Career Planning
Career planning is an essential aspect as it helps one to identify career goals and set the path to these goals. The primary focus of having a career plan is to assist in achieving personal goals and career growth (Susan, 2012). Hence, a career plan should pinpoint and highlight specific areas that provide both success and growth. Therefore, the paper will address my transition into the professional nursing role, holistic life balance, and stressors and challenges. Additionally, it will focus on lifelong learning and professional contributions.
Transition into the Professional Nursing Role
There are several actions that I will need to consider in my transition from a student to BSN graduate nursing. After completing my nursing degree, I will be seeking employment in the state of Florida, where I currently live. Certain criteria have been set forth by the Florida Board of Nursing for obtaining an RN license. The first criterion is to enroll in a professional nursing program that is accredited by the Florida Board of Nursing. There are approval processes that have been set by Florida for nursing programs that operate within the state. Secondly, after completing the educational requirements, candidates should take a licensing exam. Applications for the exam are done through the Florida Board of Nursing. Thirdly, out of state applicants for RN licensure in Florida can apply by endorsement (Florida Board of Nursing).
Moreover, as a new graduate BSN, I could work for several employers in Florida. First, I could work for Interim HealthCare- St Augustine, FL as a registered nurse. Interim HealthCare is an equal opportunity employer that provides home care, healthcare staffing, and hospice. Some of the motivators for working with Interim HealthCare are free education courses, flexible assignments to fit my needs, health coverage, and paid time off. However, the possible detractor is that the facility offers a full-time type of employment. This means that I will be stagnant and it might be difficult to realize my true potential. Secondly, I could work for Centurion- Lake Butler, FL, as an RN. Centurion is a healthcare facility that provides healthcare services and mental health services to the Florida Department of Corrections. The key motivators for working with Centurion are: no experience is needed, employees are provided health, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, continuing education benefits, and paid holidays (Liquid Compass). The possible detractors are; no bonuses are offered, and also it is a full-time job. This means that I would not be able to advance other opportunities. Thirdly, I could work for Amedisys- Cape Coral, FL, as a registered nurse. Amedisys is a healthcare facility that provides high-quality home health, hospice, and private duty care at home. The primary motivator for working with Amedisys is that it offers a part-time job. This means that I would be able to pursue other opportunities and develop my skills. Additionally, the healthcare facility offers professional development and continuing education. However, Amedisys does not offer bonuses to RNs.
The key requirements for applying as an RN at Interim HealthCare are (a) registered nurse with active, unrestrictive license in the state of Florida, (b) current CPR certification, and (c) wound vac experience. As for Centurion, the requirements needed for the RN position are BSN degree and CPR certification (Liquid Compass). In the case of Amedisys, the requirements for applying for the position of RN are; (a) current and unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse, (b) One year of clinical experience, and (c) current CPR certification.
Holistic Life Balance
Nurses deal with numerous serious medical issues and long working hours. This indicates that the nursing profession places significant strain on nurses. Therefore, nurses must learn how to balance their personal life and work. Some of the steps that I intend to take to have a holistic life balance include:
- Invest in self-care
It is difficult for a nurse to eat well, get enough sleep, and exercise because of extended shifts at work (Susan, 2012). Therefore, within the first year and at five years, I intend to focus on having proper nutrition to avoid gaining weight and compromising my health.
- Ask for help
In most cases, nurses’ responsibilities become overwhelming. In such instances, I would ask for assistance from my nurse manager. In this way, I will be able to solve my personal responsibilities at home.
- Time management
It is often difficult for nurses to manage their time effectively because they have to handle many conflicting demands (Susan, 2012). In such a case, I would set limits on my time and make sure to stick by them in order to have a work-life balance.
- Develop stronger relationships
Creating good relationships with my coworkers would result in a peaceful work environment. At the same time, I would plan for get-togethers with my family and friends. I would designate time for family bonding. This would help in developing stronger relationships.
Stressors and Challenges
The nursing profession has its share of challenges and stressors that can result in a decline in job satisfaction. One of the main challenges that I would anticipate is burnout. This may be caused by chronic overwork and a lack of job fulfillment and support. I would manage this challenge by ensuring that I get at least 6-8 hours of sleep every day, eat regular meals, and take well-deserved time for myself. Another stressor would be workplace safety issues (Caldwell, 2019). This may include bloodborne pathogens, needlestick injuries, or violence. To avoid these safety issues, I will make sure that I am more vigilant and aware. Another major stressor in my career would be increased workload and underpayment. At some point, I anticipate that the pay/hourly rate would be too low. Therefore, I would manage this challenge by negotiating with my employer regarding improvements and pay rates.
Lifelong Learning
Throughout their career, nurses continue to learn to gain knowledge that would help them to competently fulfill their scope of practice and adhere to the standards of care (Qalehsari, Khaghanizadeh & Ebadi, 2017). Therefore, after obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I would become a licensed RN and work in the state of Florida for two years. Thereafter, I will enroll for a master’s degree through an online degree program. By advancing my education level, I would be able to create more opportunities in the nursing profession. Additionally, healthcare practices are complex and always evolving. A large number of patients are over sixty-five years and tend to suffer from one or several chronic medical conditions (Qalehsari et al., 2017). Therefore, by advancing my education I would have the necessary expertise required to treat this group of patients. Lifelong learning will give me the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills that I need to handle issues that I may encounter while taking care of patients.
Professional Contributions
The primary goal of a professional nursing community is to build consensus and advocate on a wide area of healthcare issues, including research, practice, regulation, and education. Therefore, my contribution to both the professional nursing community and my general community would be to perform consultations, clinical nursing practices, patient education on illness prevention, and follow-up treatment. This will significantly improve the availability of healthcare services, increase cost-effectiveness, reduce symptoms of chronic diseases, and promote better healthcare experience. In addition, participating in health promotion would contribute to many positive health outcomes such as adherence, patients’ knowledge and awareness of their illness, improve quality of life, and self-management (Kemppainen, Tossavainen & Turunen, 2013). Also, by adopting an individualistic approach and a behavior-changing perspective I will be able to develop a more effective practical health promotion practice.
Moreover, for my own professional nursing development, I would need to develop several competencies that would help in monitoring outcomes data for patient safety and quality (Kemppainen et al., 2013). These competencies include; (a) recognize the impact of the physical environment on health, (b) understand the importance of public, governmental, and third-party participation in health care, (c) care for the health of the community, (d) improve public health and expand access to care, (e) promote prevention, and (f) emphasize healthy lifestyles. These competencies indicate the various skillsets, values, and attitudes that I require in improving health status outcomes.
In conclusion, my career plan will help me to identify career goals and set the path to these goals. In transitioning into the professional nursing role, I have to meet three criteria that have been set forth by the Florida Board of Nursing, which are enrolling in a professional nursing program that is accredited by the Florida Board of Nursing, taking a licensing exam, or applying for the license by endorsement. Moreover, as a nurse, there are several steps that I intend to take to have a holistic life balance, which are invest in self-care, ask for help, time management, and develop stronger relationships. In addition, some of the stressors and challenges that I anticipate include burnout, workplace safety issues, and increased workload and underpayment. Furthermore, after obtaining my bachelor’s degree I will work in the state of Florida for at least two years and then enroll for a master’s degree through an online degree program. Lastly, I plan to contribute to a professional nursing community as well as the general community by building consensus and advocating on a wide area of healthcare issues, including research, practice, regulation, and education.
References
Caldwell, M. (2019). The biggest issues nurses face today. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/health/the-biggest-issues-nurses-face-today/VqTuozcXCWShGbh0yLEH1L/
Florida Board of Nursing. (n.d.). The Florida nursing quarterly. Retrieved from https://floridasnursing.gov/florida-nursing-quarterly/
Kemppainen, V., Tossavainen, K., & Turunen, H. (2013). Nurses’ role in health promotion practice: An integrative review. Health Promotional International, 28(4), 490-501. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/das034
Liquid Compass. Registered nurse. Retrieved from https://www.liquidcompass.com/results?vld=1&gjm_radius=State&location=FL&keyword=Regitered%20Nurse&keyword_type=professional_role&search_location=Florida,%20USA&search_location_lat=27.6648274&search_location_long=-81.5157535&paged=1
Qalehsari, M.Q., Khaghanizadeh, M., & Ebadi, A. (2017). Lifelong learning strategies in nursing: A systematic review. US National Library of Medicine, 9(10), 5541-5550. doi: 10.19082/5541
Susan, S. (2012). Striving for work-life balance. Nursing2012. 42(1), 25-26. doi: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000408207.06032.96