Career Goals For Nurses

As with any other field, nurses should look into what their short and long term goals are, in order to advance themselves career-wise. Nurses may be considering these objectives if they're already in school, or are planning to enroll in advanced education. Factors to consider when goal-planning as a nurse include:

1. The Desired Position:

Planning for a general nurse in health care settings? A Bachelor's is well-suited for this position.

If you have goals as a nurse practitioner, midwife, clinical nurse specialist, anesthetist nurse, administrator or educator, then a higher education requirement will be needed, which is detailed below in the article.

2. The Working Environment:

Would you like to work in a hospital, a nursing home or a medical office? Industries with the highest nursing employment concentrations as per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, include general medical and surgical hospitals, home health care services, offices of physicians, nursing care facilities and outpatient care centers. There are also opportunities to work as a visitation nurse, or in niches such as travel and cruising, or in schools.

3. The Compensation Package:

In any career plan, the compensation package will be one of the top things to consider, and whether this salary meets the lifestyle preferences of the individual. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual salary for registered nurses in the year 2011 was $69,110. Think about whether or not the package includes benefits like a health plan, 401K and other popular perks.

4. The Educational Requirements:

Once you've determined the position, compensation and environment you want to work for, consider what educational requirements are needed for that goal. A supervisory nursing position for instance, will require a Bachelor's in Nursing Education. A master's degree is able to propel a general nurse into a supervisory role within a year or two, depending on the school's course length. The good news for nurses is that they are able to pursue higher education while working by going to school online, on weekends or in the evenings.

These are some of the most important factors to consider when planning for nursing goals. One surefire way to meet objectives more easily is with a plan. While there will certainly be uncontrolled variables, having a step-guide will help planners move from entry-level employment into more professional roles.

After a assessing, planning and implementing long and short term goals, nurses can then go on to periodically evaluate their own personal fulfillment in the field, and decide what needs work. Nursing one's career with goal planning, as most will find out, is the best way to succeed.