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How to Get Ahead in Nursing

Network, Network, Network

Unfortunately, the reality of life is that it’s not what you know, but who you know. That means you should make networking a priority. It should be a natural habit, part of your daily routine. Make small talk with different nurses and check in with past colleagues and other professional connections via email once in awhile. Attend company happy hours and special events to get to know the higher ups in a less formal environment. Conferences are a great place to network outside of your hospital and connect with experts in your field. Networking doesn’t have to be in person — get a LinkedIn or NursingLink profile and keep track of all your professional contacts. You’d be surprised at how many new connections you can make! Just be careful about coming off as a brown-noser. Nobody likes a suck up.

Get Published

Find a few reputable health care trade magazines that professionals in your line of business read. Once you’ve got a feel for their editorial tone and content, try pitching out a few article ideas. Getting published in a trade magazine sets you apart from the crowd and makes you into a reliable nursing expert in your field. Who knows, maybe your boss will start taking advice from you!

Start a Blog

If print publication isn’t your thing, go online! Pick a blogging platform like Blogspot or Wordpress and have at it. Find a theme or niche subject that you have some experience in and begin writing about it. If you do it right and do it well, you’ll find your audience growing. But be careful — beware of badmouthing fellow nurses, patients, or your hospital. A professional blog shouldn’t turn into your personal rant.

Take Control

The bottom line? You have to take control of your nursing career. No amount of networking, business connections, or mentors is going to get you anywhere if you take the back seat. By showing initiative, taking responsibility, and being innovative, you are guaranteed to be noticed by the Powers That Be. Take the first step. Don’t be afraid! If you wait to get acknowledged, hope you’ll be praised, and wonder if you’re up to the task then you’re wasting your time. A little confidence goes a long way.

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