Upon completion of nursing school, your first goal will likely be to find nursing jobs that appeal to you. There are several factors to consider before you set out on your career path. First, you must know the characteristics that you are looking for in a job. What type of work do you want to do? What are the hours you wish to work? You want to be sure that you have the proper paperwork with you, including a professional-looking résumé and your nursing license, before you start applying for positions. You should also dress for success.
There are so many career opportunities available for nurses that it would be difficult to list them all. A recent nursing graduate generally starts out small and works his or her way up the career experience ladder.
Here are five of the best places to find nursing jobs following your completion of school:
- Hospital: A hospital is such a large facility that it will offer you the most opportunities for career choices. You may be offered a job in one of the facility's many specialized departments including: medical, surgical, orthopedic, labor and delivery, pediatric, cardiac units and more. You may also be offered the chance to transition to another unit within the hospital after a designated period of time. This is a wonderful opportunity as it helps to gain experience in other areas of health care.
- Long Term Care Facility/Assisted Living: A long term care facility or an assisted living facility generally caters to the needs of the elderly. A floor nurse in this setting will have nursing duties such as giving medications, providing wound care, monitoring other staff and more.
- Physician's Office: A nurse in a doctor's office is responsible for checking vital signs, preparing the exam room and documenting the reason for a patient's visit among other things. The nurse will work closely with the doctors, providing them with assistance. While this role does not offer a lot of hands-on experience, you will advance your skills in other ways, such as processing paperwork, handling health insurance and more.
- Walk In Care Center: This type of facility offers routine care for issues that come up when the doctor's office is closed. These problems can range from earaches and sore throats to insect bites and other smaller problems that don't require a visit to the hospital emergency room. You will encounter a variety of health problems within this setting, but nothing too extreme.
- Nursing Agency: If you desire variety in shifts and enjoy working at several places, then a nursing agency would be an ideal choice for you. Within a nursing agency, you have many choices. You can usually choose your hours and determine where you want to work.
A whole new world of opportunities are available to you when you choose a career in nursing.
Photo Source: Flickr
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