e ocudiny on you: PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL DIRECTION

Managing Your Career Staying Flexible in an Evolving Nursing Industry

ealth care and nursing as industries have undergone dramatic revo- lutions within the past 10 years or more. At the same time, the number of hospital-based nursing jobs has decreased, with other

care settings, such as home health care agencies, managed care companies and physician offices noting increases in nurse and nurse practitioner hiring. Taken in sum, these changes have had a profound impact on nursing careers and how individual nurses need to manage their careers. Looking ahead, the rapid pace of change, technological development, and continued emphasis on cost containment will drive new waves of change and industry redirection for decades to come.

Nursing Today Historically, a nurse could work in one health care setting all of her or his career and be guaranteed job security for life. The underlying premise was that caring, loyal employees would be rewarded with career longevity and continued pay- checks. The notion that nurses may not always have a secure job or may be downsized was unheard of, espe- cially in light of the nursing shortage that occurred five years ago.

While change in any industry can result in anxiety and stress, nurses can find and pursue new, exciting, and challenging opportuni- ties in changing markets. Job opportunities are still widely avail- able but they may be in health care settings not traditionally viewed within the nursing paradigm. Nurses have a vast variety of skills, knowledge and organizational abili- ties that can translate into many practice settings.

their careers not as jobs to be It’s important for nurses to view

Marie Cueman, MS, RN, CNAA, is a senior lecturer at Fairleigh-Dickinson University, an independent nurse con- sultant in Florham Park, N], and a member of the AWHONN Lifelines Editorial Advisory Board.

gained and kept, but rather as ongoing management activities. Career management means:

Determining one’s accomplish- ments, skills, and abilities and matching them to available opportunities Making new opportunities Questioning and challenging tradition- al concepts of nursing careers

Marie Cueman, MS, RN, CNAA

determining what they want from nurses. How does a nurse make the transition from the traditional nurs- ing employment path to one that embraces the concept of career man- agement? The transition starts with detailed skills and abilities assess- ment that determines skills, accom- plishments, strengths, and weakness- es. It’s also important for nurses to look beyond their job role and include personal activities, such as volunteer work and hobbies that contribute to personal growth. The assessment should also include an inventory of one’s value system and preferred lifestyle (Eagles, 1997).

Consider Terry, a nurse who worked in a hospital emergency room environment and whose job was eliminated. Terry took an inventory of her skills, abilities, and experience and noted that as much as she liked the drama and excite- ment of the ER, she also enjoyed helping with health fairs and extracurricular activities at her chil- dren’s school. She realized that she could combine her love of nursing,

Colleagues within your present bealth cure setting, social and government agencies, and

projiessional organizations within your specialty area are prime candkhtes for networking and

knowledge-base growth opportunith Redefining the nursing role based on a particular individual’s skills and what brings that individual personal satisfaction Determining the skills and knowl- edge base development necessary as a valuable employee

Making Transitions Nurses must determine what skills and experiences they want from a particular job because employers are

her desire to work with children, and her abilities to work under pressure to build a package of skills and abilities for a school district nursing care setting. She now helps to manage a comprehensive nursing care program within a large school district, and provides emergency care, health education, and other activities.

For nurses who enjoy where they work and who want to make

June/July 7999 A W H O N N L i f e l i n e s 4s

themselves valuable to their employers, the personal assessment is also helpful in determining if there are other skills that they may need to improve their job perfor- mance. Volunteering for committee assignments, assuming special pro- jects, or providing unit inservices are some actions that nurses can take to raise their on-the-job pro- file. In some health care agencies, nurses are even reapplying for their current roles in the wake of down- sizings or reorganizations. Savvy nurses will recognize the impor- tance of having a current resume and description of unique skills and abilities for such a time. Willingness to volunteer for addi- tional assignments, current knowl- edge, and accountability are some of the factors taken into account when staff members are rehired for their positions.

Keeping the Resume Current All nurses should have a current resume even if they are content with their present job. There are numer- ous books available on how to

Writing the Right Raume What needs to be on every resume: Sg Name, address, and phone number in bold at the top of each page I$ Career summary or objective I Current and previous employment (chronological); experiences

(functional), including specific accomplishments U Educational background and training, including dates, certifications,

publications, presentations, volunteer activities, and professional associations

manager role. The nurse would list accomplishments performed on the unit level regarding risk manage- ment, such as chart reviews to iden- tify potential areas of liability or special training received.

Finding a New Role Finding a new role to match finely honed skills and abilities is now easier than ever, thanks to both traditional job search methods (classified advertisements, hospital personnel offices) and newer avenues, such as job fairs, jour-

Nurses must &tennine what skilk and eqwra‘mces they wantfrom a particular job

because employers are determining what they wantfrom nurses.

write a resume, and most authors deal with the two most common types of resumes:

Chronological Functional

A chronological resume summa- rizes work and educational experi- ences based on dates, working backwards from the most current job. This is the most common type of resume.

A functional resume is useful when a nurse attempts to get a posi- tion in a different field or to assume a different role. Accomplishments are listed under functional titles such as education, risk manage- ment, or quality assurance. This type of resume is used when a staff nurse desires to move into a risk

nals, professional recruiters, and World Wide Webhternet job boards.

the best positions are typically found through networking. Colleagues within your present health care setting, social and gov- ernment agencies, and professional organizations within your speciality area are typically prime candidates for networking and knowledge-base growth opportunities.

For example, Eileen was entering her second year of nursing school when a professor asked her to attend a local AWHONN meeting as part of her OB/GYN prepara- tion. She went, met others working in her field, and upon graduation, quickly found a job within a health

But most nurses will agree that

care organization-thanks to an AWHONN contact.

Or consider Dana, a staff nurse in a large hospital. She has noticed a large number of women coming through the LDRP unit who appear to have been bruised or beaten. With one telephone call to a local shelter, she was quickly connected to a host of community resources and others interested in diagnosing domestic violence. Thanks to her networking, she was able to implement a screening program at her care setting; that effort has been noted in her per- sonnel file for possible promotion consideration.

There’s also Marilyn’s experi- ence-after 15 years in clinical practice, she decided to broaden her activities by encouraging other nurses around her to focus on evi- dence-based practice. She became involved in her nursing organiza- tion’s research-based practice pro- gram and now helps to write new evidence-based practice guidelines.

Networking helps to develop professional contacts and causal acquaintances. It requires one to collaborate with friends about job opportunities and have them pro- vide an introduction to the person interviewing for the position. Beyond finding an immediate new position, networking can also open a whole new world of career development and advancement opportunities. + References Besson, T. (1996). Cover letters. New

York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Eagles, Z. E. (1997). The Nurses’

Career Guide. San Luis Obispo, CA: Sovereignty Press.

Marino, K. (1997). lust resumes. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

SO A W H O N N L i f e l i n e s Volume 3, Issue 3