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218 unit 3 | Professional Issues CikguOnline
The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis 4. “Find the ‘hot’ industry, and you will always be
at Health Resources and Services Administration in demand.” Nursing is projected to continue to
has projected a growing shortage of registered nurs- be one of the “hottest industries” well into the
es (RNs) over the next 15 years,with a 12% shortage next decade. A nurse who performs poorly will
by 2010 and a 20% shortage by 2015 (http:// never be successful, no matter what the demand.
bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/nursingshortage/tec
h_report/default.htm). This continued shortage of Many students attending college today are adults
RNs will allow you to have many choices and oppor- with family, work, and personal responsibilities. On
tunities as a professional nurse. By now you have graduating with an associate degree in nursing, you
invested considerable time, expense, and emotion may still have student loans and continued respon-
into preparing for your new career. Your educational sibilities for supporting a family. If this is so, you
preparation, technical and clinical expertise, inter- may be so focused on job security and a steady
personal and management skills, personal interests source of income that the idea of career planning
and needs, and commitment to the nursing profes- has not even entered your mind. You might even
sion will contribute to meeting your career goals. assume that your goal is just to “get the first job.”
Successful nurses view nursing as a lifetime pursuit, The correct goal is to find a job that fits you, one
not as an occupational stepping stone. that is a good first step on the path to a lifelong
This chapter deals with the most important career in nursing. It is also not too early to begin
endeavor: finding and keeping your first nursing formal planning of your career. You will most like-
position. The chapter begins with planning your ly work well in excess of 70,000 hours in a lifetime
initial search; developing a strengths, weaknesses, outside the home. Do you want to spend all this
opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis; time devoted to a career that is not fulfilling?
searching for available positions; and researching
organizations. Also included is a section on writing SWOT Analysis
a résumé and employment-related information Many students assume their first position will be as a
about the interview process and selecting the first staff nurse on a medical-surgical floor. They see
position. themselves as “putting in their year”and then moving
on to what they really want to do. However, as the
health-care system continues to evolve and reallocate
Getting Started
resources, this may no longer be the automatic first
step for new graduates. Instead, new graduates
By now at least one person has said to you, “Nurses
should focus on long-term career goals and the dif-
will never be out of a job.” This statement is only
ferent avenues by which they can be reached.
one of several career myths. These myths include
Many times, your past experiences will be an
the following:
asset in presenting your abilities for a particular
1. “Good workers do not get fired.”They may not position. A SWOT analysis plan, borrowed from
get fired, but many good workers have lost their the corporate world, can guide you through your
positions during restructuring and downsizing. own internal strengths and weaknesses as well as
2. “Well-paying jobs are available without a external opportunities and threats that may help or
college degree.” Even if entrance into a career hinder your job search and career planning. The
path does not require a college education, the SWOT analysis is an in-depth look at what will
potential for career advancement is minimal make you happy in your work. Although you have
without that degree. In many health-care already made the decision to pursue nursing, know-
agencies, a baccalaureate degree in nursing is ing your strengths and weaknesses can help you
required for an initial management position. select the work setting that will be satisfying per-
3. “Go to work for a good company, and move up sonally (Ellis, 1999). Your SWOT analysis may
the career ladder.”This statement assumes that include the following factors (Pratt, 1994):
people move up the career ladder due to
longevity in the organization. In reality, the Strengths
responsibility for career advancement rests on ■ Relevant work experience
the employee, not the employer. ■ Advanced education