Table of Contents
Transition into the professional nursing role
The student will be seeking to get employment in the state of Georgia. There are a number of reasons as to why an individual would want to work in the state of Georgia as a nurse. One of the reasons is the probability of getting an employment opportunity in the state. Studies have it that Georgia is one of the states that have shortage of nurses’ problems. Nurses will take a shorter while to get jobs in such states as compared to the other states that have relatively larger number of nurses. The number of patients that have to be treated in the hospitals within Georgia increase everyday making nurses professionals of high demand in the state. This is an indication that a graduate nurse will not take long before they actually get an open job opportunity. Another reason is the fact that Georgia is one of the states that pays nurses very well. Given the fact that money is one of the major motivators of people in a career, many people are likely to choose career destination with better payment over the other available alternatives.
However, in order for the student to be registered as a nurse in Georgia, there are a number of criteria put in place by the Board of Nursing for obtaining an RN license in Georgia. The criteria include:
- Having completed an education in nursing is one of the requirements for someone to be licensed as a nurse under the Georgia Nursing Board.
- After the completion of the education, they are expected to do a NCLEX-RN exam, which they will have to pass in order to be eligible for RN license in Georgia. The examination usually cost every candidate an amount of $200 and usually test a candidate understands the various areas of nursing theory and practice (Silvestri, 2014).
- The final stage is applying for licensure by the Georgia Board of Nursing.
The two hospitals where the applications will be sent include Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and Northside Hospital in Atlanta. The nurse application requirement for Emory University Hospital includes having attained a nursing education with minimum cumulative GPA: 3.0 and minimum science GPA: 3.0. Every applicant is expected to write an application letter. An applicant is also supposed to go through a background check and drug screening. They are also supposed to be registered nurses by the Georgia Nursing Board. Northside Hospital requires one to be a graduate of a credited nursing school with a good GPA. A license number of the Nursing Board will also be are required.
Holistic life balance
Keeping a holistic balance between one’s professional life and nursing career is essential for success in this profession. One of the ways through which this can be achieved is through emphasizing on time management and making it precise that there is time for everything. During leisure time, a nurse might consider spending time with family and doing things that they enjoy so that they can be able to relax their brains. When at work it will be helpful to make it clear to everyone that one intends to be professional so that they can focus fully on work. Family members and friends will be sternly advised not to try to get in touch while at work because they might interfere with the nurse’ concentration. They will only be allowed to call in cases of emergencies. For this to be even more effective, it is recommended that a nurse have a cell phone line that can be used to reach them by the very few people who matter, and even these people will be advised to use the number in cases of emergency only.
Stressors and Challenges
Working as nurse, there are a number of stressors and challenges that an individual should always express. One of the stressors in the nursing profession has to cope with patients with poor communication ad interpersonal skills. The fact that one has good interpersonal and communication skills does not imply that they can influence communication and interpersonal skills of the patients that they attend to. The best way through which a nurse can be able to cope with such a situation is being patient.
Another stressor in the nursing profession is high job demand. This is specifically common owing to the fact that in most hospitals there are always very many patients that have to be attended to by very few nurses. This is a stressor that a nurse can cope with by making sure that they have sufficient rest during their leisure time and avoid leisure activities that might be physically and psychologically demanding (Waddill-Goad& Sigma Theta Tau International, 2016).
Some nurses have gone through stress as a result of patient loses. As a nurse, the main goal is to help patients in getting better. However, there is no assurance that a patient will get well because of the care that is given to them by nurses. In some cases, nurses interact with patients to an extent that they develop emotional attachment to patients. When this happens, the loss of such patients might leave a nurse stress. It is natural for a nurse to have the feeling that there is something that they would have done to save the life of the patient (Uwimana, 2013). When this happens they usually go through a period of depression. Someone can overcome this stressor through going counselling. It is not easy for a nurse to say that they will get over it and imagine that all will be well.
It can also be said that a nurse should also expect to face low supporting relationship at their place of work. In a healthcare provision setting, the ability of people to get along and work together with each other is always very vital. However, this does not imply that this is always the case. In order for nurse to make sure that this does not stress them, they should ensure that they enhance their interpersonal skills so that they can be able to relate with anyone within the organization that they work for.
Lifelong Learning
Over the next five year, the plan will be to get involved in advanced nursing education. Advanced nursing education can be effective in ensuring the ability to advance in one’s career. One thing about advanced nursing education is that it is a way through which an individual can be able to enhance their nursing skills so that they can be able to be of greater importance for the organizations that they work with. Advanced nursing education offers nurse a chance of advancing in their career (DeNisco & Barker, 2013). In this case, it should be noted that the advanced nursing education program that will be opted for must not be on a full time basis because it will interfere with the ability to be of contribution to the organization even before one has been there for a long period of time.
A nurse should also consider taking counselling programs. They can enhance their ability of affecting the lives of the patients that they interact with through this way. Many patients are always hopeless on being able fully to recover and a nurse with counselling skills might be just what they will need. Such advancements will also give a nurse alternative avenues to take if in any case they decide to leave the nursing profession on day of after they have gone for retirement.
Professional Contributions
In order to be able to effectively contribute to the professional nursing communities as well as the general community a nursing student should be willing to go an extra mile in making sure that wherever they work they will be able to make it a better place. This can only take place if they make sure that they become active members of the society by making sure that they can always use their skills and experience in making the society a better place to live regardless of whether or not that particular moment they are on duty. Professionally, a student should also aim at involving in studies and researches that are aimed at making healthcare provision more successful in improving the quality of life that is led by individuals in the society.
- DeNisco, S., & Barker, A. M. (2013). Advanced practice nursing: Evolving roles for the transformation of the profession. Burlington, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
- Silvestri, L. A. (2014). Saunders Q&A review for the NCLEX-RN® examination. Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Uwimana, M. C. (2013). Nursing&Practice:Stressors and coping strategies of nurses. Saarbrücken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing.
- Waddill-Goad, S., & Sigma Theta Tau International,. (2016). Nurse burnout: Combating stress in nursing.