becoming the best nurse they can be.
Conclusion
There is no better way to learn how to be an excellent nurse than firsthand nursing experience.
When you get into nursing school, it’s important to work hard because it takes a commitment to prepare yourself for the long hours and high stress that are associated with the occupation.
Also, as a nursing school student, you will feel overwhelmed by your workload at times, but do not let that lead you down a path of poor decisions. Plus, it may not seem like a lot of work before entering school, but when you are in the midst of your nursing education and starting your internship, you will quickly realize that planning and good organization are essential for success.
Overall, by now, you should understand that when working toward becoming a nurse, it’s important to remember there are many factors that go into one’s acceptance into a nursing program, as well as a successful outcome from one’s education. Hopefully, these tips will help guide you through those challenging school years and enable you to become an excellent nurse.
