As a nurse you get the chance to improve people’s lives, and you get the opportunity to make a real tangible difference. Getting into nursing may not be as difficult or as lengthy a process as you originally thought, especially if you already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, or area. So, how do you take that first step to become a nurse, and where do you start?

Why No Wand Why Nursing?

Firstly you have to establish just why you want to become a nurse, and why now? To become a nurse, you will have to undergo a short period of studying and although this period of studying is short, it is intense. Knowing you are dedicated to becoming a nurse and knowing that you are driven is important. So, why nursing and why now? Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of others? Or, perhaps you are ready to care for others after your own children have left the family home? Getting a good grip on the reason, or reasons, for entering nursing, will ensure that you can push forwards and succeed, no matter what.

Why the Healthcare and Nursing Industry Needs You

You have now established your reasons for getting into nursing, but why does the healthcare and nursing industry need you? What can you bring to the role, both as an individual and as a team player? Can you ensure that patients receive consistently high care? Or, can you bring a new renewed sense of enthusiasm and drive? Setting out what you can bring to the industry will help you get through your period of studying, and it will also help you get your first nursing job.

What Does a Fantastic Nurse Look Like?

Fantastic nurses are individuals that care for their patients and for their level of care. A fantastic nurse is someone who welcomes feedback, and handles criticism, while continuing to push forwards to do the best they can at all times. A fantastic nurse is not a perfect nurse, so do not put yourself on a pedestal to achieve perfection. Instead, focus on enhancing your knowledge and increasing your knowledge to be a fantastic nurse, just like your future colleagues are doing right now.

Retraining and Returning to Education – Taking the Leap

Now that you have established that nursing is the right career for you to pursue, you now need to take the next step. The next step involves finding a suitable program and returning to education. It may feel difficult returning to education, but there are many flexible programs that are based entirely online. Programs based online, with perhaps a couple of residential stays along the way, will enable you to get the training and education you require easily, and conveniently, from the comfort of your own home. Committing to getting back into education is the biggest leap you need to take. Everything after this is easier, and more enjoyable because it is what you want to do and what you deserve to do.

Studying an Accelerated Program Online

When it comes to finding the right program for you, it may be worth looking at accelerated nursing programs online as these can be fit in and around your life, ensuring that you get that key balance, between work, study and life. Studying online alleviates a lot of stress as you do not have to travel to a physical campus several times a week. Of course, studying an accelerated program is not something for the faint-hearted. Dedication, time and potentially even sacrifices along the way may need to be made to ensure you get into nursing as soon as possible. Studying with an accelerated program online will give you the best chance at getting that nursing career you deserve, in as little as two years, so it should be the option you strongly consider moving forwards.

Balancing Life, Work and Study

Returning to study after a break, or perhaps after raising a family, can be difficult and you may face challenges that you never even thought about before. However, with time and with dedication, you can achieve a healthy balance and you can make studying work for you, while still successfully balancing your life and potentially even a job. The key to success is to plan and prepare as much as you can. Keeping a schedule for everyone to see and also setting aside time for each of your commitments within your life, will ensure that nothing slips and that nothing falls by the wayside along the journey you are embarking on.

Achieving Success and Getting Qualified

Through your period of studying, there will naturally be high times and there will be low times. Getting qualified, and, pushing through those lower times, is what you should always be focusing on. You can achieve success within your studies if you maintain a clear and focused mind set.

Gaining Valuable Experience and Landing a Position

During clinical placements and during periods of work experience you will have started to build up valuable experience. This experience, no matter how short, will help you land a nursing position. Getting the position you deserve may not be easy and unfortunately you may suffer rejection, or small knock-backs on the way to getting your role. To ensure that these knock-backs do not affect you, you must focus on why you are now a nurse.  Focus on what differences and changes you will make to other people’s lives. Remembering just why you got into nursing, will help provide you with the drive, and determination, needed to land a nursing position.

Building Up a Successful Career

Once you have settled into a new role there is no time to rest. You have a lot to offer to the healthcare and nursing industry both now and moving forwards, and because you have a lot to offer, it’s important that you focus on building a long lasting and enjoyable career. Building a career, doing what you love and most importantly making a difference is why you set out to become a nurse, so enjoy the role and position as much as possible.