The field of nursing is too diverse, too varied. Whether at a hospital, a clinic – local or missionary overseas, correctional or administration facility, people opt for nursing so they can help better others live better lives. A nurse’s job can be tiring. Even if some can kick start their career, there are highs and lows a newbie nurse goes through. Too little work can make ascension become hard. Too much, and you tire yourself out.
If you have determined that this is the career you want to choose, there are some additional choices you need to make. You must find yourself a niche that fits your capabilities the best. Think of yourself objectively, from the outside. Your personal preferences, expertise, personality traits – do you know of a career that can use all of this well? That’s what we are here for.
Choosing a nursing specialty can be daunting and debilitating. It is easy if you feel a sense of purpose, a calling, so to speak. You can opt for something you feel connected to without a second thought. Sometimes, in the absence of such callings, you need to thoroughly weigh your options, spending time picking a niche. Whatever domain you pick, a specialization certification helps pave the way. You can enroll in a specialization course like the best FNP certification while pursuing your nursing career.
Let us help you pick your nursing specialization through the following five ways!
- How Good Is Your Stress Tolerance?
A challenging job and employee rewards go hand in hand. However, you still need to be wise when choosing. Ask yourself this: how good is your stress tolerance. If you can picture yourself handling workloads and managing stress in whatever environment you are in, you should consider working as a surgical nurse. Surgical nurses assist doctors during minor to extensive surgeries. Sometimes, they are even asked to pitch in with the actual surgeries. Surgical nurses often need to be pitched in without notice, whenever needed, so they need to be really good with stress management. As a surgical nurse, you always need to be ready.
If you are bad with stress or not good enough, you are better off opting for something low-pressure, say pediatrics or old-age, as part of beginning your practice. These two options present less stress than the daily requirements of a surgical nurse.
- Moving to Academic Options
A number of platforms provide opportunities for trained nurses to teach. Most people choose nursing as a side career or something they do along with another, more permanent job. When working their other job, they opt for studying a nursing program in the evenings, whenever their schedule allows, or online. This is so these to-be nursing students can avoid taking classes in a traditional, on-site environment. Furthermore, these online courses and nursing schools also provide their students with scholarships. You can study with ease and later become a teacher yourself.
As a teacher nurse, you first get to study your way to the vocation, then become a teacher, taking your career to the next level.
- Picking Through Your Personality Trait
Picking something that complements you as a person will ensure you choose something you can handle very well. Career counselors often use this technique to determine what career option you are cut out for. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you seek challenges?
- Do your goals move you?
- Are people your skill?
- Are you introverted?
- Do you like being organized?
Furthermore, picture yourself working a career that feels like you. You could opt for higher education in pediatrics. Perhaps, a career in clinical research is what you are meant to have. If you are meticulous with details, you should consider a career as a forensic nurse. There is a lot of potential with this one, what with letting your investigative side out and collaborating with law enforcement.
- Getting a Lay of the Land
You do not need to pick a specialization right away. While studying, there is plenty of time to explore and get a feel for what you like. One way to make a decision is to get a lay of the land. Try working, volunteering, or interning in multiple environments like research labs, correction facilities, and hospitals. Which of these environments do you like best? Which job role do you think you are the most comfortable with? Every place presents you with challenges of its own. Can you muster the alertness needed in an ICU? Do you have what it takes to stand in a delivery room? Do you have the patience to deal with psych ward patients?
Understanding the challenges in each of these environments is key to choosing your specialization. Carefully analyze where you see yourself performing your best, and excel, then choose your niche wisely with premeditation.
- Fulfilling Your Purpose
For our last bit, we want you to think about what could potentially fulfill your purpose. During your search, think about what you need to keep you motivated. Is It smiling patients? Is it the satisfaction you may get after saving a life or seeing another nurse? Would you feel like fulfilling your purpose by looking after your unit, say, during a tactical mission? The nursing careers these examples spell out are paramedic and military nurse. Fulfillment makes for the most significant of aspects when choosing a nursing specialization. Choosing something without prior thought or something you do not connect to can result in an overall bad experience.
Critical care nurse, geriatric nurse, family practitioner, cardiac nurse – the possibilities are endless. You need to find something that suits you best – something that you find worth the hard work.
Nursing has a wide array of career options. You do not need to settle for something that does not suit your needs, skills, or personality, nor should you pick something you cannot connect with. Another thing nursing students do not realize is the beauty of this profession: you can switch between specializations. As a nurse, you can make these switches if the scope of your work covers other nursing responsibilities. We mentioned a few things you need to keep in mind while career-hunting in the nursing profession. They can help you determine your calling and go up the ladder of your career.