Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
Planning
For
Nurses
May 1994
Revised February 2001
Table of Contents
Career Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Career Planning Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Rsum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Sample Rsum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Cover Letter - Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Networking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Job Interviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
NANB Interest Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Career Options for Nurses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Acknowledgement
Career Planning
Professional development is a continuous process. It involves assessment, planning,
implementation and evaluation so that you can take control of your practice and of your life.
Most career nurses work for 35-40 years, so it is important to develop a career plan early and
to assess your career on a regular basis. Updating your rsum and reviewing the attached
Career Plan and Goals exercises once a year, perhaps on your birthday or on January 1st, are
useful assessment tools. You should also ask yourself the following questions:
1.
2.
3.
Your assessment wont necessarily result in a drastic change of direction. Sometimes minor
changes such as learning a new skill, becoming involved with your professional association,
attending a conference, or joining a committee are enough to increase your job satisfaction.
At other times you will need to make major changes. Whether you decide to return to school,
modify your current job, or make a major career shift, youll need a strategy as individualized
as your needs and priorities. You may wish to adopt some of the following strategies:
Change specialties within your hospital.
Apply for a different position within your hospital (e.g. Infection Control
nurse). Move to a larger hospital.
Move to a smaller hospital.
Switch to a job outside a hospital (e.g., community health, a health-related
agency, correction, nursing home).
Take a short course.
Enrol in a university program.
Modify your current job (e.g., switch to part-time, volunteer for added
responsibilities such as preceptorship or change nurse duties).
2
Forks in your career path should allow you to adapt to personal and professional changes. For
example, many nurses find that casual or part-time jobs suit their lifestyles while they are
attending university or raising children.
Many nurses have at one time or another dreamed of leaving nursing for a job with better
hours, more pay, and less stress. Some of us have tried other jobs for at least short periods of
time. However, most of us have found that we would rather change direction within the
nursing profession than to start a new career. One enormous advantage of nursing is that we
have more options than other professionals.
When changing direction, it is unlikely that you will immediately find your ideal job.
However, you may decide to accept a position that will teach you new skills and provide you
with credentials and contacts to eventually achieve your goal.
Many nurses underestimate the value of networking to their professional development.
Networking is the process of developing and using your contacts for information, advice and
moral support as you pursue your career. Maintaining and expanding your network should be a
continuous process in your career development.
Todays career path is more like a series of crossroads than rungs on a ladder. At each crossword
you must decide which direction to take to get closer to your goal. Remember, some jobs will be
more like bridges than steps. Your career plan will help you to make the right decisions.
Good Luck!
My limitations
Goals
Short Term
Long Term
PROFESSIONAL
PERSONAL
Rsum
Name A rsum is a brief
summary of ones career.
Street Address It must be neatly typed
on good neutral paper.
City, Province, Postal Code A rsum should be 1-3
pages in length. Consult
Home Phone the yellow pages of your
telephone directory for
rsum and typing
services.
CAREER SUMMARY
EXPERIENCE
Dat
es
From
Job Title
To
Employer
Job Description
Dat
es
From
Job Title
Employers should be
listed in REVERSE
chronological order.
The
job descriptions
should
briefly describe your
roles and
responsibilities.
To
Employer
Job Description
Dat
es
From
Job Title
To
Employer
Job Description
EDUCATION
Date of
Graduatio
n
Date of
Graduatio
n
Degree/Diploma/Certificate
Earned
Course Description
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Date
Course Title
Include short courses, workshops, seminars, etc.
A course description, if necessary, should be
very brief.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Date
Achievement
Membership # / Position
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Date
Name of Group
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Activity
PUBLICATIONS
Date
Title of article
Sample Rsum
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE
1234 CRIMEA STREET
SAINT JOHN, NB E2L 1N0
Telephone: (506) 123-4567
Fax: (506) 234-5678
CAREER SUMMARY:
My strong interest in intensive care and emergency nursing is reflected by a career of progressive
responsibility and involvement in decision-making. My competent assessment, monitoring and
interpretation of critical-care needs has earned me numerous positive evaluations. I am registered in
courses to qualify for a degree in Nursing at the University of New Brunswick. My long term career
objective is a nursing management position in intensive care.
EXPERIENCE:
June 1988 - Staff Nurse - Emergency
to date Scutari Hospital, N.B.
Assessing and sorting (triaging) emergency patients, thus recognizing
respiratory, cardiac or hemodynamic deterioration. Initiati
ng
treatme
nt as
require
d
(resusc
itation,
intrave
nous
therapy
,
venipu
ncture,
EGC,
first
aid).
Monitoring hemodynamic status (dysrhythmias interpretation,
vital signs, fluid therapy, medication monitoring).
Evaluating and interpreting data related to blood
results, dysrhythmias and ventilation.
Assessing and initiating recognition of psycho-social needs.
9
EDUCATION:
1981
1978
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
1994
1993
1987
1984
1992
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
1993
10
199
2
199
0
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
Nurses Association of New Brunswick
Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses
New Brunswick Emergency Nurses Association
OTHER ACTIVITIES:
19
91 - Present
19
88 - 1990
19
86 - 1988
19
85
(123456)
11
Dont appeal for a job on the basis of your need. Apply for a specific job, not just anything.
If possible, avoid mention of salary until the time of the
1
3
Networking
Networking is the process of developing and using your contacts for information, advice and
moral support as you pursue your career. Maintaining and expanding your network should be a
continuous process in your career development.
Become Cinderella instead of Sleeping Beauty. The difference between Sleeping Beauty
and Cinderella is that Sleeping Beauty slept for a hundred years. Cinderella got up in the
morning and got out of bed. She got dressed. She used her step sisters... to give her
information about a very key event. Then she plugged in to her mentor, the fairy
godmother, who had resources (little animals and a pumpkin) that were utilized on her
behalf. When she got to the ball, she was imaged appropriately and knew how to dance.
And then, she knew when to leave.
Aline Novak
Keynote address, 1981 Annual Conference on Continuing Education in
Nursing, American Nurses Association
Council on Continuing Education, Washington, D.C.
YOUR NETWORK
Name three people:
To whom you go for advice
Who support you
Who inspire you
Who come to you for
advice Whom you support
Whom you inspire
WAYS IN WHICH TO EXPAND YOUR NETWORK
Attend a conference
Join an NANB Professional Practice
Group Join a committee
Write letters, thank you notes, announcements,
etc. Join your local NANB Chapter
Volunteer for a project
Present a workshop/Teach a course
Find a mentor
Attend
work-related
social
functions Write an article
Get involved with NBNU
1
4
Job Interviews
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS
Ask for a job description prior to the interview.
Ask who will be interviewing you. Will it be one person, a panel of a series of interviewers?
Address the interviewers by name. Use titles unless invited to use a first name.
Find out as much as you can about the organization and the job so you can ask
relevant questions.
Take a list of pertinent questions.
If appropriate, take a portfolio containing your resum, evaluations, projects,
publications, etc.
Smile!
Dress appropriately.
If you are not feeling well, call and reschedule the interview. Dont blow your chances by
not being at your best.
GOOD LUCK!
What are your career goals and how do you plan to attain
them? How do you cope with stress?
15
What
opportunities
exists
for
growth
and
1
6
1
7
Camp Nurse
Clinical Instructor
Public Health
Insurance Companies
Occupational Health
Outpatient Clinics
Pharmaceutical Sales
Physicians Office
Private Duty
Enterostomal Therapist
I.V. Therapist
Nurse-Midwife
School Nurse
Staff Coordinator
Nurse Lawyer
Nurse Journalist
Student Health Services Nurse
(Colleges,
Nursing Consultants
universities)
Department of Health
Private Practice
Industry
Nurse Practitioner
Nurse Anaesthetists (U.S.)
Lactation Consultant
Outpost Nursing
Corrections Nursing
1
8