Do you have aspirations of becoming a great nurse? Nursing is an area that attracts many people even from a young age, and it is easy to see why. Nurses play a pivotal role in the healthcare system and allow people to save and improve lives each day, along with a number of other benefits. Nursing is also a job quite unlike any other and one that can be incredibly demanding, stressful, and upsetting at times. With this in mind, it is helpful to be aware of a few tips for aspiring nurses that will hopefully come in useful and allow them to hit the ground running with their careers.

Gain As Much Hospital Experience As Possible

Before embarking on a career as a nurse, you will find it smart to gain any kind of experience working in a hospital, for example. This might include volunteering, working on reception, an admin role or anything else – as long as it is in the environment that you want to work in, it is a good experience because it will allow you to get used to working in this environment, which is a unique setting and one that can take some getting used to. On top of this, it will also help in terms of improving your resume and building connections.

Be A Good Listener

Nurses are great communicators, as they spend a lot of your time communicating with doctors, other nurses, patients, visitors, and many other people. Listening is an often overlooked aspect of communication, but it essential if you are to find success as a nurse. If you feel that this is an area that could be improved, try to work on your listening skills as you will find it very difficult to find success and build connections with patients if you are not a good listener.

Improve Organizational Skills

Another vital soft skill that every nurse needs to have is strong organizational skills. Nurses often have a lot on their plate and will be working in a high-pressure environment, so it is vital that you stay organized and know the best way to manage your time. This is an important skill that a nurse needs to have, so you may want to work on this if it is an area that is not currently a strength.

Find The Right Qualifications

Qualifications are obviously essential in order to find work and develop your career, but it is important that you find the right qualifications for your particular path. If you want to be a nurse but you are coming from a non-healthcare background, for example, then you should look into a masters in nursing for non-nurses. This is an effective way for those looking to change career paths to develop the skills and knowledge required to succeed with a career in nursing and will help them to find work before long.

Network

Much like in any other career field, it is important that you start networking as early as possible in order to build a large professional network. When you are able to do this, you can start to make a name for yourself early on, find new opportunities, and feel more connected to the nursing and healthcare fields. Many networking takes place online, which can certainly be useful, but you should also make sure that you are making the effort in person by attending industry events. You also need to maintain professional relationships over time and be willing to do favors for others. 

Find A Mentor

If you are able to, finding a mentor can make an enormous difference to those just getting started with a career in nursing. A mentor can be a great source of support in the early stages of your career and help to provide advice and guidance that can help you to quickly adapt, impress and progress your career. Nurses often make the same mistakes when first starting out, so a mentor will be able to help you to steer clear of these as well as help you to build a larger professional network. You should also observe and learn as much as you can from the senior nurses that you are working with.

Develop A Thick Skin & Strong Stomach

Study is important, but there are other areas that you should work on to prepare you for life on the ward. For example, you need to adapt to this environment quickly. As a nurse, you should try to develop thick skin to stop tense or difficult moments from interfering with your work. Rather than let something get you down, you should be able to swiftly move on and continue your job. On top of this, you will be seeing and dealing with things that will shock, disgust, and upset you on a daily basis, and you need to be able to not let this interfere with your work. Obviously, this is hard at first, but something that you will quickly start to develop.

Practice Self Care

It is easy to neglect your own well-being as a nurse when you are working long shifts and working in a stressful environment. You need to look after yourself, though, as otherwise this could impact your performance and interfere with your personal life. Learning how to practice self-care is another thing that is developed over time, but you will find that maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working and making the most out of your free time is key. 

Go The Extra Mile

Working in healthcare means that you need to be willing to give 100% each and every day. There are not days where you can coast and put your feet up as there are lives at stake, so you need to give it your all each day and always be willing to go the extra mile. This will also help you to stand out for the right reasons and progress your career.

These tips should come in useful for any aspiring nurse and hopefully lay the foundation for you to go on and do great things in your career. There is no other profession quite like nursing, but it is also incredibly challenging, and knowing tips to help could make a big difference.