11 tips on evolving as a nurse

No nurse is exactly the same on the first day of his or her career as the last. Over the course of (hopefully!) long and successful careers, nurses evolve and grow–just the way the profession has over the past few hundred years.

In today’s modern world, how can nurses evolve to better meet the demands of the job? As a new nurse, it’s something that’s pretty daunting to consider! Luckily, you have the advice of those who have gone before you to help guide you through your journey. One great resource? The Scrubs Blog Carnival. Jennifer of RN Evolution posted a great roundup all about evolving as a nurse. Whether you’re a brand-new RN or a seasoned pro, there’s something for everyone in this impressive list!

Nursing has evolved over hundreds of years, from the work of religious orders in the 1600s to the works and writings of Florence Nightingale in the mid-1800s, to the establishment of formal nursing training worldwide in hospitals, schools and universities. We have transformed from handmaidens to freethinking professionals to independent practitioners. That is evolution. Where do we go from here?

There are still hurdles. There is still ground to break. There are issues both personal and professional, matters of self-care and client care that need to be addressed. How do we, as nurses at every level, gain strength in the political arena to care for our profession and our clients? How do we gain respect from others when issues of harassment and bullying still batter our self-respect? How do we continue to evolve?

Nurse bloggers around the United States were asked this same question. We all come at nursing from different perspectives, with different priorities. What we share is thoughtfulness…being full of thoughts about where nursing is headed and what are the means we must use to get there.

Evolving as a nurse starts in nursing school. And so we grow. Over at RNDeer.coma student nurse shares 5 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Nursing School, some handy tips she has already picked up on her nursing education journey. They will not only help other students along the path but also there’s some useful info even experienced nurses can use.

EmpowerRN takes to YouTube addressing the worries of nursing students who are almost finished with their academic education. The fears we have all faced, Do I Know Enough To Be A Nurse? speaks to climbing that next step on the evolutionary ladder of nursing career growth.

Is it time to go back to school? The Nerdy Nurse shares some valuable advice on How To Further Your Education While Keeping Your Job. It’s all about support systems and organization.

Not everyone feels a “calling” to be a nurse; some people seem to just “fall” into nursing, others take very different paths. Elizabeth Scala, over at Living Sublime Wellness shares her own journey into a nursing career in Growing Pains Allow for RN Evolution. She hands out some great advice on achieving a successful RN career that allows you to “grow, change, learn and heal…. constantly evolving” into your best self.

Nurses working together should be the goal for all of us. RN Collaboration: A Way for RN Evolution is the latest contribution at The RejuveNATION Collaboration website. Networking, team building, interactions in person and through social media all help us grow both personally and professionally.

An Innovative Nurse is someone who is open to new ideas, accepting of new ways to do things or at least is willing to try. Evolving As A Nurse: Do This, Not That encourages us all to keep an open mind, never stop looking at other opportunities and embrace change. You might find a nursing career path you never knew you were looking for.

Over at Nurses On The Edge passion is the key ingredient in finding your own evolutionary path. Thinking Outside the Box: Evolving as a Nurse Entrepreneurasks us to think about what really drives us to succeed, be happy and fulfilled and make that the next step you take.

One way to guide your own evolution, personal and professional is to take a real, deep-down, hard look at who you are and what you want. Self Reflection As A Tool For Guiding Your Nursing Career offers some great guidelines for introspection from the Self Employed Nurse.

It is not just academics and mastering tasks that make for a nurse’s advancement in their field. Coach Keith invites you through the Digital Doorway and into “an adventure in self-exploration and ever-deepening self knowledge” as he explains Evolving As A Nurse: The Work of the Soul.

Evolving as a nurse means evolving as a human being. Over at Minding The Bedside we are encouraged to seek alternatives thinking to help us grow. Meditation for Nurses, A Natural Evolution for Nursing is a fine example of harnessing some of those alternative ways of thinking.

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How Do Your Nurses Grow? This blog entry from Nurseables offers a great overview of how to grow as a nurse. There are tips you may have gleaned from others pulled together in a neat bouquet to remind you of all there is to evolving in this great career you have chosen.

This post is a collective effort of nurse bloggers as part of the Scrubs Mag Blog Carnival. If you are interested in participating find out more details and sign up here.