Planning your Professional Development:
Professional development is important for any professional career. Lifelong learning helps foster a positive healthcare environment for both nurses and patients. But how can nurses participate in professional development and expand on their career experiences?
The ANA and Herzing University invite you to explore ways to prioritize your professional growth this nurses month (and every month), so you can continue making a difference in your community while growing in your role!
Hear from Experienced Faculty
“Nursing is both a professional pathway as well as a personal calling. At Herzing University, we want to help our students and graduates balance both by becoming passionate and dedicated nurses who succeed in their careers. From our advisors, clinical support, and professional partnerships to the tight-knit nursing cohorts, we try to create an environment that fosters our ‘I’m possible’ mentality.
For my own personal nursing journey, I decided to further my career by going into nursing education. I’m passionate about training qualified nurses and sharing my knowledge with students who are training to hold a position in healthcare that is needed and respected.”
Quick Tips for Professional Development Success
The best way to decide what to do next is to understand where you want to be. What are your goals and aspirations? Maybe you’re a Registered Nurse looking to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. No matter your reason, identifying an end goal will make it easier to map out your path for moving forward.
Find out what skills or certifications you need to move your career forward. Make a list of what you need to find success and start your research on what you need to do to obtain these degrees or certifications.
Talk with your manager or coworkers about where you hope to take your career. You may receive valuable advice to help with your next steps.
It’s important to network and make connections with those in the healthcare space. You may learn helpful information from your coworkers, hear about an open position or even make a connection for clinical placement.
When you begin down your path to success, don’t give up! Stay dedicated and embrace what you’re embarking on. You’re going to be challenged, but it will be worth it.
Since 1965, Herzing University has offered personalized and supportive education to help over 40,000 students earn their degrees and advance their careers. With our 10 campuses across seven states and our online division, you can find innovative nursing programs that provide students with flexible learning formats and scheduling. Herzing has a variety of academic programs to meet your needs wherever you are in life, including undergraduate and graduate programs.
Herzing University, a private, nonprofit institution, is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the “Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs” in 2022.
Professional Development Webinar
Date/Time: On-demand
Speaker: Lisa Carr, Herzing University Workforce Development Account Manager
Description: Learn more about the various educational programs and specializations that could open doors to a variety of new career opportunities for nurses.
Are you interested in earning your nurse practitioner license but aren’t sure which specialty you should go into? Take this quiz to find out!
Nurses Share their Professional Development Journey
“Go for it! It’s so rewarding on so many levels. People look up to you, and it’s a good feeling knowing that you’re helping people. As a registered nurse and/or a nurse practitioner, you can work almost anywhere in the world and you can have so many career options. You can become a family nurse practitioner, a director of nursing, a neonatal nurse – the opportunities seem endless.”
- Rosalind Cruz
“My name is Melissa and my clinical experiences in nursing school helped me decide what kind of nurse I wanted to be and what environment I’d like to work in. I completed my clinicals in a nursing home, a rehab center, and multiple units in a couple of different hospitals, including labor and delivery and transplants. I eventually found my passion for in-home care and now work as a Certified Nursing Assistant in Lake Mary, Florida. In the future, I hope to earn a master’s degree in nursing leadership or nursing education, but, for now, I plan to continue learning and grow as an RN.”
- Melissa Rios
Professional Development Resources
Here are the key differences between master’s and doctorate degrees and why they are viable education options.
If you are feeling burned out in your nursing career, the healthcare industry is full of unconventional nursing opportunities outside of a hospital setting that could be open to you.
It was written by an MSN student. “I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2017 and it wasn’t long before I started thinking about advancing my education with an MSN.”
Here are some of the most common questions to ask yourself when considering the next chapter of your education journey.
Career Article published by Fred that goes over the different types of NPs that Herzing Offers.
Ready to earn your nursing degree? Connect with Herzing University today to see what educational pathway is best for you. Don’t forget that Herzing’s enrollment fee is currently waived!