12// How to Choose Your Nursing Career Path as an Experienced Nurse and Embrace Growth

Ever found yourself at a nursing career crossroads, trying to choose between furthering your education or diving into a new specialization? 

This episode is your roadmap to making calculated career moves with confidence. Join me as I navigate through a case study of a seasoned nurse torn between pursuing a family nurse practitioner program and a psych mental health nurse practitioner track. I dissect the advantages and nuances of each path, weighing the importance of aligning passion with practicality. Moreover, I offer actionable advice to help you carve out a fulfilling trajectory in nursing, even if it involves embracing a little chaos along the way.

Transitioning within the nursing profession can often feel like navigating uncharted waters, but fear not, for this episode throws you a lifeline! 

I discuss the inherent growth and change in a nurse's professional journey, from bedside nursing to varied healthcare roles. With insights on the importance of mentorship, the power of networking, and the guiding hand of career coaching, I'm here to help you bridge the gap between your current role and your ultimate career destination.

 And let's not forget the joy found in the work we do today; I share how to cherish those rewarding moments while keeping an eager eye on what's to come. 

Get ready to step into a future where your nursing career is not just a job, but a journey of lifelong passion and achievement.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:05

Welcome to the Ambitions Nurse podcast, where I provide tips, tools and resources for the experienced nurse to put in your career bag to help you be a better person, a better leader, a better professional and, most of all, a better nurse. I'm your host, bonnie Meadows, a career coach and a clinical nurse specialist with over 18 years of experience in health care and nursing. It's my passion to help experienced nurses develop their careers to impact health care and their communities. Hello and welcome back to the Ambitions Nurse podcast. So glad to have you back with me on today as I discuss a new topic, bring forth a new topic. It's honestly a continuation of what I've been talking about regarding getting over perfectionism or really just taking messy action I kind of put those two in the same category and taking that next step to move forward in your career. But in order to take that next step, I believe you need some guidance in how to make that decision. We get stuck in knowing what decision to make. I want to relieve you of some pressure. There's never one 100% right decision when you're contemplating. Sometimes you need to take a step in order to find out what is the right answer. If you stay where you are, you may not know the next step or it will not become clear to you. So I want to encourage you to take that next step through what I discussed today and that's how to make effective career decisions. How do I make a decision on what the next step is?

Speaker 1: 2:13

I had a young lady to reach out to me because she had a question about her degree choice. She had a bachelor's degree and she was looking to move forward to the nurse practitioner route in her career path. She'd already been accepted to a family nurse practitioner program but she questioned if she should also get a psych mental health nurse practitioner or not even an. Also if she should pivot and do psych mental health instead of family nurse practitioner. And honestly, that's a question that has come across my desk several times recently, because the psych mental health nurse practitioner degree is up and coming. It is very, it is very lucrative and it is also it's within reach. It is one of those things that's exciting, especially if you don't have a problem with that particular area. And I know it looks different from a nursing standpoint, being a bedside nurse in psych mental health versus being working as a nurse practitioner in psych mental health or using those skills in your work. But she had this, had this question, and I asked, I asked her in order to help her to make this decision. I asked, I asked her what did she feel like? What was going on that she felt like she needed more exposure to the area, and so she said that she was going in the route of wanting to develop eventually like a holistic health for women. Awesome, I think that is a great idea.

Speaker 1: 4:11

I told her one thing to keep in mind is that the clinical experience is going to be different. So we go with it, go into it with one thing in mind of here's what our end goal is. But when you're going into a psych, mental health nurse practitioner program, you're going to get the gamut of everything. Remember it's their, their. They prepare you just like all other, all other areas, prepare you for just that general. What do we expect them to see? How do we expect them to operate, knowing that you will gain more skills once you're done? And so I reminded her that you know the clinicals are going to be very psych, mental health, ish focused. So if that was an area that she had a passion for, then go for it. Then go for that first. But if that's nothing, if that's something that she doesn't have a strong passion for, then go the family nurse practitioner route and then later on, if she feels like she needs those extra skills, then go back and get a postmaster certificate as psych, mental health nurse practitioner and I believe that there are a lot of people who are doing that.

Speaker 1: 5:37

If you think about it, the family nurse practitioner it gives you the options, it provides kind of like that baseline of here's where we are, and I know in the state in which I practice, you can't practice outside of that scope. You either have to, you have to add on, like you can't have a family nurse practitioner and then work in an acute care setting, and so that's something that you have to consider. So it's better to look at it like a funnel and keep your options wide. When you're starting out in your career path, get into something where your option can be wide and then, when you're ready to narrow and specify then whatever certification you want to go back for or whatever the second degree you want to get, then do that. But just make sure that you keep your options wide. So you start with the family nurse practitioner and then you go with the psych and mental health, and so that's that's pretty much how I led her down that decision making process. So these are some of the things that I want to talk with you about on today. So when you walk away from this episode, you will have some good tips as to what you need to do in order to make an effective career decision, a good career decision, to take the next step. So I'm going to start.

Speaker 1: 7:16

First start off with one you need to do your research. You have a lot of ideas in your head. You may have already done the research but and you may be overwhelmed with the research. So take all of that. Do your research for whatever job or whatever degree that you have. So you've been hearing about family nurse practitioner or acute care nurse practitioner or Psych, mental health nurse practitioner. But have you done your due diligence and looking into what does? What does their day-to-day look like? Or you're trying to make a decision between do I do leadership or do I do education or do I do? Well, what are the options in that space and what is your end goal? Be strategic in your search. Same thing with jobs. If you're seeing several jobs out there, well, what is your end goal Right now.

Speaker 1: 8:16

It's time to also, in this research, tap into yourself awareness, do a good self-assessment to figure out what brings you joy in your career, what are those things that you know. This is an absolute for me or this is a, this is a no. I can't do that Right now in my career, and I will tap into that just a little bit more. Do you want to stay clinical? Are you ready to move away from patient care? What do you see yourself doing in the long term? And Then, from there, look at what jobs will allow you to gain skills in the areas where you have opportunities to learn.

Speaker 1: 8:57

Look within your company first and then, after you searched From a job standpoint and you don't find what you're looking for, then look outside of your company to see if there's something out there that peaks your interest. So my first tip do that research From a jobs perspective and from a degree perspective. Don't pigeonhole yourself into what everyone else is talking about. Do your own due diligence. Look at all, look at all of the pieces. Once you have gotten, I say about maybe about five, three to five jobs that you're like okay, these three to five jobs, they look like what I could do, or I've narrowed my search down to at least these one or two degrees In which I feel like I could, I could go back to school for this or that. That will help to decrease the overwhelm in your decision.

Speaker 1: 9:59

Narrowing, narrow down your list To help reduce the overwhelm so that you're just not looking at it every day, all day and asking 50 million people Well, what do you think I should do? Well, I'm thinking about doing this and I'm thinking about doing that, and it's okay to ask questions, but there are so many jobs that out there that you really just need to focus on Preparation for about three to five, so that you don't wear yourself out and water down your message on what is it that you would like to do. Look at those jobs, see how they match with your own self-assessment, how many of those jobs closely line up with what you would like to do or gain skills in, and then make those jobs your your top priority as to what you will move forward in. Just narrow the list down. Narrow it down. Let's not have FOMO about Missing out on something. Narrow the list down.

Speaker 1: 11:00

You can only work Well, you can't work more than one job, but when you're looking to develop your career. You want to try to make sure you're getting in a space where you can get a job. You want to try to make sure you're getting in a space where you can hone those skills that you need. So now we're at number three. So you've done your research, you've narrowed down your choices, understand your negotiables and your non negotiables. So when you're looking at these programs because even in an aspect of choosing which school to go to for a program, for example, the format that someone else, that one school, provides might not be the best format for you and where you are in life so then you need to change, switch and change and go a different route.

Speaker 1: 11:57

I had someone whom was actually a friend of mine and this was very early on in my career and I was helping her to make a decision on whether she should be a nurse practitioner or go back to school for to be a CRNA, and what it really came down to was her life and her support system didn't allow for her to go back to. To be a CRNA Like the really, really the only reason why she was pulled towards it because of the money. But then, even when she looked at it further and further. She's like well, I like this about the nurse practitioner role and I like this about the nurse practitioner role and I like this, and so that helped to make your decision. Sometimes your negotiables and your non-negotiables help you to make your career decision.

Speaker 1: 12:46

Now, I'm not saying that those negotiables and non-negotiables tell you to stay where you are, because a lot of times there's a way to work around those things. What I'm saying is decide if you want to work five days a week. Decide if you can be a nocturnal NP, if that works well for your schedule. Decide if working in person and going in person to a job versus working remotely will work for you. Make those decisions. What is your priority right now? Because even if your priority right now is a little bit more restrictive than you want it to be, there is opportunity in the future for you to branch out and do what you want to do. But maybe take those opportunities to where you can learn and grow in smaller steps so that when the opportunity and your capacity opens up, you can then move in the direction in which you want to grow faster. So evaluate that home life. Know and understand and evaluate what your life situation is.

Speaker 1: 14:04

There's a book that's called 168 Hours.

Speaker 1: 14:07

You have more time than you think. It is a life changing book. It helped me to think about time in a totally different way, and some of you may have remembered me telling you about this, but this particular author. She helps women to really see how we limit ourselves with saying that we don't have the time, when, in actual reality, we do have the time to do those things that we're uniquely created to do, or to do those things that are our core competencies, those things that are our gifts, but we allow just life in and of itself to not, not or to keep us from doing those things. But if we really evaluated our time, really thought about what do we really have to do versus what do we not have to do, if we really do this thing that she calls plan neglect, then we can make time for those things that really fill our cup in just small increments of the day. So just think about that. And whether that be taking care of kids, whether that be taking care of siblings, whether that be taking care of parents, same same scenario, same scenario of understanding your negotiables and your non-negotiables, and where you are in life, whether it be where you are with your health right now. That's a negotiable and a non-negotiable of maybe you know you need. You're in a different season with your health right now. So just some things to consider.

Speaker 1: 15:55

I say this again over and over and I will probably be a broken record but just never underestimate the power of your self-awareness and understanding your strengths, your opportunities that you bring to the table your core beliefs, your beliefs, your values, and those play a major part in what your career path looks like. And if you are not, if you go into a job where you are not provided the opportunity to exercise those gifts, then that's just a miserable situation for you and them. So take a pause as you're looking at these jobs, as you've done this research, as you've now understood your negotiables and your non-negotiables at this time in your life, take a pause and just do a relook at what brings you joy and those things that you do like to do in your career. What are those skills and those opportunities in which you want to develop? Because, just because you look at the job and you're like, oh, I don't have this, I don't have this, I don't have this, sometimes you need to sit down with someone and have them to talk with you about. Okay, well, you're looking to get into this job and you want to go in this arena, but you don't have these skills. But here's how you can. You don't have these specific skills or they may be looking for this specific thing, but you've done this over here and that translates. So start to think about what are those things that translate into those positions that you're looking for or even into the degree that you want to do. You want to go for Number five.

Speaker 1: 17:51

It's just letting go and knowing that you are collecting data along the way. You're collecting data in what you do, especially if you're new to leaving the bedside. Sometimes you just need to make a pit stop in certain roles to even understand and know how to operate outside of working at the bedside. Know that there is a gap between where you are and where you want to go. But that's the exciting part You're collecting data to know you have an idea.

Speaker 1: 18:32

Like when I left the bedside, I had an idea of what I liked to do, but it has evolved as time has gone on. It's evolved. It's still I, still my personal branding is still in place and there are still pieces and parts that I love, and so that really hasn't changed. But what I was looking for when I left the bedside is not what I'm looking for now, and I can tell you that it's still in the same area. So what I was looking for was hospital operations. I was looking to be a hospital administrator not that I will. I'm never saying never, never saying never. However, what I do love to do, like that's not necessarily what I do now, but I also love to mentor nurses and that's what I get to do now, and I also am finding other ways to make an impact on nursing practice and on healthcare within my roles within my professional organization and even within my role within my work. So there are just ways for you to go into different areas and collect data on.

Speaker 1: 19:53

I like this, or I'm picking up this skill, or I want to pick up this skill let's see how that works or I'm just going to dabble here like someone might be in school right now and you just need to slot yourself in a good job that just kind of holds you where you are. You're still using your skills of where you are, but you are on the horizon and you're looking for what is your next and you might not necessarily know what is your next, but you need to. Right now you're in a holding place so you can't move because you need to finish your degree. But then, once you finished your degree, then it's the okay. Well, what do I do next? And then from there you go forth and you make you collect data again. Like this whole data collection doesn't change because your thoughts change. The way you view healthcare changes, the way you view nursing changes.

Speaker 1: 20:48

I'm trying to change, change the way you view things so that you can be making these, these decisions, earlier versus later, so that you can make a comfortable decision, so that you can be comfortable in your decision making and moving forward, knowing that where you are you, you're not making a decision for a long term. You're saying, huh, this is something I can do for at least the next year or two, or because, lord knows, I've gotten into positions. I'm like, oh yeah, I'll be here for the next five years. I'm good Cause. I know I'm more than likely, depending on what's going on in life. You got me for probably about a good four, three to five years and then I'm more than likely moving on to the next opportunity. Now that might change depending on the role, depending on what I have going on outside of work and what does my growth, my career growth, look like outside of the four walls of where I work? But you're collecting data. So don't be afraid to just, you know, see those three to five positions and say, okay, I want to, um, I'm gonna apply for this one, and then, if you get it, say, okay, all right, now. Don't just go job hopping here and there and just be like, oh well, I'm and I've said this before I'm testing the waters. No, definitely, make sure that you're going into something where you feel like I want to grow in these skills and then collect data. Collect data as you go. When you're collecting data.

Speaker 1: 22:25

Here's some questions that you should ask yourself. When you're in a role where you're trying to figure out if this is this where I want to be or not, think about what will it take to achieve where you want to go? You're like Bonnie I don't really know where I want to go. You have an idea of what you want to impact, you have an idea for what is your passion, and if you really don't know where you want to go, then you need to book a call with me so we can talk about helping you to figure out where you want to go. That's what I do. I help people to pull those pieces together. What will it take to accomplish that goal? So, if you know where you want to go, where you want to finally end up, what do you want to finally end up doing, then what will it take to accomplish that goal? And then, who do you need to meet in order to move forward in that goal? And it doesn't have to be the president or CEO or whatever, but it's like who's right in front of you that you need to meet in order to have conversations with them about what does the next step look like?

Speaker 1: 23:45

Number six seek help from wise counsel. And God, you're high, you're powerful, and I say both because we just we can't make decisions in a silo and, more than likely, when we have said that prayer over trying to make a decision and then we have sought wise counsel from friends, from mentors, from career coaches I'm a career coach, someone whom you can come and seek wise counsel Then that's when you that helps you to make your decisions. It gives you some tools in your toolbox to know. Okay, well, this is the next right step for me. I've, you know this is the next right step for me. So, just you know, ask for wisdom in your decision making and then find that mentor that's sponsored, or career coach, and that's what I help people to walk through. Again, making a decision on, I've got this choice, this choice and this choice, and then you move forward from there and then, once you've done that, make a decision.

Speaker 1: 25:08

Many times we know all of these things but we're too afraid to step out and make a decision on what we want because we want to. We want the decision to be perfect. It will not be, but as long as you're headed in the direction that you want to go and you're focused on the task that will get you there, you'll be all right. There's much to be learned in taking the journey. Take the next logical step. You will only get clarity as you move forward. I cannot say that enough. Taking action brings clarity. So apply. Sometimes we get stuck and we don't even apply.

Speaker 1: 25:53

Apply to the job. Applying for the job only means that you've put out your intention and you've put your name in the hat. It doesn't mean you already have the interview for the job If the job is what you really want, and you already know the manager in that particular job reach out and see if they will have a conversation with you about that particular position. What I want you to do is take these principles and make the next move so that you're not stuck. It will not be perfect, but at least you know you've tried.

Speaker 1: 26:35

What we don't want you to do is be miserable. That's what we don't want you to do. I got a bonus point for you While you wait for your next move, lean into those current things at work that bring you joy, whether it's I love the people that I work with and so I'm going to enjoy going to work with them, whatever it may be. Lean into those things that bring you joy while you're waiting, while you're making that next move, so that it's not miserable in the waiting Until next time. I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, please like, share and subscribe to my channel. I'm going to be back with more videos like this next time. I'll see you next time.