How Do You See Yourself Contributing to The Nursing Profession: Reflection

Introduction

The first point of contact for patients and clients in the healthcare field are Nurses. For this reason, nurses should demonstrate compassion and sympathy. Nurses are not only responsible for medical care but also play a vital role in offering emotional support and guidance. They are one of the vertebrates of the health care industry. They are the initial connection for patients, often being the first people a patient sees before the doctor and after the doctor leaves. How do you see yourself contributing to the nursing profession? As a nurse, you provide care to people through your own mortality along with professional and ethical standards. The nursing profession is a complex occupation and has high prospects to warrant that the highest level of safety, ethical, and quality care are being provided to patients and their families Vance, C. (2011).

The Importance of Compassionate Nursing

In most nursing facilities, some nurses may combat conflicting subjects from their workplace, colleagues, the patients, or even their own personal beliefs. Nurses are responsible for contributing to a moral environment that demands their respect. Nurses must scrutinize the conflicts that mount between their own personal and professional values, the ethics of associates who are also responsible for patient care and healthcare decisions American Nurses Association. (2015). It can be difficult to distinct what is considered legally right and morally right.

Nurses either accept or reject specific role demands and assignments based on their education, knowledge, competence, experience, following their assessment of the level of risk for patient safety. It is not wise to take on a role that one is not trained to do, no matter what leader ask it of you. Nurses are responsible for evaluating their own competence. When the needs of a patient are beyond the qualifications or competencies of the nurse, that nurse must pursue consultation and collaboration from qualified nurses, other health professionals, or other appropriate resources according to American Nurses Association. (2015). A Nurse taking on a role that they are not prepared or trained for could be a deadly mistake. Nurses may not assign responsibilities such as assessment and evaluation, however, they may delegate selected interventions according to state nurse practice acts. Nurses must not knowingly assign or represent to any member of the nursing team a task for which that person is not prepared or qualified to do. Assigning a task to a nurse that is beknown to him could be costly and unsafe for patients. Nurses in administration, education, and research also have obligations to the recipients of nursing care. Although their relationships with patients are less direct, they share responsibility for the care provided by those whom they supervise and teach. Laws that are prohibited should not be practiced by any nurse whether their work environment is in the vicinity of patients or not. When a nurse professional is teaching, you are providing skills and lessons to others that they will utilize in the nursing field. It is not only a reflection of them as a student, but you as a teacher as well. American Nurses Association. (2015).

Every state encompasses a legal sanction known as the Nurse Practice Act. Each licensed nurse is to grasp and observe the content of the nurse practice act in their state. Professions collaborate to determine the nature and scope of nursing exercises within the state to protect the health and safety of the general public. “Individuals who become nurses are required to not only to adhere to the principles and moral norms of the profession, however conjointly embrace them as an area of what that means to be a nurse” Vance, C. (2011). Following the Nurse Practice Act holds nurses to a standard and keep them within guidelines to avoid being careless and operating as they see fit in the healthcare field.

For one to become a RN, they must first graduate from an accredited school of nursing and pass a licensing examination known as NCLEX to be a Registered Nurse. There is no passing score for the NCLEX, but you are required to pass 50 percent of the questions of the test. The primary purpose of the licensing examination is to protect the public from unsafe or uneducated practitioners. Licensing is a legal requirement in every state. Nurses may be licensed in more than one state, either by examination, endorsement of a license issued by another state, or through an agreement between multiple states to accept a nurse license.

Contributing to the Nursing Profession

There are two ways to earn a degree and become a RN, either get an ASN or BSN. The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) is a program that only requires 2 years and is traditionally offered at a community college. A Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) is a 4-year degree program typically from a University. BSN’s are often highly recommended by most healthcare facilities. Many employers look more favorably upon graduates of a 4-year program. There are roles that nurses who acquired a BSN are more likely to be able to take on or oversee that those who only has an ASN are not. Nursing education includes classroom instruction, supervised clinical experience in hospitals, and other health facilities. Before qualifying or being accepted into the nursing program, students must take and pass the following courses in anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and more to name a few sciences. In a 4-year bachelor’s degree program, the nursing major is often focused on in the last 2 years of school. It’s foreseen there may come a time when a bachelor’s degree is the minimum degree required to become a RN and in some healthcare facilities today this is already in practice. Some Nursing positions require a BSN such as administrative, analyst roles, and nursing specialization. Institute for Career Research. (2006).

Locally in my state of Miami, FL, Miami Dade College or MD has an ASN program in which a student can receive their degree in 2 years. To receive a BSN a student could attend FIU or any 4-year university of their choosing that has an accredited nursing program. After which they can take the required registered test and start in their field. There is a major cost gap in attending a Community college vs. a University. To attend a nursing program at a community college such as MDC with a degree in BSN it would average to a $1,559.00 per term for residents and $6,432.00 for non- residents according to the www.MDC.edu website. At a Miami University such as FIU the cost of attending would average out to $14,390 for residents and $43,321 for non- residents according to the website at www.FIU.edu.

The demand for nurses in 2017 is the highest it’s ever been. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that employment for registered nurses is expected to increase by 16% through 2024. That growth rate is much faster than the average for all occupations, making nursing a valuable field to go into Travel Nursing. (2017). The number of new RN jobs created through 2018 will be 581,500 Hosts. HealthCare. (2019).

Future Prospects and Aspirations in Nursing Profession

When driving around Miami, FL there are a copious number of billboards that I see advertising for people to become nurses throughout the city. When doing research, I’ve only come across a couple of news articles, advertising on how to become a nurse. When becoming an RN salary will range from as low as $30,000 to $65,000. There are influences that can determine your salary such as where you work, what state you work in, educational background. Nurses with a M.S are paid a higher salary than those with just an ASN. As well as the number of nurses in your area if there is a shortage then you would make more compared an area that is overpopulated with nurses. After 5 years of employment, annual salaries average out to about $50,000, and after working10 to 15 years, the average increases in average about from $15,000 to $65,000. The median annual earnings are about $45,000. The middle 50 percent earn between $37,750 and $55,000. Career Research. (2006). For career advancement and an increase in income, further education is needed such as a M.S. or Ph.D.

After researching there are organizations that Registered Nurses can join in local as well as national level. For example, according to Florida Nurses Association and their site at https://www.floridanurse.org/page/Benefits, to become a member of the FNA it is an annual fee of $190.00. The fee helps with the cost of administration and cost of other nursing benefits. Joining an organization will help keep you in the loop of what is happening in the healthcare industry. There are also Nursing Journals that one can subscribe to. There are a myriad of journals, but one of the most popular is the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) according to the website at https://shop.lww.com/American-Journal-of-Nursing--AJN-/p/0002-936X the subscription is $34.00 annually. Being knowledgeable would not only keep one informed of what is going on nationwide, but when you need to continue your education.

Continuing education units are required annually in many states and usually cover a variety of topics focusing on many nursing interests. RNs are required to complete 24 hours of applicable continuing education during each renewal period Florida Board of Nursing. (N.D.)

Even without obtaining an advanced degree, many certifications and other continuing education programs can help nurses to attain higher paid positions that can raise their salary and increase their ability for advancement. For example, an ADN could go back to school to obtain their bachelor’s in nursing. Some healthcare facilities have reimbursement programs. While employed if a RN return to school to further their career, their employer will reimburse for the schooling. Having a BSN can also give nurses an edge when applying for new job opportunities in the healthcare field. Nursejournal.org Staff Writers. (2019).

Conclusion

Science has always been a passion of mine as well as a career in the medical field. I see myself working as a RN in a Miami hospital utilizing skills I’ve learned while obtaining my degree. Compassion and patience are primary to me, and these are a couple of the many non-teaching skills needed to become a nurse. I plan on graduating from Miami Dade College with an ASN. After receiving my degree, obtain a job in a local hospital or facility as a nurse. Subsequently, after a year of being a nurse and becoming acclimated to the scenery, I will return to school to receive my BSN. There are more opportunities for nurses with a BSN and would like to provide myself with those opportunities. One of the many things I enjoy most about nursing is that there are an abundant of nursing careers in hospitals, research facilities, and teaching. Nurses are not limited to just working in hospitals or clinics. Three years after receiving my BSN I plan to work as an E.R nurse. According to Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Ea., E. E. (2012) some hospitals require that nurses have at least 1-3 years of acute care experience before working as an E.R nurse. Although I want to be an E.R Nurse, I do not want to limit myself to just there, but exceed to as far as I am able to go. After 2 years of working as an E.R nurse, I will return to school to receive my M.S in Nursing. Having a master’s degree will further my opportunities in the nursing field and minimize the limits of nursing areas that I can pursue. Obtaining my ASN, BSN, and M.S.N will require another 5 years of schooling. I can do anything with determination.  

Works Cited

1. American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. Silver Spring, MD: American Nurses Association.
2. Career Research. (2006). Nursing, Registered Nurse. Chicago, IL: Institute for Career Research.
3. Florida Board of Nursing. (N.D.). Continuing Education. Retrieved from http://floridasnursing.gov/renewals/continuing-education/
4. Fitzpatrick, J. J., & Ea., E. E. (2012). A Retrospective Study of New Graduate Nurses' Clinical Decision-Making. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing, 9(4), 244-251.
5. Hosts. HealthCare. (2019). 25 Best Nursing Jobs. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare-host.com/25-best-nursing-jobs/
6. Nursejournal.org Staff Writers. (2019). 30 Best Nursing Career Choices. Retrieved from https://nursejournal.org/community/30-best-nursing-career-choices/
7. Travel Nursing. (2017). The Rise of the Travel Nurse: Trends in Nurse Staffing. Retrieved from https://www.travelnursing.org/travel-nursing-industry-trends/
8. Vance, C. (2011). Nursing and Human Rights: Historical Narratives from the Global South. New York, NY: Routledge.