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!

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Joining a professional nurse organization. Membership will allow you full access to resources and information, discounted rates for events & continuing education courses, to name a few.

Attending online courses and conferences. Many events have been moved online due to the pandemic and provides you with the opportunity to attend both local and international courses & conferences.

Reading nursing blogs. There are a variety of nursing blogs online, many of them are written by nurses for nurses discussing the latest news and current issues on nurses’ minds.

Download Nursing apps. Nursing apps are ideal for nurses on the go. Apps are constantly updated and provide nurses with information that is easy to access from their phone.

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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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Why did I choose nursing? Think about what brings you the most fulfillment in your work and choose a specialty that will help you achieve that.

Which setting suits my personality best? Think about whether you thrive in fast-paced, constantly changing environments, such as an Emergency Room. Or whether you prefer something with a slower, calmer pace with opportunities to build long-term relationships with your patients such as home health.

Which population do I prefer to work with? Think about the population that you would most like to provide care for. Do you prefer working with children, adults or the elderly.

Also, research typical salary to make sure that it is aligned with your expectations, certifications you will need and the educational pre-requisites.

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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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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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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.

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Networking is key for both developing a support network and finding a job. Keep in touch with your classmates, mentors and professors. They can provide you with advice, support and referrals for a job. LinkedIn is a great professional networking tool and should be utilized.

Your first job will not necessarily be your ideal job but you will learn a great deal. If you are unclear as to which area to specialize in, you could consider float nursing which will give you a chance to try out a variety of different specialties.

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Firstly, keep your resume short and concise. An employer doesn’t have a lot of time to read it. At the same time, make sure that the bullet points are concise and provide clear information as to what you have done and your accomplishments. Secondly, your work history should show your most recent work experience first, working back in reverse chronological order.

Make sure to target the resume to the specific position. In order to do this, look at the job advertisement to understand the experience, skills, education and qualifications required and make sure that your resume highlights how you meet these criteria.

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Firstly, education is essential to advancement. The more nursing degrees and certifications you have, the more job opportunities will be open to you. Education also includes the development of skills such as problem-solving and leadership. During the current pandemic, there are many online study options that can be taken at a time that is convenient for you.

Networking is a great way to build relationships & exchange ideas and advice. The current pandemic has changed the face of networking. Nurses should look out for online events and conferences in order to build connections that can lead to opportunities.

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