Tips For Succeeding In Your First Nursing Job

There are few careers as noble and important as nursing. This is a key field in healthcare where you must have the perfect balance of expert medical knowledge along with compassion and communication skills which can make it a challenging yet highly rewarding job. Nursing is also highly competitive and it can be hard to stand out from the crowd when you first start out.

If you have just started your career as a nurse, then you will want to know a few ways that you can find success early on. Read on for a few tips which should help.

Stay Current

Nursing is a field which is constantly changing, so it is important that you stay current with the latest news technology and developments in the industry. You can do this by reading publications, attending events, joining online communities, etc.

Work On Your Soft Skills

A great nurse will possess a wide range of skills and work in any areas where they have weaknesses. Soft skills such as communication, leadership, time management, and organizational skills are vital as a nurse and will help you to excel in your role.

Develop Critical Thinking Skills

Similarly, a nurse can also benefit greatly by improving their critical thinking skills. This is not your typical 9-5 job and you will need to be able to think quickly on your feet. Critical thinking will help you to make the best decision in a timely fashion.

Be Compassionate Yet Professional

One of the biggest challenges that new nurses face is striking the right balance between showing compassion for patients yet retaining professionalism. It is vital that you are there for your patients and show your support, but you must also remain professional and try to avoid getting too close to patients. At the end of the day, you need to be able to go home and leave everything at the hospital behind which is hard when you are overly compassionate.

Continue Studying

You can further your skills and get qualified for higher positions by continuing your studies. As an example, if you wanted to become a family nurse practitioner, then you could get a Master of Science in nursing from Walsh University online. Studying these respected qualifications online provides greater flexibility which is key if you are working at the same time as your studies.

Network

As with most jobs, networking is crucial if you want to find success and climb the ladder. Networking online is an effective way to make key connections but you should also attend conferences, seminars and any other events which will allow you to network in person because this can be much more memorable. This will give you the chance to meet people who can provide advice, support and possibly open new doors for you.

Have A Good Support Network

Being a nurse can be physically and emotionally draining. You will need to have thick skin if you are to succeed, but you must also have a good support network around you for the difficult days. This might include people you work with who can provide support or friends and family at home that you can speak after a rough day at work. Nursing has an “all in it together” feel which means that you should find support from your fellow nurses and forge strong bonds here.

Stay Healthy

Similarly, you need to find ways to look after your health because it is easy to neglect this when you work such long and demanding hours. This will include regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep each night. You may also need to find ways to manage your stress and make sure that you still get to have fun and socialise. This is, obviously, difficult when you work odd and long hours, but if you make it a priority and plan ahead, then you should be able to look after your physical and mental health.

Be Reliable

One of the most important attributes that a nurse can have is being reliable. Make sure that you are there when you are required, that you go the extra mile and that all of your work is carried out to a high standard. This will be noticed by your superiors and help you to stand out from the crowd.

Nursing is an important profession and can be incredibly rewarding work. It can also be daunting and hard to stand out from the crowd when you first start but these tips should help any nurse to hit the ground running and get noticed.

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