course material

1. NUR 3805 FNU Viewing Nursing as A Career or A Job Questions
Unformatted Preview Chapter 7 Advancing and Managing Your Professional Nursing Career
Nursing: A Job or a Career? (1 of 2) • View of nursing as a job: – Obtains least amount of
education needed for nursing licensure – Obtains the minimum continuing education units
required for licensure and/or the job – Continues with job as long as it meets personal
needs of nurse; expects reasonable work for reasonable pay; responsibility ends with shift
Nursing: A Job or a Career? (2 of 2) • View of nursing as a career: – Obtains a BSN and often
pursues an advanced nursing degree – Engages in formal and informal lifelong learning
experiences across the career – Actively and joyfully engages in practicing the art and
science of professional nursing as a member and possibly leader in professional nursing
initiatives within the nurse’s healthcare agency and in professional nursing Trends to
Consider in Nursing Career Decisions • Where health care is delivered • The type of
practitioners needed • The nursing educational preparation required to provide this care
Key Messages from The Future of Nursing • Nurses should practice to the full extent of their
education and training • Nurses should achieve higher levels of education and training
through an improved education system that promotes seamless academic progression •
Nurses should be full partners, with physicians and other healthcare professionals, in
redesigning health care in the U.S. • Effective workforce planning and policy making require
better data collection and an improved information infrastructure Recommendations from
The Future of Nursing • Remove scope-of-practice barriers • Expand opportunities for
nurses to lead and diffuse collaborative improvement efforts • Implement nurse residency
programs • Increase the percentage of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020 •
Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020 • Ensure that nurses engage in
lifelong learning • Prepare and enable nurses to lead change to advance health • Build an
infrastructure for the collection and analysis of interprofessional healthcare workforce data
The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action Video https://youtu.be/V_PnaXjVn2c Questions
to Ask Yourself (1 of 4) • What is the future of nursing for me? • Am I currently practicing to
the fullest extent of my nursing education and training? • What changes need to occur in my
current practice in order to actualize this personal vision of my career? • What are the
projected employment trends and opportunities for nursing in my area? Questions to Ask
Yourself (2 of 4) • Have I achieved the highest level of education and training to support my
desired career goals? • What career path am I best equipped for and motivated to pursue to
lead change and advance health and what specialization should I consider? • Have I sought
out and had a dialogue with seasoned colleagues who have demonstrated success in

2. advancing their nursing careers and elicited their input on trends in nursing practice and
nursing education options? Questions to Ask Yourself (3 of 4) • Have I explored nursing
education program options at accredited academic institutions that will support my career
advancement interest? • Have I pursued ways to pay for advancing my nursing education
through reimbursement at work, state and federal scholarship and traineeships, and/or
public and private foundations? Questions to Ask Yourself (4 of 4) • How will I balance
work-family-study demands and remain physically, psychologically, and financially healthy?
• Lastly and perhaps, most importantly, am I ready to take action in advancing my
professional nursing career? Showcasing Your Professional Self • Professional portfolio •
Resume • The interview Characteristics of the Organization That You Should Assess (1 of 2)
• Manifest a philosophy of clinical care emphasizing quality, safety, interdisciplinary
collaboration, continuity of care, and professional accountability • Recognize the value of
nurses’ expertise on clinical care quality and patient outcomes • Promote executive level
nursing leadership • Empower nurses’ participation in clinical decision making and
organization of clinical care systems Characteristics of the Organization That You Should
Assess (2 of 2) • Demonstrate professional development support for nurses • Maintain
clinical advancement programs based on education, certification, and advanced preparation
• Create collaborative relationships among members of the healthcare team • Utilize
technological advances in clinical care and information systems Mentoring: The Benefits •
Increased self-confidence • Enhanced leadership skills • Accelerated acclimation to the
culture of a unit/facility • Advancement opportunities • Enhanced communication skills •
Reduced stress • Improved networking ability • Political savvy • Legal and ethical insight
Education and Lifelong Learning • ANA’s standards of professional performance, standard
number 8, indicates that it is the responsibility of every nurse to seek “knowledge and
competence that reflects current nursing practice” • Every state board of nursing should
require mandatory continuing education for all practicing RNs, but they do not Nursing
Career Paths Supported by Graduate-Level Academic Programs • Expert clinician (APRN) •
Clinical nurse leader (CNL) • Nurse executive • Nurse educator • Nurse researcher
Professional Engagement • Engagement in your healthcare organization • Engagement in
professional nursing organizations Expectations of Your Performance • Self-appraisal •
Work performance evaluations conducted by nurse managers on behalf of healthcare
organizations • Collegial evaluations Suggestions for the Evaluation of Your Professional
Performance (1 of 2) • Conduct your own self-appraisal first in order to have a more
informed dialogue with your nurse manager • Identify your areas of strength and areas in
need of growth • Pursue continuing education to enhance both your strengths and narrow
your limitations Suggestions for the Evaluation of Your Professional Performance (2 of 2) •
Accept constructive feedback with respect, gratitude, and civility • If feedback does not
make sense to you, clarify what is being said • Develop an ongoing plan of quality
improvement for yourself Care of Self • Eating a balanced diet • Getting enough sleep •
Avoiding addictive substances • Exercising on a regular basis • Paying attention to mental
and spiritual health • Being vigilant in coping with stress triggers at work and at home Tips
for Time Management (1 of 2) • Be organized • Make a list of the tasks you will need to do
and post it in a place that you can easily see • Before making your rounds, make a checklist

3. of the things you need to do for each patient • When doing rounds, always see your most
critical patient first • Do not do other tasks when giving medications Tips for Time
Management (2 of 2) • Pay attention to time • Learn how to write quickly • Always bring
easy-to-eat snacks • Be keen on details • Learn how to communicate • Learn to multitask •
Be realistic Managing Stress • Prevent burnout • Prevent compassion fatigue • Maintain a
civil work environment • Sustain a resilient self