Ten Steps to Becoming a Nurse: Steps 7 - 10
7. Pass the NCLEX
There are many study guides to help you pass the NCLEX, and you can find some good ones here. It helps to take as many practice questions as you possibly can. Use tips on answering multiple-choice questions correctly. Have questions? You can always post a question on the NursingLink Student Lounge where you have access to thousands of seasoned nurses who may just share their expertise with you.
A common theme for NCLEX questions is prioritization. The question will give you a list of scenarios and ask which one you would attend to first. Don’t sweat these questions. They very often come down to this simple mnemonic: ABC, which stands for Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. The airway is always your first priority in any emergency situation. If an airway is blocked, oxygen cannot reach the lungs. The second priority is to assess whether the patient is actually breathing. Then the patient’s circulation is assessed by determining if they have a pulse. You will often find that NCLEX questions are testing your knowledge of this concept.
8. Consider Possibilities For Your First Job
There are many options for where you can work, and it may be hard to make a decision. Do your research and find out if the employers you are interested in offer orientations and support services. Observe the unit and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to jump right in and get your feet wet. You may surprise yourself.
9. Get Hired
You will be happy to find out that getting hired is truly “the easy step.” In nursing school, the employers come to you. as you will find yourself at many career fairs, with nurse recruiters from local hospitals trying to entice you with their cool pens and magnets. Do not be dazzled! Decide what you are looking for before the recruiters talk to you. Some things to consider include doing share time. Call the unit or floor where you would like to work and schedule some time to shadow a nurse. This simply means that you will spend some time observing a nurse at work so you can get a feel for how the unit operates, and whether or not you feel you will fit in.
10. Get Prepared For Your First Year As A Nurse
The first year on the job is often the toughest for new nursing graduates, especially those who work in hospitals. In fact, new nurse graduates account for more than half of the turnover rate in some hospitals, according to a study published in 2007 by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing researchers.
“There really are multiple reasons for [the first-year exodus],” says Patricia Benner, RN, PhD, professor at the University of California, San Francisco and a senior scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. “One is that nursing practice is incredibly complex. Over the past 60 years, the transfer of responsibility to nursing from medicine has been incredible. I think society doesn’t typically recognize that.”