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4 Things Nurses Can Do to Advance the Profession

Nursing professionals can make significant contributions to the advancement of the field, keep reading to get started!

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All nursing professionals want to see their careers thrive and be prepared for what the future holds. Every individual in the nursing profession can make a significant contribution to the advancement of nursing, no matter how big or small. 

The steps nursing professionals can take to advance the profession will have huge impacts and can lead to long-term growth and change. 

The 4 things nurses can do to advance the profession:

  1. Become an Active Nursing Association Member
  2. Continuously Improve Your Education
  3. Become a Mentor for New Nurses
  4. Attend Virtual Events and Conferences 

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Become an Active Nursing Association Member

Immersing yourself into the community of a professional nursing association will provide many benefits not only for your career, but the nursing profession as a whole. Professional associations stay on top of trending news, issues and topics so all members of the organization are always aware of new information. Knowing this information and having an easy, reliable source to turn to will allow you to apply it into your daily work life, which ultimately propels the profession forward. 

Joining an association also connects you to like-minded individuals that share the same passion for nursing as you do, creating a strong community within nursing and within its sub-professions. Having connections like this is another way you can stay on top of current events and issues within nursing, especially when you have global connections. Conversely, you also connect with individuals who may have different views from yourself, which allows you to gain new perspectives on specific topics and continuously improve your knowledge on the matters at hand. 

Being a part of a nursing community also helps prevent burnout. Currently, nurses around the world have had to step up their game and become the front line of defense against COVID-19. Having a support group during these stressful times can help combat nurse burnout through networking opportunities, socializing and support groups. It never hurts to have people in your corner cheering you on and pushing you forward!

Continuously Improve Your Education

Associations offer an abundance of online courses and certifications that helps advance the profession through continued education opportunities. If you specialize in a specific area of nursing, you can find current courses to take that keeps your mind sharp, improves your skills or helps you learn a new one. Staying up-to-date on topics and trends within your specialty is critical for the advancement of nursing and becoming a well-rounded, educated professional. 

The flexibility that comes with online courses and certifications is perfect for nurses who have busy schedules and can’t always make it to in person classes. 

Become a Mentor for New Nurses

Passing on your expertise and knowledge to the next generation of nursing professionals can actually help you learn more through questions and explaining procedures and processes. The more you discuss your area of expertise, the more you strengthen your own knowledge on the subject matter. As you have insightful conversations with your mentee, you gain new perspectives from their questions, their educational background as well as their own experiences. 

Being a mentor is also a great opportunity to teach newer nurses the proper skills to become the best nurse they can be. As you already have years of experience within the profession, teaching younger nurses what you know, explaining your experiences and why you do what you do helps shape the minds of the future leaders of nursing. You can pass along your expertise within a specific field, share tips and tricks to dealing with certain situations, and how they can contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession. 

Attend Virtual Events and Conferences

One of the most important things nurses can do to advance the profession is to regularly attend events and conferences that give nurses the opportunity to obtain new knowledge, information and meet other nursing professionals outside of the workplace. 

Especially for nursing specialties, attending conferences can have a huge impact on the advancement of nursing. It’s a place for passionate leaders within the profession to come together, share their expertise on a subject, educate other professionals on a new process or procedure, and grow their network. Never underestimate the power your career network has on the advancement of your profession! Continuously sharing and exchanging ideas is what fosters growth within professions and pushes individuals to become the best they can be. 

Another way virtual events help advance the nursing profession is through career fairs. Career fairs help by setting a specific time that is solely dedicated to helping nurses find their first job, advance in their career or make a career switch to a sub-profession. Career fairs advances the nursing profession by connecting job seekers to relevant opportunities where they can make a difference in the nursing community. Job seekers can gain “facetime” with recruiters to grow their network and share why they would be the best candidate for the position. Virtual career fairs, events or conferences can open the doors to better candidate pools and more attendees since a virtual event can fit into a busy schedule easier and doesn’t impose a travel or cost barrier.

Nurses around the world have the power to make influential impacts on the nursing profession through continued education, networking opportunities and finding a nursing community they can depend on for support and as a source of reliable information. No matter the size of your contribution, anything nurses can do will make lasting impacts on the advancement of the nursing profession. 

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