If you’re a new nurse or student who is looking for ways to network with other nurses online, LinkedIn is a great way to get in on the action. Robert Sanchez, a guest blogger at The Nerdy Nurse, recently rounded up a list of great groups to connect with on the site, and we wanted to share a few of his top picks.
“LinkedIn is a great way for professionals of all kinds to market themselves, network and to find new employment opportunities,” he writes. “If you are just entering the nursing field, you are in luck: There are dozens of really helpful LinkedIn groups that can help you to get a great start in your new career.”
1. American Nurses Association: The ANA is the only full-service association that represents the interests of the 3.1 million registered nurses in the US. This organization advances the interests of nursing professionals by encouraging the highest standards of nursing practice, promoting nursing rights in the workplace, and also lobbying members of Congress on issues that affect nurses. By joining this LinkedIn group, you can utilize the resources of this extremely important nursing association.
2. The R.N. Network: This is an excellent nursing group for either the experienced nursing professional, or a new nurse who needs access to important information to get their career going. You will find unadvertised job openings, salary information for nursing specialties, research about different nursing specialties, nursing articles and plenty of networking opportunities with fellow nurses.
3. Nursing Jobs: If you are an RN who is looking for many diverse career opportunities, you should join this group. Nursing Jobs posts many unadvertised nursing positions in cities all over America. This group also has over 9000 registered nurses with whom you can share your experiences.
4. Oncology Nursing Society: If you work as a nurse in an oncology setting, you will want to be a part of ONS. This is a professional nursing organization of 35,000 registered nurses who are dedicated to the highest level of care in oncology nursing. People who belong to this organization include staff nurses, advanced practice nurses, case managers, researchers, educators and consultants.
Want to see the rest of his list? Head on over to his blog post. Then let us know your own tips for networking online in the comments below!