Why do I want to become a second career nurse? Nursing school is a commitment so you need to ensure that you are doing it for the right reasons. Think about what is motivating you to make the change. Is it the demand for nurses, the flexibility, the variety of job opportunities or a drive to help others?

Do I have what it takes & the support to make it through nursing school? Find out and understand what the requirements of the nursing program are and make sure that you have a strong support system to get you through an accelerated nursing program. There are many study options to choose from. Good luck!

The post Is Nursing as a Second Career the Right Choice for You? appeared first on Advanced Care.

A profile photo is an essential part of your profile as it’s the first impression that a profile viewer will get of you. Research shows that profiles with photos attract 14 times more views. Make sure that your photo looks professional.

Add a background image which can make your profile stand out. You can find free ready-made background images online.

The headline is found right below your name and is the first thing that a profile visitor is likely to read. The headline doesn’t have to be just your job title. You can use it to list your nursing specialty. You can also use keywords to make it easier for recruiters & others to find you in a search. Examples of keywords are ’emergency’, ‘home care’ or ‘Nurse Manager’.

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Firstly, use a professional resume template. You can find many of these templates online.

As you are likely to have less job experience, you can also include:

• Any relevant awards or honors received. For example, an educational award or an award received during your clinical rotations.
• Volunteer, summer jobs and work experience in the healthcare field that are relevant to the job.
• Any nursing affiliations you have.

When listing your clinical rotations or senior preceptorship, you should include as many relevant details to the job you are applying to. For example, you could include the type of patients that you worked with.

Finally, being bilingual in a second language is a sought-after skill and should be included.

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Firstly, your body language can say a lot, without you saying a word. To improve your body language, try looking at yourself in front of a mirror and make sure that you are standing straight. When communicating with someone, maintain eye contact which shows interest and confidence in yourself.

Practice active listening. Active listening is the type of listening where you convey your understanding by repeating back the main points to the other person.

In nursing you will have a variety of conversations that can lead to different emotions such as anger or upset. Be aware of how your emotions may be affecting the way you communicate and train yourself to remain professional and courteous during difficult conversations.

The post Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills as a Nurse appeared first on Advanced Care.

Be prepared by running a trial video call with a friend. Test the video and sound to make sure it is clear. Check the internet speed and Wi-Fi connection to ensure the call doesn’t disconnect during the interview.

Practice looking at the camera while you are talking instead of looking at the interviewer on the screen. This virtual eye contact will make a better impression.

Choose a location in your house that is tidy and well-lit and be aware of the background as it­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ will be seen by the interviewer.

Dress professionally in the same way as you would for a face-to-face interview.

Be on time. Make sure to enter the room at least five minutes before the start of the interview.

Good luck!

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• Communication skills are essential. Nurse managers need to be able to convey information clearly and concisely.
• Decision making and leadership skills. Nurse managers are looked up to by their team to lead and be decisive. In addition, they should act as a role model to their team.
• Team-working and team building. A nurse manager needs to work well within a team and at the same time, to build a team by encouraging collaboration and managing conflict.
• Coping effectively with change. With constant changes happening in the healthcare industry, and especially during the current pandemic, a nurse manager needs to embrace change and to adapt to it.

The post Skills Every Nurse Manager Needs appeared first on Advanced Care.

To answer these questions, consider using the STAR method.

S – Situation – Describe the situation. Think of one specific situation and be as specific as possible about the details.

T – Task – What goal were you working towards? What were you aiming to accomplish? For example, to calm the patient down.

A – Action – Describe the action that you took. Be as specific as possible and focus on what you did by using “I” statements. For example, “I communicated with and listened to the patient.”

R – Result – Explain the outcome and anything that you learned from the situation. Would there be anything that you would do differently next time?

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There is a great career outlook for the nursing profession. The projected growth is faster than other occupations because of the aging population and there is always a need for healthcare. There are many specialties to choose from and opportunities for growth. For example, a nurse can advance into leadership positions such as becoming a Charge Nurse or a Nurse Manager.

Nursing offers a competitive salary and many employers offer benefits such as healthcare plans, 40K/retirement plans, continuing education reimbursement etc.

Nursing provides you with the special opportunity to help and care for others and is a rewarding and meaningful career.

The post Reasons to Choose a Career in Nursing appeared first on Advanced Care.

A hospice nurse visits patients to assess their medical and emotional needs, as well as the support required by their family. One of the main goals of hospice nursing is ensuring the patient is comfortable by providing the appropriate medications, therapies and support.

Hospice nurses have the opportunity to build close relationships with their patients and families. They also get to work independently with the support of their team. One of the challenges is learning to deal with the loss of patients. One of the rewards is knowing that you provided them with the best care and support possible. There is a great sense of accomplishment in knowing that you made a difference to a patient at the end of their life.

The post Is Hospice Nursing the Right Career for You? appeared first on Advanced Care.

Firstly, make sure that you leave your home in plenty of time to allow for traffic and for finding the location of your orientation. Medical facilities can be hard to navigate.

Ensure that you get the most information out of the orientation by asking questions and taking notes. You should familiarize yourself with, and be open to, the facility and departmental protocols. Each facility has it’s own way of working.

It is important to be teachable by being open to constructive criticism and feedback. By doing so, improvements are made and everyone benefits. Managers really appreciate this attitude.

Finally, maintain confidence by believing in your abilities and don’t forget to smile!

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