You may have been in your current nursing role for a few years or maybe even longer. Wanting a change and wanting to progress your career is normal and is something that should be embraced. Being a nurse, for example, in a hospital can be very strenuous and very tiring, and as time ticks on, you may feel that you just no longer have the energy to keep up with the ever-increasing demands and expectations placed on your shoulders. Accepting it’s time to change and moving on is something that takes strength of character, and it is something that shows that you are still passionate and enthusiastic about your role and about the healthcare industry.
Embracing Your Career but Reaching for a Change
Making the move away from a more hands-on nursing role does not have to be something that is seen as negative; in fact, it should be seen as the exact opposite. Reaching for a change and looking to make a bigger impact and change on how care is given and how it is received should be something that both yourself and others around you are proud of. Your nursing career so far has given you the insights and opportunities to push forward, so why shouldn’t you reach for change with arms wide open?
Moving on from Nursing and Focusing Firmly on the Future
Once you have made the commitment to change and progress your nursing career, you now need to start focusing firmly on the future. This may entail you planning when and how you will study, or it may involve you looking at more flexible working patterns or childcare options. When you focus on the future, you begin to embrace a new mindset, one that is open to learning and one that is open to new opportunities. It is important that you adopt a mindset that is open to change as soon as you possibly can, as this will allow you to process change, development, and growth that little bit easier.
Focusing on Your Mental Health and Wellbeing through a Period of Change
Now that you have committed to progressing with your career, it is time to focus on yourself and your wellbeing. Changes are positive, but if you are not mentally and physically prepared for them, they can leave you feeling drained. You may have been in your current nursing position for a few years, and you may feel at ease and comfortable. When you move to a new area of work, or you move to a new location, this can change how you feel, and that is why it is so important to start looking after yourself sooner rather than later. To become a family nurse practitioner, or FNP, you will need to try and build a support network where you can. Having people you can talk to and turn to when you need them is important, and having this support network around you will make the period of change and transition that bit easier.
Finding the Right Program for You
Now that you are mentally and physically ready for change and you are suitably adapted to change, you need to look for a suitable program of study. Where you study and when you study is important, as it has to fit in with you and your family. Looking at online APRN programs is beneficial as studying online allows you to create a harmonious balance within your professional and personal life. When it comes to finding the right program, you need to begin by looking at the providers on offer. Not all program providers are the same, and as a result, the quality of education can differ quite considerably. Going for a general education program provider is not beneficial to you or your career goals. Instead, you need to focus on using a specialist provider, one that offers bespoke and tailored programs. When you focus on using a specialist provider, you ensure that you are getting an education that matters and that counts.
Tips for Successfully Studying Online
Studying online will save you time, and it will save you money as you will not have to waste time or money on traveling to a physical campus. Of course, studying online does mean that you need to make sacrifices along the way, but the positives of studying online far outweigh any negatives that you may encounter. When you are studying online, you need to ensure that you create a distraction-free space. Having a quiet place to work from, and letting others within your home know when you are studying, will help you get that space and division that you need to succeed.
Balancing and Juggling Both Your Professional and Personal Life
When you are studying, working, and navigating a career change or development, it is important that you gain a balance where you can. Trying to do too much at once can leave you feeling stressed and frustrated. Creating a balance, separating your commitments, and dividing your time can be easier said than done, but if you focus on what you want to achieve and you involve as many people as you comfortably can, then you can get a near-perfect balance. If you do not balance your professional and personal life, then you will struggle to positively move forwards, and this is not the best way to embrace a career change or progression.
Getting Your First Family Nurse Practitioner Position
After your studying has come to an end, it is now time to land your first FNP position. The nursing industry and the demand for FNPs is growing, and because of this, new opportunities, potentially all across the county, are appearing. To make the most out of this growth and change, you need to know where you want to work and why. You also need to be prepared to make compromises. Your dream role and location may be there already, or you may have to take something that little bit further away from home to start with. Making compromises in those early days should help you reap the rewards that little bit further down the line.