Explore Nursing Goals for Career Advancement Sample Paper

Explore Nursing Goals for Career Advancement Sample Paper

Explore Nursing Goals for Career Advancement Sample Paper

Introduction

Registered nurses (RNs) play very important roles in healthcare in ensuring positive patient outcomes as well as keeping the community healthy and safe for everyone. The demand for nurses keeps increasing every year (reference). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that America had about 3 million registered nurses with an estimated of 179,500 new jobs. Nursing is often described as the glue that holds a patient’s healthcare journey together. Nurse students should have a deeper understanding of nursing goals and career advancements to enable them to make better decisions in the future (reference). This paper provides a detailed discussion of nursing as a profession, goals, and career advancements.

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Nursing Career

Nursing has been defined as both an art and a science; a heart and a mind. At the heart of nursing lies the fundamental respect for human dignity and the drive to accomplish patients’ needs. This is normally supported by the mind in the form of rigorous core learning. There are different kinds of nurses based on their areas of specialization (reference). As a result of the broad range of specialism and complex skills required in the nursing profession, every nurse will have specific expertise, passion, and strengths. According to (reference), several nursing career paths enable qualified nurse leaders to contribute to a range of important areas in healthcare. The nursing advancement career paths help in addressing the impact of nursing shortages. They also help address gaps in the quality of healthcare provided to patients.

Nursing Goals for Career Advancement

All nurses undergo a rigorous program of extensive education and study that allows them to efficiently work with patients, families, and the community as a whole. Nurses begin their career journey by first imagining their career then identifying appropriate or essential skills and experiences they will use to qualify for the job (reference). Nursing goals are dynamic and may change as one advances through their career. There are fundamental goals that nurses may take accomplish towards their journey in their nursing career.

Earning an Advanced Nursing Degree

The first step is earning advanced nursing. One can only earn an advanced nursing degree when one accomplishes the fundamental nursing education programs. One can complete one-year training programs to become a licensed practitioner nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN) (reference). Either two-year associate degree programs, three-year diploma in nursing programs, and four-year bachelor’s degree programs will make one a registered nurse (RN). There are two types of post-graduate career paths in nursing beyond the bachelor’s degree. They include advanced practice nurses (APN) and researchers (reference). The advanced practice nurse category includes nurse practitioner (NP), nurse anesthetist, nurse educator, nurse midwife, and nurse administrators.

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Obtaining an Advanced Nursing Certification

Nurses must obtain relevant certifications to enable them to practice as advanced practice nurses. Several professional and certification bodies provide medical certifications in the US. However, the two largest organizations offering advanced nursing certification include the American Nurses credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) (Duquesne University p.10). The ANCC certifications include Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC), Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (AGPCNP-BC), and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (PMHNP-BC). AANP certifications include Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGNP), and Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP).

Pursuing leadership Roles in Nursing

Educating and monitoring new nurses are two of the most important roles of the advanced practice nurse. They can only achieve these responsibilities through attaining leadership roles. Through leadership positions, nurses can gain more input and influence in shaping national health policy (reference). Before applying for a nurse leadership position, nurses must first understand the position by identifying the qualifications for the job as well as the responsibilities and duties of the leadership position. As a nurse leader, one must have the capacity to realize and prevent conflict or address them effectively when they arise. Understanding the SMART goal model is important in achieving nursing career advancement (reference). This technique helps nurse leaders to set specific measurable goals to help them throughout their careers.  Order for nurses (RNs) roles in healthcare essay

Types of Nursing Degrees

In their struggle to achieve their career advancement long-term and short-term goals, nurses can pursue various types of degrees that qualify them for specific roles. Some of these degrees also serve as a stepping stone on a nursing career path that may result in a leadership position in a healthcare setting (reference). Most registered nurses (RNs) have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), although they can also have an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), or a diploma from an approved nursing program (reference). All the professional degree programs that nursing students pursue prepare them well to pass their licensing examination as well as to thrive in their nursing careers.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Nurses can earn a bachelor of science degree in nursing, which includes courses in physical and social sciences, critical thinking, communication, and leadership. Bachelor’s degree in nursing was considered in the past the minimum requirement for attaining a nurse administrator position and to work as a nurse researcher (reference). However, it was later revised to ensure that a master’s degree in nursing is the minimum requirement for such positions. BSN graduates are known as Registered nurses (RNs) (reference). They form the backbone of healthcare providers in the United States.

Master of Science in Nursing

Master of Science in nursing allows one to become an advanced practice nurse. It is the minimum requirement for clinical nurse specialists (CNS), nurse managers, and researchers. Nurses who are aspiring for leadership roles must enroll in an MSN program and earn the MSN degree (reference). The MSN degree program expands on the science and clinical subjects that undergraduate nursing programs cover.

Doctor of Nursing Practice

The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) includes advanced health assessments, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and other courses related to each NP specialty. Among other nursing leadership positions, nurses with DNP degrees also become nurse educators, nurse administrators, and directors of nursing (reference). Nurses who wish to pursue a doctorate in nursing must choose between a DNP and a Ph.D.

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Opportunities for a DNP Degree

• Health policy analyst
• Nurse educator
• Advance clinical educator
• Chief nursing officer

Conclusion

Demand for nurses is increasing every year leading to more advancements in the field. Nurses specialize in particular areas based on their educational attainment. Nurses begin their career journey by first imagining their career and then identifying appropriate or essential skills and experiences they will use to qualify for the job. This paper has discussed nursing goals for career advancements in detail.

Works Cited

The list of references follows