Challenging the Stereotype: Strength Beyond Physicality

The traditional image of a nurse often conjures up notions of gentleness and nurturing, characteristics often associated with femininity. However, strength in nursing transcends physical capabilities. It encompasses mental fortitude, emotional resilience, and the ability to make critical decisions under pressure. Men in nursing are proving that they possess these qualities in abundance.

They bring a unique perspective to patient care, leveraging their physical strength when needed for tasks like lifting and repositioning patients. More importantly, they demonstrate strength in advocating for their patients, navigating complex medical systems, and providing unwavering support during challenging times.

This redefinition of strength highlights the multifaceted nature of nursing, emphasizing that it requires a combination of physical, mental, and emotional capabilities that are accessible to individuals regardless of gender.

Compassion

Compassion is the cornerstone of nursing, and the notion that it’s primarily a female trait is a harmful misconception. Men in nursing are actively dismantling this stereotype by showcasing their genuine empathy, care, and understanding for their patients. They provide comfort, listen attentively, and offer emotional support to individuals facing vulnerable moments in their lives. They understand that compassion isn’t about gender roles but about recognizing the shared human experience of suffering and offering a helping hand.

Their presence in the field humanizes healthcare, reminding us that compassion is a universal human trait essential for creating a therapeutic and healing environment. They are proving that providing comfort, empathy, and emotional support transcends gender lines.

Career Success: Expanding the Horizons of Nursing

The influx of men into nursing is not only changing the demographics of the profession but also expanding the horizons of career success. While the percentage of male nurses is still significantly lower than their female counterparts, their presence is becoming increasingly visible in leadership roles, specialized fields, and advanced practice positions that accompany a masters degree in nursing.

Men are excelling as nurse practitioners, critical care nurses, surgical nurses, and nurse educators, demonstrating their expertise and commitment to the field. Their contributions are vital to addressing the growing nursing shortage and ensuring that the healthcare workforce reflects the diversity of the population it serves. In addition, their success encourages other men to consider nursing as a viable and fulfilling career path.

The Benefits of a Diverse Nursing Workforce

A diverse nursing workforce, inclusive of both men and women, offers numerous benefits to patients, healthcare teams, and the profession as a whole. Patients from diverse backgrounds may feel more comfortable receiving care from a nurse of the same gender or cultural background. Different perspectives and approaches to problem-solving can enhance team dynamics and improve patient outcomes.

Having men in nursing normalizes the idea that caring professions are open to individuals regardless of gender, fostering a more inclusive and equitable society. This diversity enriches the nursing profession, bringing a broader range of experiences, skills, and perspectives to the table, ultimately leading to better patient care.

Moving Forward: Encouraging Male Participation in Nursing

Despite the positive changes, challenges remain in retaining or attracting men who might consider nursing as a second career. Societal stereotypes, lack of male role models, and concerns about compensation can deter men from pursuing this career path.

Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach. Educational institutions need to promote nursing as a gender-neutral profession and showcase the diverse career opportunities available. Healthcare organizations should create supportive and inclusive work environments that value the contributions of all nurses, regardless of gender. Mentorship programs can connect aspiring male nurses with experienced professionals who can provide guidance and support.

By actively challenging stereotypes, promoting inclusivity, and highlighting the rewards of a nursing career, we can encourage more men to embrace this profession and contribute their unique talents and perspectives to the field of healthcare.

Photo Credit

Image is from freepik

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

This leads many people within the healthcare industry to reevaluate their careers. Luckily, a healthcare degree makes it relatively easy to pivot into a less stressful career path. Follow along as we explore the most stressful healthcare careers and highlight career pivots that can save you from burnout.

Urologist

Urologists are considered to have the most stressful job in healthcare, and the burnout rate is high. This is due to many reasons, such as the sensitive nature of the job. Many patients are apprehensive to visit urologists due to shame and discomfort.

The awkward nature of urology exams and the accompanying conversations can create stress. Urologists must work hard to not only comfort their patients but also make tough assessments and decisions. They must also overcome an awkward hurdle to get their patients to trust them and their expertise.

You can save yourself from burnout as a urologist if you pursue another healthcare avenue, like plastic surgery. Plastic surgeons certainly deal with stressful situations, but they don’t have to see patients in dire positions as often in many cases. The elective nature of many plastic surgery operations makes the situation less stressful for surgeons and patients alike.

Acute Care Nurse

Acute care nurses routinely see patients at their worst after experiencing traumatic injuries and disease complications. The emergency nature of their jobs means that they must think and act fast to provide the best possible care. Working in the intensive care unit (ICU) means that you must help people in dire need of it at the expense of your mental health.

Naturally, this work can put you face-to-face with some of the darkest possibilities you’ve ever imagined. Acute care nurses exhibit empathy and critical thinking skills that are necessary for the job. However, the burnout rate is high because of the intensive workload and high-stress environment.

Luckily, acute care nurses can use their nursing degrees to transition into a less stressful career, such as a nursing educator or home health nurse. You can become a nurse practitioner to avoid burning out if you further your education.

Anesthesiologist Assistant

Anesthesiology is essential to protect patients before, during, and after surgery. Anesthesiologist assistants are responsible for a big part of the work needed to safely monitor and anesthetize patients. However, it’s a much more stressful job than it may sound on paper.

That’s because anesthesiologist assistants must take lots of critical information into account to prepare patients to be anesthetized. For example, they must ensure there are no drug interactions or allergies that would harm the patient. They must also calibrate the machinery and work with the anesthesiologist to ensure safe dosages.

Luckily, the nursing degree it takes to become an anesthesiologist assistant lets you pivot to most nursing careers. You can avoid burning out if you transition to a less stressful career as a clinic nurse or occupational health nurse.

EMT

Emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, respond to medical emergencies and often find patients in dire condition. They must quickly stabilize, treat, and transport patients to the closest medical facility. The nature of some of the emergencies they encounter means that time is of the essence.

EMT work demands long hours, critical thinking skills, and lots of empathy. It can become especially taxing during public health crises, such as pandemics. The burnout rate for EMT work is quite high, and it leads some people to pursue other healthcare positions.

You can recover from work burnout if you make the jump from EMT to nurse. That way, you can choose between many nursing positions and put your EMT skills to good use. As long as you aren’t an ICU nurse, you won’t likely see patients in quite as dire conditions as you would as an EMT.

OB/GYN

Obstetricians and gynecologists deal with serious matters like pregnancy as well as medical emergencies like cancer. Both matters are of equal importance, which makes OB/GYN work take a toll on anyone in the field. Working as an OB/GYN means you must take lots of information into account to make important decisions that sometimes affect several lives.

For example, treating a pregnant woman means you must care for a mother and an unborn child. Pregnancy complications require lots of critical thinking and fast decisions to make. OB/GYNs also perform cancer screenings and help devise treatment plans in some cases.

You can transition to a research career if the stress of working as an OB/GYN has left you burnt out. That way, you can use your knowledge and experience to develop treatments and texts to help others.

It’s Never Too Late to Pursue Another Healthcare Career

A healthcare degree is like a skeleton key that opens the door to many possibilities within the industry. Sure, you may need to further your education to get some positions, but the foundation is already there. You can extend the lifespan of your time in the field if you switch to a healthcare position that isn’t nearly as taxing.

Whether it be a clinical nursing position or a job as a plastic surgeon, you can always find something less stressful. This will ultimately contribute to your well-being.

Photo Credit

Image by kp yamu Jayanath from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Now, you want a degree that will pay for itself, and then some, over the next few years.

A well-thought-out graduate degree can lead to financial success and career growth. However, there are several factors that influence how valuable your degree is. In this article, we examine which graduate degrees have the highest face value, and how you can select the right program for you.

First, Do You Have to Get a Graduate Degree that Aligns with Your Undergraduate Degree?

From an admissions standpoint—and even just as a learner—you will have the easiest time going onto a graduate degree that is in some way related to your undergraduate work.

It doesn’t have to be a direct continuation. For example, someone with a degree in English might be able to get a master’s degree in English education, allowing them to work as a teacher even if they didn’t go to school for it originally.

That former English major would have a harder time applying for a master’s program in engineering or microbiology.

The ultimate decision will often come down to the university, and whatever state requirements are in play. If the reformed literary scholar in our example is truly determined to pivot into the sciences they may be able to:

• Complete equivalency exam. You would probably need to demonstrate your understanding of scientific concepts in the form of a pre-requisite exam. This will often be a requirement for anyone applying to the program but may be more challenging for someone with no educational background on the topic.
• Take prerequisite courses. The university may say, “Thanks for applying but before we can consider you, you’ll need to complete these six classes.” That can be a little frustrating, but it will often be achievable in less than a year and cost considerably less than getting a completely new degree.

So yes, it is easier to transition to a graduate program that is related to your undergraduate work, but at the same time, you shouldn’t feel boxed in by a decision you made when you were nineteen.

What Degrees Are the Most Valuable?

From a strictly financial perspective, the most lucrative graduate degrees are:

• Law: Law school is actually just a very specialized graduate degree. Lawyer salaries will vary pretty significantly based on their practice area and eventual job placement, but many earn $200,000+ annually.
• Engineering: Engineers—particularly those with a graduate degree—can earn around $180,000 a year. Actual salary expectations will vary based on the type of engineering you are focused on, as well as your eventual job placement.
• MBA: A master’s in business administration is an excellent way to stand out for corporate positions and significantly boost your earning potential. MBAs generally have an easy time finding work and can make salaries that begin in the early six-figure range and extend almost indefinitely depending on what they go on to do. It’s good to note also that MBAs have really high career growth potential. The sky is the limit. You can even specialize. For example, nurses who are interested in taking on more of a strategic/leadership position could pursue an MSN/MBA which combines business and healthcare concepts.

Of course, it is important to understand that the value of a degree depends on several factors, which we will describe in the next few headings.

How Much Does the Degree Cost?

If you have to take out a fortune in student loans, the value of the degree may be reduced or even neutralized. Law school is a particularly good example of this. Good law programs can cost $100,000 or more, and graduate job placement is not always certain. You’ll find work, sure, but it may not result in a salary that puts you in the Mercedes you were envisioning when you started preparing for the LSAT.

That investment will become more worthwhile over time, but it could take a while. If you apply for law school when you are thirty, you may be paying the degree off into your forties. During that time, you might not benefit much from the salary increase.

Even for high-yielding degrees, it is often worthwhile to pursue programs that provide a balanced combination of value and quality.

Are There Benefits to Prestigious Degrees?

It is true that some expensive programs justify their costs through high value. The more competitive your field is, the more worthwhile it might be to pursue a prestigious degree. For example, business and law degrees from Harvard are worth more than an equivalent degree from Eastern Illinois University.

On the other hand, an education degree, where salaries are non-competitive, is not.

It’s ultimately a very personal consideration. Most people will probably do just fine with a graduate degree from an affordable state program, or even an online university, but you’ll have to decide what makes the most sense for you.

What are You Willing to Do with It?

That’s the other thing: You can’t just get your graduate degree and then stand there with your arms out saying, “Hey world, here’s me!” You need to be aggressive in monetizing your new qualification. That means applying for many jobs and leveraging multiple offers to get the best possible salary.

It may even mean relocating.

If you are going to graduate school with the primary purpose of increasing your salary, you need to be very active in looking for high-paying work after graduation. These jobs are very competitive. Even with your new degree, you will need to do lots of research and put in some time. While the post-college job search can take 3-6 months for typical jobs, those with really high salaries can be even harder to find. Stick with it. You’ll find a career that excites you eventually.

Photo Credit

Image by Maura Nicolaita from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

There are custodians. Food service employees. Receptionists. There are Technicians. Outside the hospital, there are home healthcare workers. Personal care aids. Home health aids. CNAs (certified nursing assistants).

These jobs are a great way to test the waters and figure out if nursing is right for you. In this article, we take a look at what it takes to get these positions, and how they can lead naturally into a career in nursing.

First, What Background Should You Have?

It depends on the position. CNAs (certified nursing assistants) often have an associate’s degree in nursing. They went to school for two years, possibly at a community college, and completed basically the first half of their nursing education.

They are not registered nurses, but they could become one without starting at the very beginning.

Hospital technicians also usually only need an associate’s degree, though there is a trend toward hospitals preferring candidates with a bachelor’s degree, even for more entry-level jobs.

Why Do These Career Paths Lead Easily Into Nursing or Other Healthcare Roles?

There are a few factors that make it easy to transition from entry-level healthcare positions into other roles.

• Educational overlap- In certain cases, there may be skill overlap that makes it easier to transition into nursing. For example, if your current job requires you to hold an associate’s degree in nursing, you can complete the bachelor’s degree program in two years or less if you decide you would like to become a registered nurse.
• Internal transition– It’s not exactly hard to find hospitals that need nurses, but it’s still nice to have connections. People already working within a healthcare system may have a smoother transition into nursing than those on the outside.
• Tuition assistance- It is also possible that you will have an easier time getting employer-sponsored tuition assistance if you are already working within a healthcare system. Obviously, this is very dependent on where you work, but it can do a lot to make your degree more affordable if things work out.

It’s also just a great way to see if healthcare is really for you. Many people get into nursing only to find out after they already have student loans and a job that it isn’t right for them. If you have already tested the waters a little bit, you will have a much better understanding if this is the career path you want to pursue.

It’s easy to like the idea of working in healthcare. The compensation is good. It’s respectable work. You have the opportunity to make a difference in the world. It’s also hard in a way that is difficult to fully understand from the outside. People who transition from one healthcare job into a new one may have a better chance of going the distance.

Why Do People Choose Nursing as a Second Career?

People pivot into nursing at surprisingly high levels because it is meaningful work. Often when people pivot into new career paths it is because they feel unfulfilled with what they are currently doing.

Nurses, of course, are heroes. Who wouldn’t want to go from working a bland corporate job into a role where they can change or even save lives?

The other thing? There are many different ways to get licensed. If you already have a college degree you can opt for either an accelerated program, in which you knock out all of your requirements within two years or less, or a certification-only program, in which you complete courses at your leisure, but don’t have to complete four years of electives and prerequisite classes.

Certification-only programs allow you to focus on only nursing classes. Depending on what your previous educational background was, you may be able to complete the program in a timeline that is pretty close to that of an accelerated degree.

The perks of the job itself are also enticing. Nurses earn competitive salaries and they even enjoy a surprising level of flexibility. There are dozens of different career paths they can go down, and some even have the opportunity to choose their own hours.

If you are interested in pivoting into nursing, make a point of thoroughly exploring all of your educational options. You should find that there are many online and offline programs, each of which is well-matched to certain lifestyle requirements.

Other Healthcare Careers

Some jobs operate adjacent to the healthcare system. For example, many social workers do some or all of their work in hospitals. It could be that someone on their caseload is receiving long-term medical care.

It could also be that they are there in response to patient needs. Many elderly patients in particular need extra support to ensure that they understand their treatment options, have ways of making it to their appointments, and so on.

Though social work involves a completely different education than any of the other jobs we have described in this article, there is a surprisingly high level of skill overlap. Particularly soft skills.

Social workers need to be compassionate. They need to have a strong grasp of time management and task prioritization. They need to be good listeners and strong communicators. They need to be able to witness high levels of human suffering without letting it influence their own emotional baseline.

Like healthcare, it takes a special person to be able to do this work. To become a social worker, you will need a bachelor’s degree in social work. Many people also go on to get their graduate degrees.

Conclusion

There are so many different ways to get involved in the world of healthcare. Whether you are already working in a hospital setting, or just very interested in making the pivot, nursing as a second career is an excellent way to make a difference in your community.

There are so many ways to get licensed. Find the one that makes the most sense for you.

Photo Credits

Image by Martine from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

That said, balancing the curriculum, schedule, and clinicals that nursing school requires can be challenging. Learning how to manage such responsibilities is half the battle for future nurses. Doing so is not only rewarding, but it also prepares you for a bright future in nursing with limitless possibilities.

How to Thrive Under Pressure Throughout Nursing School

The many pressures of nursing school can create unique challenges that can be hard to deal with. You must learn a large volume of information and undergo clinical lessons in a short period. Nursing school also entails taking important exams that ultimately dictate your future career.

The physical, mental, and emotional demands of nursing school are hard in equal measure. However, figuring out how to thrive under these demands can set you up for a long, successful nursing career. The best ways to thrive under the many pressures of nursing school include:

1. Make the Most of Your Time

Time management is essential for any college student, but nursing school carries unique challenges. Balancing your curriculum while shadowing nurses and undergoing nursing clinical studies can be hard. You can make this much easier if you create a tight schedule and stick to it.

Create a list of goals that you can realistically achieve within a specific timeframe. You will likely find that you’re less stressed as you slowly check things off your list. Sometimes, this entails turning down extracurricular activities that take you away from your studies.

Don’t beat yourself up for saying “no” to a party or social gathering if it would interfere with your schedule. Saying “no” now is better than feeling the pressure of cramming for a test because you’re out of time.

2. Create a Support System

One of the most comforting aspects of nursing school is that you have so many peers to lean on. Your fellow nursing students understand what you’re going through more than anyone else. While everyone’s experience is unique, your shared workload is an important bond.

You will naturally create a support system by attending classes, socializing, and undergoing clinicals with your peers. Not only can you help each other study, but you can also vent to each other.

There’s no need to feel ashamed about stress, especially when you’re surrounded by future nurses going through the same thing. It also helps to create a study group as that helps many people retain information. Study groups also work wonders to motivate many people to study when they may otherwise put it off.

3. Motivate Yourself

The high workload of nursing school can make it hard to stay motivated. Staying on top of your studies and keeping a tight schedule can make this much easier. You can also motivate yourself if you continually remind yourself why you’re there.

Think about the gravity of the information you’re learning through classes and nursing clinicals. Reminding yourself of the importance of what you’re learning can help you succeed in nursing school. This is especially true during nursing clinicals when you get hands-on experience.

4. Prioritize Self Care

It’s all too easy to neglect self-care when you’re deeply engrossed in your studies. However, this is an easy way to burn yourself out and stretch yourself thin. Poor sleep and dietary habits are not only physically unhealthy, but they can affect your mental health.

Sleeping 7 to 9 hours per night can work wonders to make you feel better in nearly every way. A healthy diet full of protein, fiber, and electrolytes can also make the workload much easier.

Procrastination goes hand-in-hand with an unhealthy diet and sleep schedule. Avoid procrastination so you don’t have to cram and throw your circadian rhythm off. Talk to a friend or mental health professional if you notice signs of burnout.

5. Consider Your Career Path

There are many paths to nursing and careers within the field. For example, some people pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and enter the workforce right away. However, others continue their studies to get a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

Graduate nursing degrees naturally require more education and time to obtain. It’s important to consider whether you want to stop at a BSN or continue and pursue an MSN or DNP degree.

Once you decide, you must apply the same self-care and time-management skills to your continued studies. This is just as important, if not more important when pursuing graduate nursing degrees as they take longer to obtain. Keep in mind that you have plenty of time to consider this early in nursing school.

Set Yourself Up for a Long and Rewarding Nursing Career

Years from now, you will fondly remember your time in nursing school despite all the stress and hard work. However, this is only possible if you continually take care of yourself, set small goals, and prioritize your studies. Doing so will help you make great connections and learn how to manage your schedule as a full-time nurse.

Photo Credits

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

There are other paths toward certification—some of them cheaper, others (potentially) more conducive to balancing your responsibilities with a busy lifestyle.

In this article, we take a look at how difficult it is to pivot into a nursing career without needing an additional degree. We will also examine situations where getting additional credentials is both required and well worth it.

Can You Pivot Into a Nursing Career Without Needing an Additional Degree?

It depends on your background. If you already have an undergraduate degree—even in an unrelated field—you will not need to go back to school and start at the beginning. You do, of course, still need to be trained. For this, there are two options:

• Accelerated Program: Accelerated nursing programs allow you to knock out all of the educational requirements in two years or less. The actual timeframe will depend on the program you pick—some are only eighteen months—but no matter what, it will definitely be less than four years. Accelerated programs are intense, but they will help you make that transition quickly. If you aren’t interested in that route, you can always consider…
• Certification Only: Certification-only paths allow you to basically add a nursing degree to your existing credential. You take the same nursing classes as any other nursing student, but you get to skip all of the electives and prerequisites. It is cheaper than a full degree and less time-consuming.

Certification-only programs can take 2-3 years depending on how much time you have to dedicate to the process. Both of these routes are good in that they allow you to begin working as a nurse relatively quickly, but they aren’t going to work for people who don’t already have college degrees. In that case, you will need to start from the beginning.

While that may not be the news you wanted, the process of pivoting into a new discipline can be flexible and even fun.

Different Ways to Get Your Degree

Most people go to a physical campus location to get their nursing degree. For the majority of modern collegiate education history, that was the only option available to them. Now, as telecommunication technologies continue to improve, it is easier than ever to get even a nursing degree online.

Online nursing programs provide a lot of flexibility in that you can complete almost all of your requirements from home, and you can even have some flexibility in the format this instruction is delivered.

Some programs meet through Zoom and are basically no different than a classroom lecture. Some consist only of pre-recorded materials.

There are even some “online” programs that incorporate traditional, in-person lectures into the rotation.

Here are some things you should keep in mind if you are going to start from the beginning:

• Timeline: While completion timelines can vary, you shouldn’t expect it to take less than four years. This timeline assumes that you are taking on an almost full-time schedule.
• Certification: Just because you have your degree does not mean that you are certified to work as a nurse. You will need to pass the NCLEX after graduation—a standardized test that determines if you get your license.
• Legality: This concern primarily impacts people who are interested in online programs. You need to make sure that the school you choose is fully accredited.

Note that accreditation can take two forms. There is national accreditation—basically meaning that the program is recognized by the federal government—and local accreditation. This means that the program is recognized by your state.

While national accreditation may sound better, you actually need to focus more on finding programs that are locally accredited.

For example, the state of Arizona might only recognize three of the fifty (madeup number) online programs that are nationally accredited. If you plan to work in Arizona, you will need to choose one of those three programs.

Keep in mind also that even if you are doing an online program, you will still need to complete clinical experience requirements.

The Next Step

If you feel like you are on an educational roll and you just want to keep the good times going, graduate school is the next step. Nurses with graduate degrees open the door to leadership positions within hospital systems.

Nurses who go on to get their PhD can even open the door to the C-Suite—stepping into an executive role with a salary potential of more than $200,000. Alternatively, you might also use a graduate degree to become certified as a nurse practitioner—specializing in whatever area of medicine interests you the most.

Obviously, the premise of this article is to “pivot,” into a healthcare career with as little friction as possible. Getting a PhD doesn’t really fit that criteria. Still, it does help to think about all of the different paths you can take once you have become an RN.

And if, as a nurse, you want to pivot without enrolling in graduate school? You will find that there are still plenty of options available to you.

There are TONS of secondary certification opportunities that you can take on as you work as a nurse. Often, you will be able to get a job that requires additional certification even before you have earned the credential.

These certification programs can take a while to complete—sometimes more than a year—but the requirements are less demanding than those of college. Most of the work will just involve getting experience, which you can do on the job.

Conclusion

The career “pivot,” has become a popular move in the last few decades. People live longer. They work longer. They think more about what makes them happy on the job. The average worker simply does not feel willing to dedicate forty years of their life to a job that makes them miserable.

Healthcare career pivots are popular because people who want to migrate jobs often look for work that they find meaningful.

Pivoting into nursing isn’t easy, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelmingly hard either. Explore your options. You’ll find that there are a lot of them.

Photo Credit

Image by Sebastián García from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Volunteering in schools lets you integrate what you’ve learned from professors into hands-on experience. It’s a great way to determine what you want to specialize in and nurture relationships with educators and administrators. Follow along as we explore the importance of volunteering in schools and highlight its effect on your future as a teacher.

Volunteering Lays the Foundation for Future Educators

Just as educators lay the foundation for their students to further pursue education, volunteering lays the foundation for future educators. Volunteering gives future educators the hands-on experience they need to utilize what they learned in school. Sure, what you learn in the classroom goes a long way, but volunteering provides face-to-face experience with students.

This is a great way to develop your role as a teacher and focus on how you communicate with students. Working with children and teenagers is sometimes challenging and you may find it differs from what you imagined during your courses. After all, think back to your time as a young student and how many variables your past teachers dealt with.

Applying Volunteer Experience to Your Career as a Teacher

Integrating your experience is the most important part of working as a school volunteer. This is your chance to pair what you’ve learned academically with what you’ve learned in the field. For example, you won’t know what it’s like to help struggling students grasp a concept until you’ve done it in a classroom.

This hands-on experience lets you refine your social work and educational skills simultaneously. Volunteering also lets you workshop your approach to presenting information in a way that is equally accessible and valuable to students. The last thing you want to do is throw a bunch of information at your students and expect them to grasp it.

Most importantly, your time as a volunteer will inform how you help struggling students. Of course, you can’t expect any two students to digest information the same way. Your time as a school volunteer will inform your rhetoric and ability to teach students of all backgrounds to process valuable information.

Gain Insight From Working Educators

Not only is volunteering at schools your chance to get practical experience, but it’s also your chance to learn. School volunteers often get to shadow working teachers, many of which have years of experience on the job. This is a great chance to absorb how they disperse information and interact with students.

Granted, you don’t need to mold yourself after their teaching style, but it’s worth taking some cues from them. For example, you can observe how teachers elaborate on information and answer unexpected questions. You may even witness unruly student behavior and take note of how the teacher you shadow handles the situation.

Lay the Foundation for Your Career

Your time as a school volunteer may have more to do with your career than you think. Volunteering at schools is a great chance to network and meet people who can help advance your career. It’s not unheard of to get a job at a school that you volunteered at.

Granted, you can’t depend on getting hired at that school, but you can at least get job placement tips. It’s also worth asking for a referral from teachers and administrators at the school you volunteered at. First, however, you must prove your worth in the classroom, demonstrate your value as a teacher, and earn the referral.

Education Careers Beyond the Classroom

Working as a school volunteer provides insight into what education career is the best fit for you. For example, you may shadow a teacher and discover you want to work in a different part of the field. Luckily, there are many rewarding education careers beyond the classroom to explore, such as academic consultation.

Academic consultants and administrators play big roles in student education without directly teaching them. In your time as a school volunteer, you may get to interact with these departments, especially if you request it. You can even request to shadow people in these positions, or at least talk to them and ask questions.

Whether you want to become a teacher or a school administrator, your time as a volunteer is invaluable. Eventually, you will reflect on it as an informative, critical part of your life after years of working in education.

Photo Credit

Photo is from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

Understanding Work-Life Balance for Students: A Primer

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for students striving for academic success and well-being. It involves managing academic responsibilities while finding time for relaxation and personal interests. A balanced schedule reduces stress and boosts productivity, laying the foundation for a fulfilling student life.

Students can unwind and achieve a healthy work-life balance by engaging in leisure activities, such as playing social sweepstakes casino games, exploring creative hobbies like painting or photography, participating in team sports, or enjoying video games. These activities provide enjoyable escapes from academic pressures. If you are looking for a social sweepstakes casino, a quick Google search for “social sweeptakes casino” can help you find a platform where you can play.

Effective time management is crucial in facilitating a work-life balance for students. It entails prioritizing tasks, setting realistic goals, and allocating time for both study and leisure, ensuring students do not neglect their well-being in pursuit of educational achievements.

Work-life balance is not merely a concept but a practice that requires ongoing attention and adjustment. Students benefit from regularly evaluating their schedules, making necessary changes to optimize their routines, and seeking support when the balance seems difficult.

Strategies to Prioritize and Organize Academic Responsibilities

Students seeking balance in their academic journey must hone their time management skills. Effective prioritization of coursework and assignments ensures steady progress toward educational goals. Crafting a schedule that includes ample study time while allotting periods for personal care and social engagements is paramount.

One beneficial strategy involves setting realistic and measurable objectives for each study session. Individuals working towards a degree such as a master’s in special education must precisely define their academic tasks. Clarity in goals allows students to allocate their time and resources efficiently, fostering a sense of accomplishment that fuels further learning. If you’re looking for flexibility, a quick Google search like “master’s degree in special education online” can help you find programs that fit your schedule.

Utilizing technological tools can vastly improve one’s ability to organize academic responsibilities. Calendars, reminder apps, and educational planning software can streamline the process of tracking deadlines and appointments. These resources aid in keeping students punctual and prepared, minimizing the stress associated with disorganization.

Additionally, students must learn to identify and prioritize high-impact tasks that require more attention and effort. Distinguishing between urgent and important tasks enables them to direct their energy where it yields the highest academic benefit. This approach prevents burnout and supports sustained engagement with their studies and well-being.

Incorporating Downtime and Self-Care into Your Student Routine

Incorporating regular intervals of downtime into a student’s schedule is essential for mental rejuvenation. A dedicated student must ensure they carve out time for relaxation, which can positively impact their academic performance by preventing burnout.

Self-care routines are integral to maintaining a student’s well-being. Activities such as mindfulness meditation, regular physical exercise, or simply enjoying a leisurely walk contribute to a student’s holistic health.

Sleep is a non-negotiable element in a student’s routine. It is vital for cognitive function and emotional stability. Ensuring adequate rest is paramount for students to operate at their optimum level academically and maintain their overall health.

Students should engage in meaningful leisure activities that resonate with their interests, such as reading for pleasure or practicing a musical instrument. These pursuits instill a sense of balance and satisfaction in a student’s life, away from coursework demands.

Altogether, achieving work-life balance as a student requires a conscious effort to prioritize academic responsibilities while incorporating leisure and self-care into daily routines. Students can foster a fulfilling and productive educational experience without sacrificing their well-being by implementing effective time management strategies and regularly assessing their schedules.

Photo Credits

Photos are by Jessie Guerrero

Nursing students aren’t making life-and-death decisions. They are closely supervised by professionals who will step in at any moment.

They also just don’t do it as frequently. Clinicals are just a small part of what nursing students do. Hospital life is the reality for working nurses.

They lose patients, and then go home to families who couldn’t possibly understand what that emotional experience was like. 

In this article, we look at the emotional risk factors of working as a nurse.

Depression

Beyond the sadness of their work, nurses also are forced to think about things that the general population can usually remain blissfully unaware of.

For example, consider healthcare professionals working in elder care. Their patients, aside from being old, are entirely average. They are not usually experiencing a rare or unusual disease. They are simply living out what awaits everyone who survives to an advanced age.

Watching the natural process of human decline can be very depressing. You naturally imagine yourself in this position or perhaps worse, people you care about.

Constant exposure to sad situations can wear on a person over time. Depression is a very real risk factor for nurses.

Burn Out

Healthcare burnout gets a lot of ink. It’s this factor that is widely blamed for the healthcare worker shortage problem that is being experienced all across America. While the actual reasons behind nurses leaving are more complicated than simple burnout, it is a contributing factor.

In the introduction, we provided a rough sketch of what it’s like to be a nurse. Imagine it. Every day you see people suffer and possibly die at work. At home, you have a good support system, but they simply can’t relate to your experiences.

Stress factors in other career paths just don’t compare. If your spouse is in marketing, they might understand what it feels like to be stressed at work. They won’t understand what it feels like to be the deciding factor between life and death for another person.

These stress factors can quickly culminate into feelings of stress and anxiety. Nurses simply become burned out by the immense weight of responsibility that is their job.

Compassion Fatigue

On the other end of the spectrum is compassion fatigue. This takes place when a healthcare professional watches so much human suffering that they no longer empathize with it the way they used to.

It’s not that they don’t care about their patients. It’s simply that their pain and suffering no longer inspire a deep emotional reaction.

A degree of emotional detachment is necessary. Complete numbness is not.

What happens when these feelings are left unchecked?

When these feelings accumulate, one of two things happens:

• The nurse quits. They become part of the overwhelmingly high employment turnover statistics plaguing the world of nursing. Or…
• They don’t quit. That can be even worse, in a way.

Fortunately, there are ways that healthcare professionals can process their emotions effectively and stay in the game for longer.

How to Handle the Emotional Toll of Nursing

The burden of responsibility is not entirely— or even mostly— on the nurse. Healthcare systems need to do a better job of supporting their employees as they deal with stress and emotional wellness.

As mental health has become an increasingly bigger buzzphrase in the world of employment, many helpful initiatives are already taking place. For example, some hospitals are leveraging shorter shifts and more extensive support resources as a way to attract new talent. While this is an imperfect strategy for dealing with depression, it is a good start.

In many ways, there has never been a better time to be a nurse where employer-led support is concerned.

That said, there are things that the nurses will need to do for themselves. There are lifestyle modifications that can help you handle the stress factors in a way that is healthy and productive. For example:

• Get adequate rest. It’s the most cliched advice there is, leveraged for everything from weight loss to stress management, but it keeps coming up for one reason: it works. Without good sleep, your brain will have a harder time producing the chemicals responsible for feelings of wellness and peace.
• Practice Mindfulness. One of the most nefarious things about stress or depression is that they can fester inside you unnoticed for months, even years, if you aren’t keeping an eye out for them. You know you feel off. You just don’t know why. Mindfulness techniques, guided breathing, meditation, yoga, etc. will help you recognize your feelings. Sometimes that recognition alone is a major step forward.
• Avoid Hedonic Pitfalls. Psychologists regularly reference two forms of happiness. Hedonic—which refers to short-term pleasures, and eudonic—which refers to lifestyle modifications that improve your overall emotional baseline. Hedonic bliss comes from things like shopping, drinking, eating fried food, etc. People tend to reach for these things because they produce an immediate, predictable result. Eudonic sources of pleasure, exercise, time outside, and healthy eating, provide a more sustainable, but often subtler sense of well-being.

To that latter point, there is nothing inherently wrong with hedonic indulgences—provided you understand that an indulgence is exactly what it is. A good goal for anyone is to build habits that contribute to a healthier, happier emotional baseline.

Conclusion

Nursing isn’t easy but it doesn’t need to be nightmarishly hard either. Pay attention to your feelings. Take care of yourself. If you need help, seek it out.

Another thing to keep in mind? If you aren’t happy in your specific nursing role, there are so many other directions you can take your certification. You can consider going back to school to become a nurse practitioner. While graduate school is a hurdle NPs must take, it will set you up for a more personally—and financially—rewarding career.

NPs can engage in aspects of the work that interest them the most. They can leverage exciting concepts—like the research-intensive evidence-based practice—into the work they can do. They have more freedom and greater opportunities.

There are so many ways to work as a nurse. Before you start checking the want ads for an entirely new career, see if you can find your groove in the world of healthcare.

Photo Credits

Image by travisdmchenry from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

But that’s just one of many common traits that social workers and healthcare professionals share. In this article, we take a look at why social workers make great doctors and nurses, and we examine why now is the perfect time to make the leap.

Accelerated Program

One of the nice things about pivoting into a healthcare career as an established professional is that you won’t have to slug through four more years of undergraduate studies. As a social worker, you already have at least a four-year degree. That means that you should be eligible to enroll in any accelerated nursing degree program that would allow you to get certified within two years or less.

Accelerated programs not only save you time but typically cost significantly less money. Granted, they won’t be for everyone. The coursework is naturally very intensive, making this program a good fit only for people who can devote their full attention to their studies.

Intersection of Skills

Social workers and healthcare professionals have a significant intersection of skills. Below, we take a look at some common qualities that will help make it easy for social workers to pivot seamlessly into a healthcare career.

You’re Bright

Getting certified as a social worker isn’t easy. You’ve gone through college to get to where you are at. You are familiar with passing state and federal testing and licensing requirements. In short, you understand what it takes to qualify for challenging and heavily regulated jobs.

That experience will be very helpful as you start jumping through all of the hoops that the healthcare system will ask of you.

You’re Good Under Pressure

While few careers experience emergencies that are quite as immediate as those encountered in the hospital setting, social workers do understand what it takes to handle a crisis. You deal with people during dark times. Sometimes the situations are life and death— even if not in the same way that an ER nurse might be used to.

The ability to stay calm when the stakes are at their highest is the hallmark of a good healthcare worker. It’s the sort of thing you can’t learn in school, but as a social worker, it’s also a skill you already have.

You’re Compassionate

Healthcare is about more than just treating symptoms. It’s about working with a human in need. Patients have been shown to experience better outcomes when they are treated with compassion and kindness.

As a social worker, this is something you are naturally talented at.

You’re Good at Communication

Communication is a core healthcare skill. You need to be able to speak directly with patients and get information as quickly as possible. You need to be able to effectively communicate that information to doctors and other professionals on staff.

You also need to be able to break down complicated healthcare-related facts to the patients and their families.

Communication is an enormous part of being an effective social worker as well. Your experience working with people on your caseload will help when it comes to interacting with patients.

You Know How to Advocate

Finally, healthcare workers and social workers are both advocates. As a social worker, you stand up for people impacted by injustice and inequity. As a healthcare worker, you make efforts to ensure that your patients have a voice during the moments when they are at their most vulnerable.

Without strong advocates, it is very easy for patients to slip through the cracks, or simply not understand all of their options. As a powerful advocate, you can inform them of their options and make them feel comfortable throughout the entire process.

Now is a Great Time

It’s worth pointing out that now is a great time to pivot into a healthcare career. While hospitals all over the country are desperately on the lookout for qualified doctors and nurses, incoming healthcare professionals have more leverage than ever before.

Not only can they find work quickly and at hospitals in their communities, but they are also often being met with enticing offers. Favorable hours, improved quality of life considerations, and better compensation. Bottom line? It’s a great time to start a career in healthcare.

Conclusion

It is true that people have been leaving the healthcare profession in droves for years now. The reason is pretty simple. It’s hard to be a doctor or a nurse. You see people at their darkest moments, and then you’re expected to go home at the end of the day— or the beginning of the day if you worked the night shift— and live a basically normal life. Sit down to a meal with people who will never know what it is like to tell someone that they have a terminal illness, or comfort the family of someone who has recently lost a loved one.

That’s a lot to live with, and it takes a special person to navigate that emotionally fraught landscape.

As a social worker, that’s part of the job that you already have down pat. You know how to handle the hard stuff. You’re attracted to it because you know that things only get better when the right people step up.

All of the other factors— the knowledge, the training, the tests— those can be managed with hard work. Perseverance in the face of tragedy is an unlearnable soft skill that you already have. Use it to make a major difference in the lives of others by pivoting into a healthcare career.

Photo Credits

Photo by TopSphere Media on Unsplash

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.