Career Exploration
Part I: Career Research
I choose to research on a nursing profession for several reasons but mainly based on its contribution to healthcare and social-economic stability. To begin with, a nursing profession appeals to me based on its practicability. Today, more than ever nursing is the leading profession in regard to openness and rapid development with close to a hundred percent job placement and payment decency. The major details that I research in regard to the nursing profession revolves around its payment ranges, outlook, needed skills, working condition, duties, labor force size and values. Based on this research nursing accommodates the highest staffing size among major sectors in the country and globally but the existing nursing shortage is bound to increase further in the next few years (BLS, 2015). Nursing is currently the forerunning profession in regard to job security as nurses represents the utmost healthcare workers in America (BLS, 2015). Nursing is a profession that interests many but only pursued by those that are objective about being transformative.
Nursing being among the fastest growing professions in the world creates the need for hiring more nurses when equated to other healthcare workers thus creating more working opportunities. It is apparent that nurses play the major role in treatment and healthcare services as they spend most of their working time with the patients when equated to doctors who are only responsible for examinations and major services that still require the assistance of these nurses. I also found that that nursing will experience a 6 percent growth in the next three years (BLS, 2015). There are more roles in nursing that it is universally assumed and its applicability is overwhelming. These opportunities are mainly driven by the increasing retirements, healthcare service’s needs, aging populace and the need for quality and convenient care. Today, nursing is considered statistically to be the safest cover from socio-economic slowdowns not only based on the fact that it provides desirable payments but also because it is characterized by unending grounds for a profession and economic exploitation (Black & Chitty, 2014).
In addition, this profession is of interest because of my desire to help others while pursuing complex and yet an interesting profession that derives positive outcomes on individual’s lives. In that, the profession exposes an individual to participate in varying patient care services that in turn contributes significantly to an individual’s skills, knowledge, and experience. The thing that surprised me most from the research is that nursing is characterized by the highest growth expected in the next few years yet there is a significant nursing shortage in the country. This, therefore, shows that more and more people are required to fill this gap that is in existence in order to provide not only quality but reliable healthcare services (BLS, 2015). The other thing that surprised me is that this profession is characterized by positive payments and close to a hundred percent replacement which implies that majority of those that pursue this profession is guaranteed of working opportunities. Based on the advancement of healthcare and the increasing older population it is apparent that the highest population is in need of medical services in order to reduce the agony that is related to the increasing health issues (BLS, 2015). In this context, the most suitable contribution is to take part in the provision of medical and professional care in general to support quality existence. The potential to integrate with suffering patients in their most agonizing times is particularly a challenging task both physically and emotionally but it is actually a major source of satisfaction.
This research findings reinforce my choice for this profession in that it is a major contributor to social wellness. It is without a doubt that nurses particularly contributes extensively to individual’s health both emotionally and physically which in turn contributes to socio-economic growth (Black & Chitty, 2014). Changing the lives of individuals particularly those that are in pain cannot be underrated because it is not a role that can be played by everyone. In addition, the fact that the current shortage is bound to rise further despite the expected growth is worrying because the profession is in need of more participants to fill the existing and the growing opportunities. My reaction to this findings is particularly positive because they triggered my interests and the need to help people even more. Personally, I am driven by the desire to transform lives and offer assistance to those that are in need in any ethical and dependable means. It is interesting to understand that nursing is not a profession that is only driven by skills, knowledge, and experience but also passion and commitment are a major necessity. Efficiency is that which is triggered by the inner being rather than the values related to finances and career fulfillment (Black & Chitty, 2014). The best profession satisfaction is the one that generates long run and positive transformation on communities.
Part II: Informational Interview
An individual that I would like to contact for an informational interview is Vernice Davis Anthony the CEO of Great Detroit Area Health Council for has been for the longest time be advocating and leading in addressing health problems that affect the vulnerable communities in America. I choose to conduct an interview on Vernice based on her nursing experience and leadership in advocating for patient issues to be handled effectively. From this interview, I learned that passion and commitment are essential characteristics of an effective nurse in the contemporary society. In that nursing is not about payment but what drives the person that is participating in the healthcare industry. The challenges encountered in conducting and completing the interview includes time and experience limit. Having not conducted any formal interview previously it was challenging to gather my courage and progress. In addition, Vernice is a busy professional and thus getting enough time to communicate with her was challenging but worth the struggle. The interview has helped in understanding that nursing is a demanding profession and thus several skills that I should develop include communication and decision-making skills. The steps needed is more research on the profession and academic focus.
Part III: Interview Questions
- What does a nursing profession entail?
- What are the actual academic and training requirements necessary for a nursing profession?
- What roles specifically do one play as a nurse?
- What does it take to become an effective nurse?
- Are nursing profession opportunities expected to grow further and why?
- Do you think that the nursing shortages will increase further? Or are those that pursue the profession not enough?
- What advice would you offer to those aspiring to pursue nursing profession?
References
BLS. (2015). Healthcare Occupations. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
Black, B. P., & Chitty, K. K. (2014). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier.
