Introduction
Building a career is a task with many challenges that requires attention to many aspects of professional development, primarily when work affects other people. Nurses are critical employees in the health care system who often find themselves in the first line, engaging with patients and being leaders in promoting public health. Therefore, their professionalism is critical – it requires ongoing education and a clear understanding of their goals and objectives. The current paper considers the author’s personal experience and education and discusses the relationship of continuing education to nursing competence and career. Despite the existing high workload of nurses, allocating time to increase the level of education constantly is necessary.
Job Options Based on Educational Level
Nurses have different options for professional development and job search. However, opportunities depend on the level of education the candidate received. My current degree is an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN), and I am on my way to receiving a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN). The ADN allows entry-level opportunities, particularly as a registered nurse (RN) in hospitals (Smith-Kimble, 2022). This work involves assessing the patient’s condition, administering drugs, coordinating treatment plans, and using the equipment. The BSN expands the knowledge and competence of nurses, allowing them to work in leadership positions and more facilities, for example, in the army (Smith-Kimble, 2022). I take opportunities that my education provides for me and strive for more.
My nursing experience spans more than 17 years, which allowed me to gain the position of Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON). I am responsible for coordinating efforts to provide patients with high-quality services. Given my considerable experience and abilities, I believe I can become a good leader in health care and promote change for the better. I set appropriate educational goals to advance my career.
Goals for Professional Education
Nurses can get different levels of education, and my goals, for now, include completing the bachelor’s program and earning a Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN) in administration and leadership. After completing the bachelor’s program, it takes another two years for MSN, so the timeline for my purposes covers several years. Degrees are necessary for further career advancement in leadership positions. I wish to become a successful, understanding, and productive leader. Moreover, career advancement means impact at the workplace and opportunities to contribute to health policy. At the same time, I also appreciate the possibility of balancing work and personal life. I believe that, with a competent approach, a higher position will allow me to better combine work and care for my family – husband and children.
Increase in Level of Education
Increasing the level of education through MSN will enhance my competitiveness and demand in the market. In particular, MSN opens up opportunities for employment as an advanced practice nurse, senior leader nurse, or educator (Smith-Kimble, 2022). Salaries in positions occupied by nursing leaders with MSNs range from 77 to 134 thousand dollars (Carlton, 2022). Moreover, the job outlook for these workers is growing from an average of 9% to a higher 36% for 2020-2030 (Carlton, 2022). In comparison, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2022), RNs’ average salary is about 77 thousand, and the outlook is an average ratio of 6%. As a result, although RNs are in demand, specialists with MSN have more prospects for obtaining a highly-paid job.
In addition to a job in demand, raising my educational level determines my professional role and influence in the future. Nurse leaders can set patient care policies, improving the quality and efficiency of services (Carlton, 2022). Moreover, leaders significantly contribute to the education of new employees and manage care groups (Carlton, 2022). Using my experience and knowledge, I will be able to direct the work of nurses to provide quality services to the population. Moreover, I will have more impact in promoting ideas about the importance of health care and disease prevention and taking care of the health workers themselves. I also strive to contribute to equity and justice in access to health services, which is possible through influence on policy and quality work.
Impact of Continuing Nursing Education
It is necessary to increase the education level and maintain it constantly to achieve the goals of improving the quality of services, justice in healthcare, and fair working conditions for medical staff. Continuing education involves ongoing formal and informal training to acquire new knowledge and skills and support professional effectiveness (Mlambo et al., 2021). Formal training includes seminars, lectures, obtaining high degrees, and informal implies reflections, studying the literature, and other measures nurses can take independently.
Continuing education is necessary to maintain competence, expand knowledge, and improve attitudes toward work and patients. Specifically, education informs nurses of current competency standards, which are developing as the role of nurses in care grows (Mlambo et al., 2021). Moreover, the study of new information, research results, and trends in the field expands the employees’ knowledge. As a result, their attitude to certain aspects of work may change. For example, new information makes nurses interested in translating findings, making their work more efficient. Continuing education leads to the improvement of services and the development of employees.
The support for competence and attitudes is reflected in several documents which guide nurses’ work. For example, competence standards are presented in the Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice created by the American Nurses Association (ANA), and they are constantly updated, which requires nurses to refresh their knowledge (“What are the ANA,” 2022). Moreover, one of the standards is searching for opportunities to expand knowledge and gain new skills. The Code of Ethics presents recommendations for developing a sympathetic and ethical attitude (“The nursing,” 2020). Continuing education contributes to the study and application of these recommendations, and constant reflection and analysis are necessary to develop ethical attitudes.
Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education
I believe continuing education should be mandatory in the nursing profession. According to Azad et al. (2020), by expanding nurses’ knowledge, training contributes to improved patient outcomes. The task of critical education is to inform about current trends, standards of practice, and research results, which may affect work (Mlambo et al., 2021). Moreover, nurses must understand the population’s social needs, where the situation is constantly changing. However, it is worth noting that although nurses recognize their need for ongoing training and its benefits, its implementation has many obstacles (Mlambo et al., 2021). For example, lack of funding and time and inefficient teaching and setup only hinder work and skills development (Mlambo et al., 2021). As a nursing leader, I will also be able to contribute to the effectiveness and quality of continuing education, highlighting its need.
Conclusion
Thus, education is an essential and integral part of nurses’ work. It affects job opportunities, the demand for a candidate in the market, and the influence on the profession. In my career, I strive to become a sympathetic and productive leader, and I need to get an MSN to achieve this goal. Raising the level of education will provide opportunities for a more demanded position. At the same time, maintaining knowledge and competence through continuing education is critical, and I consider this measure mandatory. Continuing education contributes to the actualization of knowledge, the improvement of skills, and the development of an ethical and sympathetic attitude to work.
References
Azad, A., Min, J. G., Syed, S., & Anderson, S. (2020). Continued nursing education in low-income and middle-income countries: A narrative synthesis. BMJ Global Health, 5(2), 1-8. Web.
Carlton, G. (2022). Nursing leadership: 8 jobs to consider. Best Colleges. Web.
Mlambo, M., Silén, C., & McGrath, C. (2021). Lifelong learning and nurses’ continuing professional development, a metasynthesis of the literature. BMC Nursing, 20(1), 1-13. Web.
Smith-Kimble, C. (2022). Types of nursing degrees and levels. Nurse Journal. Web.
The nursing Code of Ethics and what it means for prospective nurses. (2020). Goodwin University. Web.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Registered nurses. U.S. Department of Labor. Web.
What are the ANA standards of practice for registered nurses? (2022). Goodwin University. Web.