When you make the decision to become a nurse, you're joining a profession with a long history of selflessness. Caring for others in their darkest times is something that is both rewarding and challenging. To best prepare yourself for your role as a nurse, you might want to consider these three things before you get started.
Testing your desire to be a nurse
If you're interested in becoming a nurse, but you're not quite sure if it's the right decision for you, you may want to try volunteering with other medical professionals first. Go to your local hospital or nursing homes to see if they need volunteers to help care for the patients and residents.
You can also try getting your certification as a home health aide or a medical assistant first to see if you are still interested in taking your career into nursing. These positions will help you interact with patients and allow you to get a taste of what your new life will be like.
Try talking to other nurses that you know to see what they have to say about the field they're in and what they might have done differently when they began.
The education part of being a nurse
Unlike medical assistants and other medical professional jobs, becoming a nurse takes several years of schooling in order to pass the boards exam. To become a Registered Nurse, this will require up to four years of undergraduate education. There are advanced and rapid degree programs that you can consider, so if you want to get through the program quickly, that may be an option for you.
The schooling is difficult, but it will provide all of the preparation you need in order to care for patients in a knowledgeable and compassionate way. You will be able to find programs at your local university or college, as well as, through some online programs and local medical schools. Try to talk to various programs in order to find one that works for you and for your schedule.
With the current nursing shortage, it's reasonable to say that many programs will try their best to work with your current life's schedule so that you can finish in a timely manner, as well as, still manage your other responsibilities.
The career options of a nurse
Another thing to consider when you are entering the field of nursing is the array of possibilities the profession will offer you. You will not need to work in a doctor's office or on a hospital floor for your entire career. With a nursing degree, you can advance quickly in other areas of the medical industry. You might want to become a part of the public health sector or perhaps work with the underprivileged in your area. Other trained nurses end up going into the financial area of the hospital to help with coding issues and insurance claims.
If you are interested in managing people, you may be able to rise quickly in the ranks of nursing supervisors and managers. Nursing graduates are often picked as leaders in their departments because of their additional training.
Nursing is something that requires a total commitment to the patient and to being the best nurse you can. But that doesn't mean that it's not rewarding at the same time. Before you begin, you will want to try volunteering first and then work hard through school, realizing that you might be able to take your degree farther in the future.
When you're a nurse, you can often feel like you're on your feet for hours at a time - and you probably are. Whether you're moving from patient bed to patient bed, or from exam room to exam room, you're constantly putting stress and weight on your feet throughout the day. It's no wonder that so many medical grades of nurse shoes are on the market. This kind of footwear helps the nurse stay comfortable, prevent personal injury, and increase their longevity in the field.
Fending off tired feet
When you're working twelve hour shifts or longer, your feet are going to become tired. Standing on your feet during this time is simply difficult when you're not wearing the right footwear. But there have been new advancements in footwear that can help you maintain your energy levels with proper cushioning and the right angle for your body to stand in. Some of the rubber-like medical shoes and clogs allow your feet to be cradled in the form, thus preventing fatigue. If you're also getting the additional cushioning in these shoes, the repeated walking will no longer continuously shoot pain or pressure throughout your body.
Try to look for shoes that are described as:
Cushioning
Form fitted
Shock absorbers
Vibram soled
Athletic shoes can also work if they're cushioned well for hard surfaces - i.e. tennis shoes or cross trainers. But medical grade shoes tend to be better as they are made for those tough hospital floors.
Look for well respected, quality brands of nurse shoes such as Dansko shoes, Nursemates shoes, and Cherokee shoes. Spending a few dollars more on quality shoes will be paid back to you in comfort and durability.
Preventing injuries at work
If you're helping others, you need to make sure that you're not getting injured along the way. By choosing quality footwear with slip resistant soles, you will make sure that no matter what fluids may be on the floor, you will still be standing upright. This is especially important when you're trying to transport patients from one place to the next or when you are simply walking down the hall. You will be protecting yourself from slips and falls as well as the patients from being dropped midway through being moved.
Try to look for shoes that:
Have slip resistant soles
Are water resistant
Stay securely on your feet
Have thicker, closed toes
Increasing your career longevity
But what most people don't realize about footwear for nurses is that they can be insurance for the length of their career. If you aren't choosing high quality shoes, you will not be supporting your body and may possibly be harming your back and joints. Walking around in shoes that aren't supporting your body will cause your joints to wear down over time, adding pain to your life and possibly increasing your sick time or medical expenses.
Where you can find quality footwear
The good news is that while it sounds like buying quality footwear is going to be an expensive way to start your nursing career, this isn't the case. Many brands are readily available at medical supply stores for you to try on and then can be purchased for lower prices online. Simply try on the pairs that you may want and then try to find the same pairs through trusted online retailers - often for a substantial discount. You can also sometimes find medical supply catalogs online that offer you reduced rates.
When you take the time to purchase high quality footwear when you enter the field of nursing, you will help ensure your safety and physical health. And that's something that should make you feel better with every step.
Grant Eckert has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Security, Depression Cure and Mortgage. About AuthorGrant Eckert is a writer for Tafford Uniforms. Tafford Uniforms is a leading provider of . Grant Eckert's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.