Becoming a Professional Nurse
Being a certified, registered nurse is a lengthy professional path that must be planned. Before pursuing nursing as a career, it is critical to complete a self-awareness assessment to determine whether one is motivated to be a nurse and considers it an ideal work. Yet, the professional process is frequently difficult, beginning with the application to nursing school. Every student must prepare numerous learning materials and progress through multiple levels, beginning with a registered nurse (RN) license and ending with a master's or doctoral degree in nursing. A student must also be mentally prepared to study hard in order to pass the different practical and sitting examinations as well as interact with different people including colleagues and patients. The education requirements of an individual is usually shaped by the state they are planning to practise, and must adhere the set guidelines in order to qualified for practice. Thus, this research article aims at setting the professional goals and strategies needed to become a professional nurse.
Transition into the professional Nursing Role
Initial licensure state and criteria
Becoming a nurse is a long process right from the time one attends the first classroom lecture through to working in a hospital. After completing a nursing school, one must strive to be recognized by the Joint Board of Nursing through certification before he/she becomes a professional. In Virginia, there is specific criteria that has been set for students who aim at transitioning into professional nurses. First, one must meet the set eligible qualifications; for instance, an already licensed RN is a different state or one scheduled for NCLEX in another state can apply for licensure through endorsement (NursingLicensure.org, 2017). A fresh graduate who has done a nursing program approved by the state can apply for the licensure through examination. For an initial licensure application, an individual must have an active license as a registered nurse in Virginia, and should submit evidence of holding a graduate degree in nursing or in a nursing practitioner specialty approved by the state. There must also be a proof of professional certification in the specialty field. In Virginia, the certifying agencies that the board recognizes include: American Midwifery Certification Board, American Nurses Credentialing Center, National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Aneshtetists, Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, American Academy Nurse Practitioners, and American Association of Critical Care nurses Certification Corporation (Virginia Board of Nursing, 2017).
Graduate job search
A new graduate job search within 30 miles of residence yielded several results, from residency programs to entry level positions. There are many institutions offering residency program for upcoming nurses. Hampton Medical Center provides diverse residency programs in different fields including registered nurses, nurse executives, nursing assistants, travel nurses, clinical nurse specialists, psychiatric nurses, nurse practitioners, and licensed practical nurses. Bon Secours St. Marys Hospital also provides internship opportunities for graduate opportunities (NursingLicensure.org, 2017). Mary Washington Hospital provides continuing students with internships in order to gain experience while still studying. Richmond community hospital provides internship opportunities for new graduates. Virginia Hospital Center offers BSN supplemental float pool in which new graduate nurses are cross-trained on different units in order to select a fixed unit after the training, or remain in the float pool for premium pay.
Top choices for employment
Among the opportunities, the top two choices for consideration include Hampton Medical Centre and Virginia Hospital Center. Hampton Medical Center provides a protected, generous orientation time for the students: it offers nurses 3 months of entering acute care setting and another 5 months to begin critical care units. The program is also tailored by nursing education coordinators, and experienced preceptors to ensure the new nurses met the required patient needs. The requirements for joining the program includes: a letter for recommendation from graduated institution, official transcript, and a letter of resume (Virginia Board of Nursing, 2017). The Virginia Hospital Center is also considered the best institution for a residency program since the leaders hold frequent meetings with graduate nurses in order to allow for collaborated learning and development. The requirements for the program include advancement to RN II for an entry level nurse, recommendation letter, and transcripts.
Holistic life Balance
Work-life balance is an important concept at workplace. Without this, employees risk developing long-term negative impacts on their physical and mental health. Many nurses find it difficult to balance their time due to job demands, inability to resist work-related requests, and erratic workloads (Johns, 2000). The nature of a nurse’s job is to interact with different colleagues and patients every day; as such, a personal life balance will be beneficial in order to be in a position to develop a holistic care. Work-life balance means physical health, mental health, and harmonious work and family relationship, and spiritual health. Nurses and nursing students must, therefore, ensure they are physically fit by eating healthy and engaging in exercise activities. It would be advisable to go to the gym at least three times a week or engage in morning jogging before starting a day. The nurses should also consider their mental and spiritual health as they work. Ethical dilemmas are very common in the nursing setting. For instance, in considering the act of Euthanasia, a nurse must decide depending on their ethical beliefs without being coerced into making decisions (Morton, Fontaine, Hudak, & Gallo, 2005). Engaging is such balance behaviours is important from the start of one’s career. At a five year period, the nurses must re-evaluate their professional and life choice, and make adjustments in case they are not meeting the required holistic care.
Stressors and Challenges
First year mark
Becoming an entry level nurse is great change as it involves adjustments of time and work schedules. Unlike a student who only had to attend lectures, and reschedule himself/herself on when to wake up or go to bed, the nursing career is very demanding, and in most instances the job dictates one’s time. A major challenge that would be faced from the start is the working shifts; every nurse must, at one point, have night shifts (Oermann & Garvin, 2002). This might cause strain and exhaustion especially among those who are not used to the system. Those who work at the acute care settings must also be willing to work for at least 12 hours a day which is hectic compared to other professions (Oermann & Garvin, 2002). One way of adjusting to the changed schedule is proper planning; personally I develop my week plan so that I include all my social and professional activities in my schedule. In regards to the long working hours, it is important to develop resilience and be passionate of the job.
Five years mark
Within the five years period of work, a nurse will still be faced with different challenges. During the advancement stages, it is important for every nurse to demonstrate competence through improvement in skills, credentials, knowledge, and abilities. This can only be achieved through the maintenance of a continuous education system through the working days in order to advance in one’s career (Oermann & Garvin, 2002). Nurses are supposed to continue with their advanced education while they work, and this is very challenging. The nursing practice is also diverse; with different specialities have different practice venues, it would be challenging to multi-task full time job and part-time studies. However, with proper planning, one is able to advance in the nursing profession.
Lifelong Learning
The nursing profession is very dynamic and is expected to offer advanced practice and care with an aim of creating positive change. To meet these demands, it is important to practice a lifelong learning process which involves consideration of multiple settings, self-study, formal education, and informal continuing education. Within the first year of practice, every nurse is expected to conduct professional self-assessment through different methods including self-reflection and feedback from other peers and colleagues. For a long term performance, they should also attempt to seek advancement opportunities through development of skills and learning the healthcare trends, economics, technology, and nursing in general.
Professional Contributions
A professional goal in the nursing community is to become a member of the Virginia Community Healthcare Association. The association has always ensured that residents of Virginia, regardless of their income or geographical location, access appropriate and affordable healthcare. A nurse can engage in the association by engaging in advocacy and counselling programs promote health in the community. Within the student fraternity, a nurse should aim at participating in various educational activities especially practical projects to work together with other students, and come up with new knowledge that helps in the advancement of nursing knowledge.
References
Johns, C. (2000). Becoming a Reflective Practitioner A reflective and holistic approach to clinical nursing, practice development and clinical supervision.
Morton, P. G., Fontaine, D., Hudak, C. M., & Gallo, B. M. (2005). Critical care nursing: a holistic approach (Vol. 1). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
NursingLicensure.org. (2017). Nursing License Requirements in VA: Become a Nurse in Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.nursinglicensure.org/state/nursing-license-virginia.html
Oermann, H., & Garvin, F. (2002). Stresses and challenges for new graduates in hospitals. Nurse Education Today, 22(3), 225-230.
Virginia Board of Nursing. (2017). Nurse Licensure programs. Retrieved from https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/nursing/
