How to Stand Out in Your Nursing Career

A nursing career is one with plenty of options to specialize and climb the ladder, which means proving yourself doesn’t end once you graduate. Standing out as a nurse will gain you recognition, great recommendations, and the chances of being hired in a higher role in the future. If you’re looking to stand out amongst the rest, here is how to do it.

Ask Questions – and Listen
Once you’ve finished nursing school, and you’ve secured your first nursing role, there will be plenty of times where you still need guidance. You must be precise in a medical career, so it’s important that you ask questions when you need to and listen to the answers, so you don’t have to ask again in the future. By doing this, you will show that you are eager to learn and take in information quickly.

One of the best ways to gain knowledge while on the job is by having a mentor. Having a specific person guiding you will increase your chances of success, and it helps to have someone to go to on the days you feel overwhelmed.

Up Your Conversational Skills
You will do a lot of talking in your nursing career, so up your communication skills as much as you can. The ability to relay information succinctly is particularly important, especially in time-sensitive moments. Find confidence in your voice, and learn how to speak with clarity. You must also up your bedside manner ability. Speaking with patients is slightly different from speaking with your co-workers; you’ll use fewer complicated terminology, and you’ll show extra compassion in your voice and body language.

Focus on a Specialized Area
Many nurses don’t specialize, and that’s fine, but if you really want to stand out as someone striving to climb the ladder, then focus on a particular area of nursing. The variety of career options within nursing is extensive, so do your research and figure out which area calls to you.

Many nurses become family nurse practitioners, but there are also many more options, such as an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner; click here to find out the difference between the two. Whatever age group or illness you wish to focus on, there is a career path to work toward.

Stay Organized
If you want to be noticed as a professional and responsible nurse, then you must stay on top of your work. Make sure you always arrive on time, see to any patients in a timely fashion, and tend to your duties for the day. It helps to keep a diary with you for writing reminders and notes – this way, you will never forget anything.

Learn More
Do not assume your nursing education is enough to get you through; you must open yourself up to ongoing learning. There are plenty of ways to carry on your nursing education – books, research articles, and your fellow nurses. Even the nurses who seem to know everything about the job and are nearing the end of their career still have plenty to learn!

You will learn from others more than anything else, so create strong bonds with your co-workers, and they will help guide you.

Stay Positive
It’s no secret that nursing is a stressful job. Nurse burnout is a thing for a reason, and some days, you will feel overwhelmed. Due to this, staying positive isn’t easy, but those who do will gain instant recognition. Not every day will be easy, but there are ways to keep a calm mind, such as engaging in self-care, taking a five-minute breather, and asking other nurses for help. By becoming a beacon of positivity at work, others will quickly learn that they can rely on you for comfort and assurance.

Gain More Qualifications
The most motivated nurses don’t finish their education once they start nursing, and if you want to stand out, neither should you. There are plenty of nursing courses out there to increase your skills and resume, so whether you want to become an FNP or a Nurse Anesthetist, there are options for you to choose from.

Studying while working as a nurse isn’t easy, but there are ways for you to manage. Online courses provide great flexibility so you can fit your studies around your shifts. You could also opt for part-time courses to accommodate how much time you’ll spend working. If you feel overwhelmed, it’s better to take it slow – there’s no race when it comes to receiving your qualifications.

Be a Leader
If you are a new nurse, there may not be many options for you to show off your leadership skills, so take any and every opportunity you can to lead others. Leading isn’t just about being in charge; you can show you’re a natural leader with how you manage yourself and the way you communicate with others. Do this by excelling in your work and becoming somebody people can go to if they are struggling. By doing this, when the time comes for a promotion, you will be one of the first people managers think of.

Show Patience
Nursing takes a lot of patience. The patients you deal with each day may not always be easy to treat, but you mustn’t get frustrated with this. Remember, your primary job is to help others in time of need, and part of that work is showing patience.

Go the Extra Mile
With so many people going into nursing, it is not enough to simply do your job well. Take every opportunity to show that you are willing to put in more work than is expected. If you’ve finished your administrative tasks, then move on to something else, or offer your help to other nurses around. Ask your managers if you can stand in on a specialized area to increase your knowledge.

Gain Enough Experience
No matter how much you shine, you must gain the correct amount of experience to stand out. While it’s beneficial to focus on climbing the ladder, you should also recognize the importance of the work you are doing at the moment. Enjoy the time working as a nurse, put in as much effort as you can, and you will shine in no time at all.