NURS 6003
Hello colleagues of ! My name is YY and I’m from the seacoast of New Hampshire. I currently work as an RN circulator in the operating room at a level II trauma center, with several years’ experience in level I and II trauma emergency departments. I started working as a nursing assistant, in and out of the hospital, my junior year of high school. I then achieved my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts: Dartmouth, directly after high school. After working several years in the emergency department, I achieved my board certification in emergency nursing! Shortly after achievement of my certification, I decided to return to school in pursuit of my Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner specialization.
My Goals and Walden’s Vision and Mission
According to Walden University’s MSN Career Outlook flyer, professionals with MSN degrees are in high demand, and the BLS reports 24,000 position openings per year for nurse practitioners (2021), highlighting the need for nurse practitioners. As a registered nurse from a diverse, well-rounded background, with an interest and drive to expand my critical thinking and clinical skills to better serve the community I live in, my values are in-line with those of the University. With an MSN from Walden, I will be able to turn my aspirations into impact and am ecstatic that Walden is driven to see students like me succeed in the 21st century classroom.
Once I achieve my MSN from Walden, I look forward to being able to pass the FNP board exam and expand my perioperative practice by obtaining first assistant certification. Transitioning into the operating room as an RN broadened my perspective on the multifaced role of the RN in the surgical care continuum. A nurse practitioner with the ability to provide care across the ages with additional surgical first assist education and training, is in a unique position to provide support to patients throughout their health journey (Zarnitz & Malone, 2006).
Networking
Jain et al. described networking as building mutually beneficial professional relationships (2011). Better patient outcomes were
attributed to nurses’ ability and drive to network, especially when it related to the learning and implementation of evidence-based practice (2011). Anders reported that networked-learning provided more meaningful and authentic learning as the student was more likely to retain and apply education that was meaningful to them (2018). For the budding nurse practitioner, networking is particularly important in finding practices, specialties, and places of employment that interest the student and is important to their success (Anders, 2018).
According to Schmidt, actively networking can greatly enhance the ability of the registered nurse to further their careers, assist their colleagues, and positively contribute to healthcare systems (n.d.). As I begin this program and continue to work as a circulator in the operating room, I am building my relationships with providers throughout the hospital I work for in order to create the greatest number of opportunities as practicum and employment as a nurse practitioner are in the near future! I look forward to working with you all this semester.
References
Anders, A. D. (2018). Networked learning with professionals boosts students’ self-efficacy for social networking and professional development. Computers & Education, 127, 13–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.08.009
Jain, A. G., D’Souza, R. Q. P., & Shukri, R. (2011). Personal and professional networking: A way forward in achieving quality nursing care. International Journal of Nursing Education, 3(1), 1–3.
Schmidt, K. (n.d.). 5 Reasons Nurses Should Engage in Professional Networking [web log]. https://blog.bluepipes.com/5-reasons-nurses-should-take-professional-networking-seriously/.
Walden University. (n.d.). https://www.waldenu.edu/-/media/walden/files/programs/msn/msn-career-outlook-infographic.pdf?rev=6d998553caf04b8288b7760e811a67cc&hash=6B5F5DC85DECFD8154C0C2A766AADA4C.
Zarnitz, P., & Malone, E. (2006). Surgical nurse practitioners as registered nurse First Assists: The Role, historical perspectives, and educational training. Military Medicine, 171(9), 875–878. https://doi.org/10.7205/milmed.171.9.875