Your career or job takes up a lot of your time and energy. It makes sense that you want to be working in a role that satisfies you and that you find rewarding.
One option you may be contemplating is becoming a full-time nurse at a hospital or clinic. It’s a great option if you’re someone who likes working in a fast-paced environment and helping others. No two days will be the same; you’ll constantly be tested and challenged. However,
before you dive in and commit to this position, it’s important that you better understand what it takes to become a successful nurse and what will be expected of you on the job.
Preparation Requirements
You don’t just become a nurse overnight because you decided that’s what you want to do. There’s a lot of coursework, schooling and preparation that will go into you getting ready to take on this role. For starters, check out a highly regarded accelerated bsn nursing program to see if the types of requirements are of any interest to you. Your nursing education will help to prepare you for all sorts of situations and allow you to feel comfortable applying your new skills in the workplace.
The Hours
You should also consider your schedule and the required hours for a nurse before you commit to the profession. If you are someone who likes working a nine to five desk job, then this probably isn’t the right path for you. As a nurse, you’ll likely have to work all kinds of odd shifts and hours, especially when you’re first starting out. There may be early mornings and long nights that you’re going to have to quickly get used to if you want to work in this job. You’ll need to be fully alert and responsive to your patients no matter the time of day.
Ability to Make Decisions
In addition, nurses have to make a lot of important and crucial decisions on a daily basis. You can’t always be looking to others for answers or always take your time when coming to a conclusion. You must be able to think on your feet and feel confident in your decisions once you
make them. Of course, the more experience you gain over the years, the easier this process will become for you. However, you have to be able to survive the learning curve and admit when you’re wrong or make mistakes. For instance, you’ll be juggling multiple patients at once and will need to determine who is a priority for your time at the moment.
Desire to Work with People
While there’s a lot of paperwork to complete as a nurse, you’ll also be working with people regularly. You’ll have coworkers, doctors and patients that will be trying to get in touch with you around the clock. You have to have a desire and the ability to work well with others. Think about your own personality and if you consider yourself a people person who has a lot of patience.
Keep in mind that tempers might flare-up or situations may get heated and you’ll have to know how to remain calm and logical. Not everyone who you work with or meet will be kind to you or appreciative for your services, so you have to avoid being too sensitive or always waiting for validation from others. While there will be chances to take breaks, you may also find yourself having to deal with people when you’re not in the mood or are feeling agitated. It’s important that you have emotional intelligence and control over your reactions and word at all times.
Stress & Responsibilities
You should also have a general interest in the daily responsibilities a nurse has if you want to be successful and enjoy your job. There will be patients to see and paperwork to complete, and the work may never seem to end. Being a nurse is a stressful job; it is one that will often test your patience. You may want to consider job shadowing others before becoming a nurse so you have a good understanding of what you’ll be doing on a regular basis. Coordinating patient care and treatment plans is a big responsibility, and you must be up for the challenge when you come into work each day. You may find it overwhelming that your decisions can have such a major impact on the future of someone’s health, so make sure you’re comfortable with this reality before you sign up for the job.
Physical Demands
Working as a nurse is both emotionally and physically demanding. It’s not one of those jobs where you’re sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer screen. You’ll be up and moving around and on your feet a lot of the time. You may also have to move and lift objects of various
sizes and weights, so it’s important to be fit and healthy. You also need the stamina to work long hours and shifts without having much of a chance to rest and recover between patients. Also, be sure to follow all safety protocols and guidelines so that you can keep yourself out of harm’s way.
Willingness to Keep Learning
The reality is that there are many acronyms and terminology to learn and use when you’re working as a nurse. It’s important you know them and understand what each of them means so you can properly perform your job duties. Consider the fact that even if you’re not in school at
the time, you’re also going to need to be learning and educating yourself on the job. Technology is always changing, and you never know what type of illnesses or treatments your patients will have or require that are unfamiliar to you. The upside to the job is that the opportunities are endless, and if you don’t like your current role or position, then there are many other directions you can head within the healthcare field.