Working in a healthcare system is one of the most challenging yet honorable career paths a person can choose. Influenced by great medical dramas, such as House M.D. or Grey’s anatomy, people tend to romanticize this profession, thinking their whole workday will solely consist of rescuing people’s lives. It’s partially true. Medical workers also have to deal with a bulk of paperwork and various administrative issues. However, if you feel that helping people inspires you, let’s consider it one of the most common ways of breaking into the medical field. How to become a nurse? What does this profession include? Can I work as a nurse abroad? Specialists from Jooble, one of the leading job search engines worldwide, have prepared answers to these questions.
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What do nurses do?
People in this profession are gods of multitasking because the scope of their responsibilities is impressive. The main nurse’s duty is to provide patients with the necessary care. They organize and maintain this process. Nurses also speak and observe people who come to the hospital. They may assess their condition before transferring to dedicated experts. Nurses record patients’ symptoms and keep clinical records. Among other tasks, they prepare patients for doctor’s exams and clinical procedures, monitor their conditions afterwards and check them for possible side effects or allergic reactions.
Nurses also assist doctors during medical procedures and even perform these things themselves. For example, it can be wound cleaning or drawing blood. Sometimes nurses get involved in laboratory work too. Creating and implementing a patient care plan also belong to their responsibilities. Nurses communicate a lot not only with patients but also with their families. Moreover, nurses are involved in educating students on various public health topics.
How to become a nurse?
Medical education varies from country to country. States impose different entry requirements and offer diverse ways to get a degree. The course content also varies dramatically. Here we would draw the most crucial and common stages on your way to this career.
Education is the first step to become a medical specialist. It’s crucial to decide which field attracts you the most. For example, it could be children’s nursing, learning disability nursing, mental health or adult one. In some countries (for example, in the UK) students can pursue a so-called dual degree that lets you study several fields simultaneously. If you have started your education but want to switch to nursing, there is no need to start from scratch. If these fields are health-related ones, psychology, social work, or life science, you can smoothly transit to the nursing degree.
One qualifies by obtaining a degree in nursing. It includes a lot of theoretical studies and hands-on experience. Future specialists are going to receive knowledge and get skills in hospitals and community settings.
One of the most prominent ways how to land this profession is taking the nurse degree apprenticeship. This flexible path of getting a degree offers even more practice and hands-on experience at hospitals, mental health facilities, and so on.
The next step is passing the National Council Licensure Examination and obtaining state licensure if you plan to launch your career in the US. Since professional regulation on the state level may vary dramatically, read more about becoming a nurse in the chosen place.
If you decide to build your career in the UK, your next stop will be registering with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. Getting their certification will mean you are recognized by the professional regulator and meet the standards of practice and behavior approved for the nurses in the United Kingdom.
As we see, getting certified by national or state regulators is an indispensable part of becoming a nurse. Yet, it won’t mark the end of your educational journey. To get a higher salary and better employment opportunities, you need to level up your skills by earning a master’s degree or obtaining extra experience during clinical training. Additional certifications also will strengthen your portfolio and make it more attractive to potential employers.
Can I work as a nurse abroad?
If you think about seeking a job as a nurse abroad, keep in mind several crucial factors. It requires scrutinizing information about professional regulations in the chosen country and a good command of the language in the state you consider as your next workplace.
You are most likely to get an offer if your previous career history looks impressive. The more experience you have, the better. If your path has just begun, compensate for years of work with certifications and training to improve your skills.
Since nurses have to communicate with patients, their families, and other colleagues a lot, your language level will matter as well. To take care of people effectively and practice safely, you will need at least a basic language level of the country where you want to work.
Your education will be scrutinized by potential employers. In many cases, diplomas get mutually recognized, so your education will be valid in the chosen country. However, sometimes authorities may ask foreign specialists to get local certifications or pass exams to make sure you’re on the same page with other medical workers. Providing proof of licenses is a common practice. So, be prepared for some paperwork.
Working as a nurse is a rewarding job. You help people and make their life better. It is also well-paying and offers more career opportunities. If you feel motivated to launch this career path, don’t hesitate to apply for a degree.
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