The trip from aspiring nurse to retired nurse is often long, never boring, and usually full of twists and turns. Ask any nurse whose expertise you admire how she attained her valued status, and she'll probably laugh as she recalls the winding path of her own career. It most likely will be an interesting story that rarely suggests a journey toward a clear, single destination from the start. It's one of nursing's strengths that we need not feel confined to one specialty or care setting once we have achieved expertise in a given area. Constant education, initiative, diligence, curiosity, courage, and a measure of serendipity will carry a nurse through decades of employment.
Consider this brief description of my career. I left newspaper journalism because I wanted more than simply telling people's stories. I cared deeply about my subjects and knew there had to be a direct outlet for that. I took a job as an orderly in a local hospital's operating room while I earned my emergency medical technician certification. By that time, some friendly nursing instructors had convinced me to become an RN. Along the way, I took the LPN boards in order to begin earning a living while finishing nursing school. As an RN, I felt the ED was my "home," and my first certifications reflected this-CPR and ACLS. I later became certified in emergency and trauma nursing, yet the urge to work in publishing remained. Although I took other editorial positions, I never quit clinical nursing. I worked in large urban EDs and tiny rural EDs, where more often than not the patient was my neighbor or someone I knew as well as my own family. When the HMO I worked at as an urgent care nurse closed, I took a telephonic nurse position with the phone company, always moonlighting in an ED to keep my skills fresh. Eventually, I saw an ad for a position at AJN. It was a natural next step.FIGURE
I have been in this position for more than four years. Is this my last stop? Perhaps. I'm not 25 anymore, and I feel valued and appreciated here. But I've always had a deep interest in infectious diseases and a desire to be a neonatal intensive care nurse, if only for a few seasons. And my daughter is bugging me to join the Peace Corps with my wife, who is also a nurse.
Consider the background and experiences of the nurses on the AJN staff. We were emergency, critical care, chemotherapy, cardiac, and medical-surgical nurses. We were visiting, camp, obstetrical, neonatal, occupational health, school, primary care, long-term care, and labor and delivery nurses. We were adjunct college faculty, an assistant director of nursing, and a director of staff development and research. Our educational backgrounds range from diploma and bachelor's programs to doctorates in public health and nursing. And the certifications we held would put a bowl of alphabet soup to shame. With only a handful of nurses on staff, we have decades of experience among us. I doubt that any of us feel this is the last stop in our nursing career.
This guide contains the information you need to obtain the specialty certification that will direct you to the position that fits your talents and professional desires. An article on trends in nursing opportunities will help you decide which path is optimal for you. And an article on crafting a resume can help you land that coveted position. There are many ads to stimulate and focus your wanderlust, should you feel the urge to relocate. We've also provided a table of state-by-state inormation on licensure and the necessary contact information for state boards of nursing in case you do relocate. And if you're not already involved in a nursing organization, we've included a listing of national nursing organizations and their contact information as well. These organizations provide wonderful opportunities for networking, developing leadership skills, and participating in collective efforts to promote excellence in nursing and patient care.
Whether you're ready to build upon your present position or journey outside of it altogether, we're here to help.