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What are your advice setting a career goal for yourself?
I am currently a nursing student and I heard about setting a career goal such as creating a to-do lists. I would like to know if anyone has advice on creating one for my major. #nursing
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Dhruv’s Answer
A great framework for creating goals whether in your personal or professional lives is to use something called S.M.A.R.T. Goals: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/smart-goals
S.M.A.R.T. Goals stand for -
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Based
Too often, when goals are created, they are too general, or not time-bound. What this creates is a mentality where you'll only be happy when the end result is achieved, but that can take months to years depending on your goals. The best thing to do is really adopt a Growth Mindset, where you celebrate the incremental steps that you take throughout the process of your goals.
S.M.A.R.T. Goals stand for -
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Based
Too often, when goals are created, they are too general, or not time-bound. What this creates is a mentality where you'll only be happy when the end result is achieved, but that can take months to years depending on your goals. The best thing to do is really adopt a Growth Mindset, where you celebrate the incremental steps that you take throughout the process of your goals.
Updated
Suzanne’s Answer
Hello Nicole R.!
I appreciate the answer above, but it isn't specific to nursing. I found some helpful articles about setting career goals. Personally, I set the goal of becoming oncology certified very early in my career. This goal required that I acquire timely oncology knowledge and skills. It also required that I needed to have worked for several years in the specialty. I was able to take and pass the Oncology Nursing Exam and have been OCN certified for 30 years now. As I am not working, they have given me what is called Emeritus OCN status. Also, I gained two other specialties during my career: breast cancer nursing specialist and clinical research specialist. These certifications had the same types of knowledge and practice requirements.
Here are some targetable goals for you to consider:
1. Acquire unit-specific certifications
2. Become a specialist in specific nursing procedures: take your hospitals classes such as PICC line insertion.
3. Learn and practice effective communication. Many hospitals provide classes regarding developing this skill.
4. Learn about the professional ladder in your hospital. Go through the process of learning what is required to become a nursing leader.
5. Set a timeline for future education goals and stick to the timeline.
I have attached URLs for you to explore. Just copy and paste the links into your web browser.
Lastly, have you discovered something that really interests you clinically so far? How about some aspect of patient care? Or how about a nursing procedure that you think can be improved? What about nurses role in the political and healthcare policy world? What about rural care? The opportunities for you to set goals are almost endless. You can begin to formulate a to-do list based on the questions that are formulated during your training.
Example:
1. Develop a timeline of career goals: BSN to MSN to NP as example
2. Investigate best practice ideas for a nursing procedure. Investigate the literature. Present the project to your nursing instructors. Make sure to include the project on your resume.
3. Consider joining a student nurse organization such as National Student Nurse Association. Develop leadership qualities early. Include this membership on your resume. https://www.nsna.org/
4. Consider volunteering with a local Red Cross during your training. Obtain your Red Cross Pin and include this on your resume. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/nursing-health/opportunities-for-nursing-students.html
I hope this information is helpful!
All the best,
Sue, RN, MSN
https://rnlessons.com/10-achievable-examples-of-nursing-career-goals/
https://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2017/03/20/nurse-keith-your-nursing-career-the-long-and-short-term/
https://www.nursechoice.com/blog/profiles-and-features/5-examples-of-nursing-career-goals-that-are-achievable/
I appreciate the answer above, but it isn't specific to nursing. I found some helpful articles about setting career goals. Personally, I set the goal of becoming oncology certified very early in my career. This goal required that I acquire timely oncology knowledge and skills. It also required that I needed to have worked for several years in the specialty. I was able to take and pass the Oncology Nursing Exam and have been OCN certified for 30 years now. As I am not working, they have given me what is called Emeritus OCN status. Also, I gained two other specialties during my career: breast cancer nursing specialist and clinical research specialist. These certifications had the same types of knowledge and practice requirements.
Here are some targetable goals for you to consider:
1. Acquire unit-specific certifications
2. Become a specialist in specific nursing procedures: take your hospitals classes such as PICC line insertion.
3. Learn and practice effective communication. Many hospitals provide classes regarding developing this skill.
4. Learn about the professional ladder in your hospital. Go through the process of learning what is required to become a nursing leader.
5. Set a timeline for future education goals and stick to the timeline.
I have attached URLs for you to explore. Just copy and paste the links into your web browser.
Lastly, have you discovered something that really interests you clinically so far? How about some aspect of patient care? Or how about a nursing procedure that you think can be improved? What about nurses role in the political and healthcare policy world? What about rural care? The opportunities for you to set goals are almost endless. You can begin to formulate a to-do list based on the questions that are formulated during your training.
Example:
1. Develop a timeline of career goals: BSN to MSN to NP as example
2. Investigate best practice ideas for a nursing procedure. Investigate the literature. Present the project to your nursing instructors. Make sure to include the project on your resume.
3. Consider joining a student nurse organization such as National Student Nurse Association. Develop leadership qualities early. Include this membership on your resume. https://www.nsna.org/
4. Consider volunteering with a local Red Cross during your training. Obtain your Red Cross Pin and include this on your resume. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/who-we-are/nursing-health/opportunities-for-nursing-students.html
I hope this information is helpful!
All the best,
Sue, RN, MSN
https://rnlessons.com/10-achievable-examples-of-nursing-career-goals/
https://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/2017/03/20/nurse-keith-your-nursing-career-the-long-and-short-term/
https://www.nursechoice.com/blog/profiles-and-features/5-examples-of-nursing-career-goals-that-are-achievable/