How to Become a Better Nurse
Be open to learning., Advance your training., Consider the type of nurse you’d like to be., Earn an advanced degree., Move between hospitals., Try travel nursing.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be open to learning.
New practices and procedures constantly arise in the healthcare field.
As a nurse you need to have expertise in a broad range of both scientific and personal skills.
Recognize that you can learn from any person and any situation.
Nurses who are open to learning new things, and see each experience as a learning experience, are more likely to perform well. -
Step 2: Advance your training.
In addition to what you will learn from your daily work, there are several ways for you to continue to advance your training.
Many states require that Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) complete a minimum number of “continuing education” hours every few years to renew their licensure or certification.These hours are not part of a formal degree program, but they will help you stay in touch with new developments in the field.
There are several training programs that will allow you to earn continuing education hours.
Many nurses enjoy their CEU education.
Some opportunities are quite popular, so don't wait until the last minute to sign up.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center has information on certification on their website, as well as an online account that helps you track your CEs.Nurse.com offers several free CE courses online.
You should check to ensure that online courses will meet your state’s requirements.The American Nurses Association has a catalog of various CE courses available.You can also attend a variety of conferences to gain CE hours.NurseCEU maintains a directory of online CE courses.PESI HealthCare offers several CE seminars in various states.Some associations even offer CE through things such as cruises, where you can earn contact hours and (sometimes) credits.Make sure if you try this option that the cruise will count toward your state’s CE requirements. , Some nurses love working on the floor as LPNs and RNs.
Others may wish to expand the types of nursing they’re able to practice.
There are several fields in which Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) can learn to practice.
A Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) is an RN who also teaches other nurses in academic settings such as teaching hospitals and nursing schools.
In some cases, you can become a CNE with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), but in many cases you will need at least a master’s degree.
Some teaching positions will require a Doctorate Degree in Nursing.A Nurse Practitioner is an RN with a master’s degree.
NPs can diagnose and manage medical conditions.
They can order lab services and X-rays, and many can also prescribe medications.
They can also specialize in areas of care such as occupational health, child care, or emergency care.A Certified Nurse Midwife is an APN with a master’s degree.
CNMs provide prenatal and OB/GYN care, including examinations, prescriptions, parenting and patient education, and reproductive health care.CNMs can deliver babies and provide postpartum (after birth) care.A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an APN with at least a master’s degree.
CNSs specialize in a particular area of clinical practice, such as geriatric or psychiatric care, or the treatment of chronic diseases.CNSs can diagnose and treat conditions within their area of expertise and can also work as expert consultants in nurse training.A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an APN with a master’s degree and additional certification.
They can administer anesthesia, and are often the primary providers of anesthesia in rural and underserved areas.A Nurse Informatics Specialist (INS) is an RN who has a master’s degree in informatics (computer information systems).
An Informatics Nurse (IN) has informatics experience but not a graduate degree.INSs and INs help evaluate and select new technologies to adopt, as well as train others in how to use the technologies.
A Nurse Researcher conducts scientific research about nursing.
NRs typically have at least a master’s degree, but more often have Ph.Ds in Nursing., Nurses are able to practice as LPNs and RNs with an Associate Degree in Nursing.
To do some types of nursing, such as Advanced Practice Nursing, you will need to earn a Bachelor Degree or even Master’s Degree in Nursing.With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you have more career options.
For example, you could become a public health nurse, where you focus on educating communities about health issues, or a nurse educator, where you help educate new nurses.In some cases, if you already have an Associate Degree you can complete a BSN in as little as 12 months through a “completer” program.RNs with associate degrees can often earn their bachelor and master’s degrees in a condensed degree program.To work as a Nurse Practitioner, certified Nurse Midwife, certified Clinical Nurse Specialist, or certified Nurse Anesthetist, you must have a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
A master’s degree also opens the door to becoming a supervising or managing nurse.
The names of these degrees vary, such as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Nursing (MN), Master of Science with Nursing major (MS), or Master of Arts with Nursing major (MA).
Full-time master’s degrees take around 2 years to complete, but may take much longer if you continue to work and attend part-time.Online degree programs can be a good option for some, especially if you plan to keep working as a nurse while you pursue higher education.
However, these programs can be significantly more expensive than brick-and-mortar programs (between $35k and $60k).Look for degree programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). , Nursing offers a lot of flexibility.
Particularly at the beginning of your career, moving between hospitals can help you decide what you are most interested in.
It can also help you decide in what environment you want to work.
You can also learn how different hospitals achieve patient safety and satisfaction.
You will likely learn different skills and use different products and technologies in the different hospitals.
This increases your flexibility (and employability). , When hospitals have nursing shortages, they choose travel nurses to fill them.
Travel Nurses choose assignments all over the world.
In addition to the excitement of living and working in new environments and cultures, travel nursing will allow you to work with different patient populations and different types of medical needs.
You will also have the opportunity to work in a range of medical settings, from rural clinics to huge teaching hospitals.Learning different ways to practice nursing will help you become a better nurse.
Most travel nurses have health benefits, housing, and transportation, but you should check with the hospital where you’re applying.
TravelNursing.com has a US job search feature on its website.You can find other job listings with any major search engine, or by asking fellow nurses who’ve worked as travel nurses. -
Step 3: Consider the type of nurse you’d like to be.
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Step 4: Earn an advanced degree.
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Step 5: Move between hospitals.
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Step 6: Try travel nursing.
Detailed Guide
New practices and procedures constantly arise in the healthcare field.
As a nurse you need to have expertise in a broad range of both scientific and personal skills.
Recognize that you can learn from any person and any situation.
Nurses who are open to learning new things, and see each experience as a learning experience, are more likely to perform well.
In addition to what you will learn from your daily work, there are several ways for you to continue to advance your training.
Many states require that Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) complete a minimum number of “continuing education” hours every few years to renew their licensure or certification.These hours are not part of a formal degree program, but they will help you stay in touch with new developments in the field.
There are several training programs that will allow you to earn continuing education hours.
Many nurses enjoy their CEU education.
Some opportunities are quite popular, so don't wait until the last minute to sign up.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center has information on certification on their website, as well as an online account that helps you track your CEs.Nurse.com offers several free CE courses online.
You should check to ensure that online courses will meet your state’s requirements.The American Nurses Association has a catalog of various CE courses available.You can also attend a variety of conferences to gain CE hours.NurseCEU maintains a directory of online CE courses.PESI HealthCare offers several CE seminars in various states.Some associations even offer CE through things such as cruises, where you can earn contact hours and (sometimes) credits.Make sure if you try this option that the cruise will count toward your state’s CE requirements. , Some nurses love working on the floor as LPNs and RNs.
Others may wish to expand the types of nursing they’re able to practice.
There are several fields in which Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) can learn to practice.
A Clinical Nurse Educator (CNE) is an RN who also teaches other nurses in academic settings such as teaching hospitals and nursing schools.
In some cases, you can become a CNE with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), but in many cases you will need at least a master’s degree.
Some teaching positions will require a Doctorate Degree in Nursing.A Nurse Practitioner is an RN with a master’s degree.
NPs can diagnose and manage medical conditions.
They can order lab services and X-rays, and many can also prescribe medications.
They can also specialize in areas of care such as occupational health, child care, or emergency care.A Certified Nurse Midwife is an APN with a master’s degree.
CNMs provide prenatal and OB/GYN care, including examinations, prescriptions, parenting and patient education, and reproductive health care.CNMs can deliver babies and provide postpartum (after birth) care.A Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) is an APN with at least a master’s degree.
CNSs specialize in a particular area of clinical practice, such as geriatric or psychiatric care, or the treatment of chronic diseases.CNSs can diagnose and treat conditions within their area of expertise and can also work as expert consultants in nurse training.A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) is an APN with a master’s degree and additional certification.
They can administer anesthesia, and are often the primary providers of anesthesia in rural and underserved areas.A Nurse Informatics Specialist (INS) is an RN who has a master’s degree in informatics (computer information systems).
An Informatics Nurse (IN) has informatics experience but not a graduate degree.INSs and INs help evaluate and select new technologies to adopt, as well as train others in how to use the technologies.
A Nurse Researcher conducts scientific research about nursing.
NRs typically have at least a master’s degree, but more often have Ph.Ds in Nursing., Nurses are able to practice as LPNs and RNs with an Associate Degree in Nursing.
To do some types of nursing, such as Advanced Practice Nursing, you will need to earn a Bachelor Degree or even Master’s Degree in Nursing.With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), you have more career options.
For example, you could become a public health nurse, where you focus on educating communities about health issues, or a nurse educator, where you help educate new nurses.In some cases, if you already have an Associate Degree you can complete a BSN in as little as 12 months through a “completer” program.RNs with associate degrees can often earn their bachelor and master’s degrees in a condensed degree program.To work as a Nurse Practitioner, certified Nurse Midwife, certified Clinical Nurse Specialist, or certified Nurse Anesthetist, you must have a Master’s Degree in Nursing.
A master’s degree also opens the door to becoming a supervising or managing nurse.
The names of these degrees vary, such as Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Master of Nursing (MN), Master of Science with Nursing major (MS), or Master of Arts with Nursing major (MA).
Full-time master’s degrees take around 2 years to complete, but may take much longer if you continue to work and attend part-time.Online degree programs can be a good option for some, especially if you plan to keep working as a nurse while you pursue higher education.
However, these programs can be significantly more expensive than brick-and-mortar programs (between $35k and $60k).Look for degree programs accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). , Nursing offers a lot of flexibility.
Particularly at the beginning of your career, moving between hospitals can help you decide what you are most interested in.
It can also help you decide in what environment you want to work.
You can also learn how different hospitals achieve patient safety and satisfaction.
You will likely learn different skills and use different products and technologies in the different hospitals.
This increases your flexibility (and employability). , When hospitals have nursing shortages, they choose travel nurses to fill them.
Travel Nurses choose assignments all over the world.
In addition to the excitement of living and working in new environments and cultures, travel nursing will allow you to work with different patient populations and different types of medical needs.
You will also have the opportunity to work in a range of medical settings, from rural clinics to huge teaching hospitals.Learning different ways to practice nursing will help you become a better nurse.
Most travel nurses have health benefits, housing, and transportation, but you should check with the hospital where you’re applying.
TravelNursing.com has a US job search feature on its website.You can find other job listings with any major search engine, or by asking fellow nurses who’ve worked as travel nurses.
About the Author
Deborah Brooks
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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