Factors to Consider before Taking Up Nursing

The chosen job or career is nursing, which I selected on the basis of my present skills (Han, Moon & Yun, 2009). I will take-up analysis of nursing job to be analysed. There are various factors that need to be determined prior to taking up role in nursing. Amongst the various career options and job availability, I have selected nursing based on my skills and potentials evaluating the task inventory. Nursing degrees can be of various types and I have selected career in Nursing for which I will need to undertake several subjects during my course. In order to become a registered nurse and start on my selected career, I will need to undertake course in Nursing and also undertake practical experience. There are various subjects which includes physics, chemistry, biology, psychology along with various other subjects that I will need to study prior to completing my course.

After completing of theoretical coursework, I will undertake practical experience where I will learn regarding the skills as needed for a professionally registered nurse (Nikolova, Van Ruysseveldt, De Witte & Syroit, 2014). In order to be a good registered nurse, I needed to possess understanding skills, analytical skills, capability to render services appropriately and capability to handle stress. As there are sometimes high levels of stress that needs to be dealt with while handling patients. A nurse needs to handle multiple job roles and be the key facilitator between the doctor and the patient. A nurse possesses primary responsibility in catering to patient duties and also communicates to patient parties. A nurse needs to remain frequently updated with latest rules, regulations and policy changes brought about in the health scenario (Utriainen & Kyngäs, 2009). Task inventory of this career role reveals varied capabilities which a nursing practioner needs to possess and practice as well in a continuous manner.                           

The knowledge, Skills, Abilities and other Characteristics (KSAOs) inventory includes the necessary skills set for particular job role especially in the organized structured sector (Bishop et al., 2009). Registered nurses needs to possess knowledge of nursing in regards to various illnesses present amongst patients, capability to read medical reports and medication related knowledge. A nurse need to be well knowledgeable and versed regarding the versatile types of diseases that a patient might have. Further nurses needs to be aware regarding the disease of patients so that appropriate medications can be administered appropriately. Nurses need to possess knowledge in counseling and guidance for providing it to patient parties and patient. Skills required are observational, psychosocial and interpersonal communication skills.

Nurse’s Necessary Skills, Knowledges, and Abilities: KSAOs

A nurse should be able to communicate to the patient in his or her preferred choice of language so that the nurse is able to understand the pain or problem the individual is facing. A nurse needs to possess skills for administering injections, saline, medication and several other assistance that the patient might need.  Abilities of registered nurses include problem solving abilities, with good judgment and ability to offer services. The behaviours and values of nurses needs to be caring, compassionate, communication, competence, commitment and courage (Lee & Cummings, 2008). Nurses especially in the health domain need to remain committed and compassionate while empathetically delivering services to the patient parties. Through committed vision, a nurse needs to provide various assistance to the doctor and other health care provider to ensure the patient’s steady recovery. As nurse is the only person to communicate between the patient and the healthcare provider, she or he needs to take notes regarding each specific aspect pointed out by the patient in a careful manner. A nurse needs to be able to work coherently within a team to cater to services and provide assistance to other nurses, who are new in the service.   These comprise of the other skills or capabilities that needs to be possessed by the nurse.   

The current job market in nursing has high demand. With greater awareness brought about in the society regarding various critical illness a large number of private as well as public institutes have been established to cater to patients in the domain (King, 2014). These institutions and hospitals employ registered nurses or practioner for catering services in the healthcare. Nurses act as mediator providing services to patients on one end and to the institute on the other hand. The potential job market in USA for nurses is tremendously favorable with increasing demand of nurses, who can work in shifts. From data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) it has been estimated that 555,100 RNs and APRNs are estimated to leave the labor force by 2022. This will lead to additional increase in demand of 574,400 RNs and APRNs, hence the projected opening for nursing jobs is estimated at 1.13 million. The graph below reflects various job openings in various states that are estimated in percentage gains.

                     

                                                 Figure 1: RN Job Projections by State, 2012-2022

Demographic Trends in Nursing Job Market: Employment Opportunities and Salaries

                                                                 Source: U.S. Department of Labour

There is a general preference that nurses capable of working in varied shifts and who are versatile in speaking and communicating in various languages. Evaluating demographic trends in my area, it can be seen that most students are not able to communicate in versatile language, moreover, they are not open to variety of shifts, hence my chances of getting employment is high in the domain. Further there are a number of private institutions in and around my area which makes it easier for me to opt for employment. I will be easily able to apply at multiple locations after completion of my course and practioner session (Kuo, Yin & Li, 2008). Evaluating demographic trends within my area, it can be said that most people opt to go outside the area to join work from the area.

Hence, I can find various jobs for myself in the area. There are various online portals over which I can apply for my specific job role and then get a suitable opportunity with an appropriate salary. I will be expecting to get a starting salary of $18,000 to $75,000 yearly with other emoluments. Gradually through my commitment, I will aim at increasing my salary and become a nursing leader in my domain. In the United States, the average annual salary for a Registered Nurse currently stands at $73,550, which broken down reveals an average salary of $35.36 per hour, $1,414 per week and a monthly salary of $6,129. It can be understood that not all RN earns the same as wage levels are entirely dependent upon salaries, years in the job, levels of training, location of the job and so on. California is a with highest paying place for RNs with annual average salary of $102,700, then Hawaii, Washington DC and Massachusetts follows lead. Lowest paying states for nurses is Puerto Rico with average RN salary of $34,630, with mainland USA in South Dakota, salaries being $57,010. The variation in salaries of nurses is dependent upon the varying living costs and influence of demand and supply factors. Below depicted is average nurses salary is some of the highest paying cities. I will aim at obtaining an employment at a city location, staying within close vicinity. This will enable me to get a higher annual salary.

Challenges in Nursing and Strategies for Handling Patient Care

                       

                                                   Figure 2: State-wise payment for Nurses

The analysis of this current paper reveals evaluation of task inventory in nurses. Nurses require specific skills, knowledge and abilities (Stone, Lukaszewski, Stone-Romero & Johnson, 2013). I was always interested in the domain of nursing as it required serious capabilities and skills in order to provide appropriate patient care. This domain requires high amount of dedication and hard working capabilities as everyone is not able to easily take up career in this domain and establish themselves. This career scope provides tremendous scope for assisting patients and providing societal services as well. I see this career role of mine as being having potentiality to cater to the community as well. I would cater my role in an empathetic manner empathetic manner. Most professionally registered nurses cater their role without considering impact on the health of patients and their recovery; they merely provide their roles without much consideration and often end up in rude behaviour. But I am to take up this role in a diligent manner. Surprisingly I discovered that nurses in critical illness scenarios often face a wide range of challenges hence they need to overcome them as well. Especially some time when patients become aggressive then nurses are often left alone to handle them, this can be a situation of distress for nurses. Reading across various case studies and analysing roles of nurses, I came across this criteria where registered nurses often needs to cater to care for their patients in such aggravated situation, where they need to know strategies and tactics for calming patients. Nurses require various skills, knowledge and capabilities in order to cater to services of the patient. Most importantly nurses need to remain focused and committed to continue catering to their job role in an appropriate manner.            

References:

Bishop, C. E., Squillace, M. R., Meagher, J., Anderson, W. L., & Wiener, J. M. (2009). Nursing home work practices and nursing assistants’ job satisfaction. The Gerontologist, 49(5), 611-622.

Han, S. S., Moon, S. J., & Yun, E. K. (2009). Empowerment, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment: comparison of permanent and temporary nurses in Korea. Applied Nursing Research, 22(4), e15-e20.

King, R. E. (2014). Personality (and psychopathology) assessment in the selection of pilots. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 24(1), 61-73.

Kuo, H. T., Yin, T. J. C., & Li, I. C. (2008). Relationship between organizational empowerment and job satisfaction perceived by nursing assistants at long?term care facilities. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(22), 3059-3066.

Lee, H. O. W., & Cummings, G. G. (2008). Factors influencing job satisfaction of front line nurse managers: a systematic review. Journal of nursing management, 16(7), 768-783.

Nikolova, I., Van Ruysseveldt, J., De Witte, H., & Syroit, J. (2014). Well-being in times of task restructuring: The buffering potential of workplace learning. Work & Stress, 28(3), 217-235.

Stone, D. L., Lukaszewski, K. M., Stone-Romero, E. F., & Johnson, T. L. (2013). Factors affecting the effectiveness and acceptance of electronic selection systems. Human Resource Management Review, 23(1), 50-70.

Utriainen, K., & Kyngäs, H. (2009). Hospital nurses’ job satisfaction: a literature review. Journal of nursing management, 17(8), 1002-1010.