Nursing Roles
Nursing Roles Reflection
As I move forward in my nursing education, determining what areas of nursing which both interest me, and best compliment my strengths as a person is crucial in my success and happiness in the field of nursing. Throughout my life, I have developed a strong sense of empathy, and a willingness to help other people. I believe this is what led me to nursing, and is the fuel for the passion I have in the career of nursing. Beyond this, specializing in the field of nursing requires introspection in order to fully understand oneself, and one’s preferences, to select a chosen field.
The book Opportunities to care: the pfizer guide to careers in nursing models this, and what each specialty looks like. It has allowed me to see what life is like in each of these specialties, and the journey it took to get there, so that I can better align the specialty with who I am a person. This is why I believe that through someone’s life, certain traits have an effect on what area of nursing they should go into, and why Opportunities to care: the pfizer guide to careers in nursing has led me to believe that Cardiology and ER nursing are possible career paths for me. In regards to my own life, there are certain preferences and traits that I believe have an impact on which specialties I will enjoy, and which specialties might suit me better than other ones. Some of these traits include my ability to work under pressure, my patience and communication, and my preference to work in a fast paced environment. My ability to work under pressure is something that has formed over the many years of my life. I have developed this skill over my many years in sports, in leadership roles, and through internships in medical settings. The importance of being able to work under pressure is something that is immensely important in the medical setting, as patients can change in a matter of seconds, and you have to be able to think on your feet and act appropriately. In the Emergency department, thinking on your feet, and in stressful situations is the majority of what your job will be. This means that when extreme situations, such as events in an emergency room, arise, you are able to act quickly, efficiently, and confidently so that patients can receive the best care possible. The next personality trait important in choosing a nursing specialty is communication, and how you communicate with others. Nursing is a job in which working in a team is imperative, as you constantly have to work with other nurses, doctors, and patients to give them the best care possible. I have built my communication skills through many years of team sports, and leadership positions in school government. In sports, such as football, you are constantly communicating with your teammates in order to reach your team’s common goal. Many times this happens in quick succession, and under pressure. This simulates the healthcare setting well, as many times you need to be able to communicate quickly while under pressure with your team to help the patient. Communication applies to all fields of nursing, but the urgency in which the communication occurs is different in places such as the ER, and in cardiac nursing. This is why I believe communication is an important personality trait in nursing, and in choosing your specialty. The final aspect of myself which I think is important in choosing a nursing specialty is how you react, and whether you prefer to work under pressure. Due to the sheer number of different nursing specialties, the locations, patients, and levels of pressure and stress will greatly vary. In places like the ER, stress, and pressure will be more prevalent than in places such as recovery, or in geriatrics. It is important to know your preference, so that you don’t get into a situation where you feel overwhelmed or over your head. I am very well versed in working under pressure, as I have been in these stressful situations in sports, and in medical internships in hospitals. I believe this is why I would do good in places such as the ER or in Cardiac nursing, as my experience dealing with these situations will allow me to handle them confidently, and in the best way possible for success.
The novel Opportunities to care: the pfizer guide to careers in nursing gives an in depth explanation of different specialties, and what those specialties entail. This means that in reading the book I am able to envision which possible nursing path I think will fit best. One area of the novel talked about cardiac nursing, and what things are associated with that. This part elaborates on what the morning rounds are like for a cardiac nurse. It also goes on to talk about the actual medical conditions that are common amongst some of their patients. I found this part very interesting, as I recognized some of the conditions, and found extreme interest in all of the conditions. I also liked how there were different parts to cardiac nursing, where you could work some bedside, or work in a more specialized environment, such as a catheter lab. I really liked these different aspects of the same topic, and how they work together. This made me choose cardiac as a specialty that would be a good fit for me, because of the topic, schedule, and versatility in practice. The next specialty I think would be a good fit for me is Emergency Room nursing. The book shows the fast paced nature of Emergency Room nursing, and what kind of skills are needed to be successful in it. It shows how ER nurses take patients coming in, and what happens during an actual emergency visit. It talks about what cases they’ve seen in the emergency room, making me extremely interested in the topic. I also loved the fast paced nature in which the chapter was portrayed. In my life, I find myself bored if I am sitting for too long, and it makes me live in a fast paced manner. I enjoy being busy, and having multiple things on my plate, as it keeps me concentrated, and makes me more interested. The book Opportunities to care: the pfizer guide to careers in nursing showed detailed job descriptions, and patient care in multiple specialties. This allowed me to align the job descriptions with my interests so that I could see which specialties I think I might want to go into. Using this novel, and its descriptions, I can see myself pursuing Cardiac nursing and ER nursing.
