How to Start a Career as a Nurse?
Do you have a passion for medicine and helping others? No matter which area of nursing you decide to enter “now is the ideal time to do it.”
Although a pandemic was not necessary to make people aware of the vital work nurses undertake, it has revealed how urgently more of them are needed.
A nurse is a trained healthcare provider who looks out for the physical, emotional, and medicinal needs of their patients. Nurses can be found working in hospitals, outpatient clinics, private homes, and long-term care institutions like nursing homes, among other medical settings. Professionals in this role frequently collaborate with other nurses, doctors, administrators, and medical social workers as part of a healthcare team.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Nurse:
- Providing patients with assistance with activities of daily living such as grooming, bathing, exercising, and clothing
- Administering medicines or treatments as prescribed by a doctor
- Teaching patients and their caretakers about medical conditions and procedures
- Taking vital signs and keeping an eye on their patient’s health
- Updating and keeping up with patient records
- Sterilising medical facilities to stop the transmission of disease
- Assisting medical professionals with their procedures
- Assisting patients and their families with their emotional needs
Step-by-Step Method for Starting a Career as a Nurse in Australia
The following are the procedures for becoming a nurse, taking into account a Registered nurse as well as an Enrolled nurse:
Step 1: Work on Your Education
To launch a nursing profession, you must first obtain the necessary academic credentials. Registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs) have different educational requirements. A Bachelor of Nursing degree is required for those who want to begin working as registered nurses. Even though these degree programmes typically last three years, some colleges can have choices for shorter programmes. Typically, a bachelor’s degree in nursing programme provides both opportunities for clinical practise and classroom teaching.
A Diploma in Nursing is one of the prerequisite degrees for becoming an EN. Typically, a Bachelor of Nursing degree takes longer to finish than a Diploma of Nursing programme. Diploma programmes typically last two years to complete, and they have a placement phase where students gain real-world clinical job experience.
Step 2: Submit a Registration Form
You can apply for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency once you have finished your schooling (AHPRA). Healthcare practitioners must adhere to a high standard of education, training, experience, and professional growth, according to the AHPRA, which is the organisation in charge of regulating medical professionals. Before beginning their profession, nurses must register with the AHPRA, and they must also renew their registration annually.
Step 3: Gain Experience and Keep Advancing Your Career
You can start a nursing career once you have registered with the AHPRA. As you gain work experience, you may decide to advance your career by going back to school, obtaining more certifications, or choosing to specialise in nursing. As an EN, for instance, you might decide to continue your education and become an RN. Your ability to broaden your knowledge and experience to take on additional duties, work more independently, and assume leadership roles within your nursing department may be enhanced by becoming an RN.
Pursuing certification in a nursing course may assist RNs to enhance their careers and broaden their scope of practise.
What Abilities Do Nurses Employ?
Hard and soft skills are combined by nurses to succeed in their employment. Here are some abilities used by nurses:
- Communication
- Critical Analysis
- Empathy
- Teamwork
- Organisational Abilities
- Time Management
One of the most crucial skills for nurses is communication. Nurses communicate with a variety of groups of individuals on a regular basis, including patients, family members, and medical professionals. In order to effectively communicate with these various stakeholders, nurses need flexible communication skills. Nurses discuss medical issues and treatment plans with patients using effective verbal communication skills. They also employ writing skills to update and maintain patient records.
To solve problems, one needs to be able to gather information, evaluate data, and make decisions. Nurses apply their critical thinking abilities to assess complex circumstances, respond to medical emergencies, and choose the best way to care for their patients. In emergency situations, they might act quickly or alert the proper medical personnel about issues.
Empathy is a skill that nurses utilise to develop deep connections with their patients. Understanding other people’s feelings or viewpoints is known as empathy. By using active listening techniques, displaying concern and interest for their patients, and paying close attention to their needs, nurses can demonstrate empathy. By demonstrating empathy, nurses may gain the confidence of their patients, which can enhance communication and result in better patient outcomes. Nurses are better equipped to assist patients when they feel at ease communicating their requirements to them.
A lot of nurses are employed by healthcare organisations. By effectively communicating with others, providing assistance when their coworkers ask for it, and accepting accountability for their actions, they can demonstrate collaboration skills. Teams in the healthcare industry may provide thorough, efficient medical care when they work well together.
To manage their daily tasks, nurses employ their organisational abilities. They might use their organisational competence to stay on top of paperwork and make sure it is filed properly.
Apart from the above qualities, nurses use their time management abilities to complete jobs quickly. Proper time management practises can help nurses feel less stressed, work proactively, and produce more at work.
People Also Ask:
The Diploma of Nursing programme has been offered by institutions like IHNA for 18 months long, offered nationally, with flexible online and on-campus learning options, 2-week simulation blocks on campus at IHNA’s cutting-edge nursing labs, and clinical placements every semester with top healthcare organisations.
Related Blog: A Keen Look at the “Future of Nursing” in Australia
