Experience of a New Graduate Nurse: Career Planning
New graduate nurses are finding the transition from being a student to a registered nurse. Many new graduates are bombarded with challenges and problems especially in finding work and building a long-term career. This paper is about the experience of a new graduate nurse in career planning for her career in the field of nursing. Let us begin our discussion with the experience of our subject in her search for a job and her first interview experience.
Why did you choose to study Nursing?
Being a nurse has always been my childhood dream. I wanted to be a nurse because I know that I have skills in caring for and helping other people. The main reason why I chose to study nursing is because I love to help the people in need and I believe that I will contribute more if I become a nurse. The idea of giving hope to people and taking care of them and being there for them is very promising and rewarding for me.
Can you tell me something about your experience as a graduate Nurse?
Like other new graduates, I had difficulties with the transition process. It was hard at first. During my first year at work, I had difficulties especially in the application of what I have learned at school. I realized that there are things that are not taught at school. In addition, I was not thoroughly prepared for the world of work. One particular area that I was having difficulties was career planning. I was not aware of its importance and how it can help me in the long run. The organization that I am working for have different career development programs but I was not interested because I did not know its importance.
Was the transition Difficult?
Yes, the transition was difficult, and I did not have any idea where to start. I know that I need to look for a job but I did not know what I was looking for and which is the best for me. There were numerous opportunities but I wanted a career, something that can last long. I am looking for a long-term employment. I heard many stories about new graduates finding seemingly great jobs but ending up complaining about stress, pressure and dissatisfaction. There are so many graduates I know that were hopping from one job to another and are complaining that their jobs are not rewarding. I did not want to experience that.
What was your experience in applying for your first job?
As a new graduate I was really excited to work as a registered nurse. I sent my application to various hospitals that I found on the newspapers and the internet. I thought that I was well prepared for an interview. I am aware of the increasing demand for nursing graduates. Therefore, I thought that the whole application process will be easy; However, I discovered that I was not that easy and that I was not prepared for the interview and that I have so many things to learn. That is when I realized that in order for me to succeed as a registered nurse, I need to plan my career.
Looking back at your experience and the experiences of the graduates that you know, what do you think is the biggest problem in transition?
I think the biggest problem is being unable to plan our careers in nursing. I believe that a rewarding, fulfilling, satisfying and successful career, whether in the nursing field or other fields starts with a good career plan. As new graduates we need to have a clear idea of what we want to achieve. We need to establish our goals and objectives early on.
Do you think that career planning is important, Why?
Yes, I believe that it is important to plan your career. There are different opportunities that await a graduate nurse. Sometimes we get blinded by our desire to earn big money. There is no problem with that, but I think we must really focus on the things that are important to us. Career planning helps us to create a career path and to assess our strengths and weaknesses and the things that we want to achieve in the future. I believe that if we plan our careers well, we can be satisfied with our careers and we will be able to explore our career options and make sound decisions.
How did you plan you career as a Nurse?
I started my career planning with my self-assessment. I ask myself about what is really important to me. What my priorities are and what am I looking for in a career. I also considered the job factors such as working conditions and physical environments that I think will have an impact on my career.
Next, I conducted some research about the different career fields and career opportunities that I can explore. I think that being aware of the conditions and what the job entails is helpful, as it will aid us in making a sound decision.
Does the organization that you currently work in have career-planning programs?
Yes, actually our organization facilitates career development activities for employees.
Career Planning and Development
The aim of this paper is to promote the importance of making a sound career plan as early as graduating from the university. The researcher aims to encourage nursing students to take responsibility in managing their own careers and making career goals before entering the workforce. Career planning is a continuous process and planning one’s career early has long-term benefits. The paper also aims to stress the importance of career planning as early as the first year in the organization. The researcher believes that a new employee is responsible for his or her own career. He or she must take the initiative to be aware of the career opportunities that are available within the organization.
Career Planning
According to Robert (2003) knowing one’s self includes values, both work and personal. Identifying work and personal values can help one focus and then explore those careers that would provide fulfillment. Values of nursing include social justice, respect for the dignity of life and professional responsibility to society. Nurses have expressed strong interests in helping, nurturing, and caregiving along with physical assessment knowledge and wellness. Identifying the types of patients that a registered nurse wants to work with and the life stages that he or she finds interesting are examples of the information that a registered nurse needs in conducting a self-assessment. A nurse must have skills, including general and specific competencies and personality traits. Skills according Robert (2003) to can include competencies that often transfer across different nursing practices. An example of transferring skills across nursing practice would be a nurse who initially started in the field as an emergency room nurse and then moved to a rural health clinic and is now working as a home health nurse.
Professional development is a continuous process that involves assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation so that one can successfully manage his or her practice and life. A career plan is important in building a career in nursing. One must always asses his or her career in a regular basis. Career planning is a continuous process that involves resume update and career plan and goals review. There are different ways in which a nurse can improve his or her career. One can take minor steps such as learning a new skill, attending conferences or joining a committee. There are also major steps such as returning to school or making a career shift. A new graduate nurse needs to have a clear idea of how he or she wants to improve her practice and what steps are he or she going to take in order to have a long-term career development (Nurses Association of New Brunswick 2001).
Career Stages
There are three sequential career stages people experience in an organizational setting. These are:
- Establishment – first year
- Advancement – years 2-4
- Maintenance – years 5 and beyond (Hall and Nougaim 1968; Super 1957)
The fist stage is characterized by skill building and competency development, the second by upward mobility and the last by leveling off and reduction of competition (Morrison 1991). Career stages may be interpreted in terms of the career decisions individuals face. The early years after choosing an occupation and a first job are a time for evaluation and decisions about sticking with it or moving on to another job or perhaps to a different occupation. This is a period of initiating career goals and plans, which is also a type of career decision. Mid-career is often a time of re-assessment of the career goals in light of career progress. This may result in drastic changes or simply adjustment or affirmation of career goals.
Career Development Activities
Organizations facilitate career development activities in order to encourage employees to plan their career. Employees can participate in a number of career development programs in the organization.
1. Career Planning
Career planning is the process of setting individual career objectives and creatively developing activities that will achieve them. Career planning is a personal process consisting of three criteria:
- Broad life planning
- Development planning
- Performance planning (Walker 1980)
2. Career Awareness
Employees are the one who are responsible for the development of their careers. Employees control decisions such as whether to remain in the organization, whether to accept specific occupational assignments, whether to perform at acceptable levels, and even whether to engage in personal growth activities through training or professional continuing education. The organization needs to create an environment conducive for growth, one that encourages career development. Employees are the ones responsible in creating plans that will enable them to accomplish their career goals, analyze potential career areas, and determine if they possess the skills competencies and knowledge necessary to be considered serious candidates for such positions (Gilley and Eggland 1998). The organization is responsible for career awareness and providing the means for career awareness.
3. Career Resource Center
Career resource center generally provide occupational guides, educational references, career planning guides and computer programs aimed at assisting employees in determining their career interests, values and competencies. These materials increase the effectiveness and efficiency of career planning and provide employees with alternative approaches to career development (Gilley and Eggland 1998).
3. Organization Awareness
The employee is also responsible in becoming aware of the career opportunities available within their present organization. During performance appraisals and evaluations, employees need to discuss their career goals with HR personnel and management. This communicates a sincere interest in career advancement. Also during performance appraisals, employees should request information on the future direction of the organization and ascertain if their personal career focus is consistent with the organization’s.
Responsibility of the Employee – Career Planning
Career Planning is a process of setting up employee career objectives and developing activities that will achieve them. According to Sim’s (2002), career planning is the process by which an individual formulates career goals and develops a plan for reaching those goals.
Outcomes of Career Planning
1. Broad Life Planning – In broad life planning, interests, abilities, experiences, aptitudes, and values are analyzed, resulting in improved self-concept and projected self as related to careers (Sims 2002).
2. Development Planning – Developmental planning focuses on a realistic evaluation of future career options and opportunities and the creation of activities that will prepare individuals for future jobs and future career decisions (Sims 2002).
3. Performance Planning – Performance planning centers around the identification of specific job demand goals and priorities and the reward expectations of current job assignments. Specific training needs, performance activities, priorities, and explanations, as well as financial compensation, are identified, and the result is successful completion of stated objectives and goals (Sims 2002).
Who are responsible for Career development?
Every employee is responsible for his or her career. Career development according to Gilley and Eggland (2002) is an organized planned effort of structured activities or processes that result in a mutual career plotting effort between employees and the organization. Career development is a collaboration between the employees and the organization. The employees are the ones responsible for career planning while the organization is responsible for career management.
Organization’s Role
The organization is responsible for career management. The organization must develop an appropriate awareness and appreciation of career development. The organization must facilitate career development. The organization is responsible for developing and communicating career options within the organization to the employee. The organization is responsible in advising the employee about the possible career paths that he or she can take.
Conclusion
Based on the interview and the research conducted by the researcher, it was found that career planning is an important skill that every new graduate should master. During the first year of a new graduate in an organization he or she must also initiate career development. He or she must make himself or herself aware of the different career paths and opportunities that are available within the organization. The organization also has a role in career development. The organization must make sure that information about the different career options are available. The organization must also facilitate career development through the provision of different activities and programs.
References
Career Planning for Nurses (2001). Nurses Association of New Brunswick. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www.nanb.nb.ca/pdf_e/Publications/General_Publications/Career_Planning_for_Nurses_English.pdf
Gilley, J. W. and Eggland, S. A. (1998). Principles of Human Resource Development. Reading MA: Perseus Publishing.
Hall D. T. and Nougaim K. E. (1968). An examination of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy in an Organizational Setting. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 3, 12-35.
Morrison, R. F. and Adams, J. (Eds.). (1991). Contemporary Career Development Issues. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Robert, T. (2003). Launching your Career Search. In J. M. Novotny et al. (Eds.), 101 Careers in Nursing. New York: Springer.
Sims, R. (2002). Organizational Success through Effective Human Resources Management. Westport CT: Quorum Books.
Super D. E. (1957). The Psychology of Careers. New York: Harper and Row.
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