The Seasons of a Nursing Career

It is definitely winter in the Midwest, and we have gotten quite a bit of snow in January, and there’s no sign of it letting up. The nights are long, and the constant bundling up of my kids and myself has gotten old- fast. 

As we go through the different seasons of the year, I correlate this to the different seasons in our nursing career. During my time as a manager, I often watched and mentored nurses through the many seasons of their careers.  We will not always be 100% happy with our career each and every day. Many times, outside factors impact how engaged we are at work, and this is totally normal.

At the start of our career, it feels like spring! We are eager to learn, and each day feels new and exciting.  As we progress from a novice nurse to competent, we move into the summer days. We are getting used to the daily routine, we start to see familiar patients, we are confident in our education and explanations of procedures and medications.

Listen to a new podcast, like Med-Surg Moments or plan to attend the AMSN conference in Las Vegas, September 21st-23rd, 2023. This helps you to not feel isolated, and to know that the concerns you see in your med-surg patient population are being felt by others as well.

We start to engage in unit committees; work towards certification; join nursing organizations, like AMSN; and focus on moving up a clinical ladder, or maybe work as a preceptor and charge nurse.

These days move into the fall, and this equates to your career moving into being proficient and an expert.  Others are coming to you with questions, and they value your opinion. Hopefully now you are chairing unit or hospital wide committees, working on task forces, and problem-solving issues on your unit. Then the winter sets in. For some of us, this is when we start to look for additional challenges or need a break from the same routine. For others, our careers get stuck in the snow and can turn stale, and we do not know where to turn. 

At any time during our career, we are pulled into the different seasons of life. When life events occur, our attention turns to our family and friends, as it should, and our work life sits in a holding pattern. Our focus changes with new positions, new responsibilities, attending a conference, or working toward a career goal. Many times, we are looking for the next season of our career. As I think back in my own nursing career, the ebb and flow of life has impacted many of my career decisions. In nursing we are lucky to have so many options, and we should never feel stuck.

As we move through this winter, and dream about spring, here are a few thoughts on ways to move forward. First, let your manager know you would like to get involved in any pilot projects, committees, or task forces. This is the best way to engage in your unit and work on ways to make changes for the better for your team.

Start mentoring, precepting, or being in charge. This is another way to gain accountability and have an impact on your confidence. If you’re looking to move positions, think carefully about what brings you joy during your workday. Write in a journal after a few of your shifts and record the best parts of your day. Then consider how to find that in your pursuit of a new position.

Listen to a new podcast, like Med-Surg Moments or plan to attend the AMSN conference in Las Vegas, September 21st-23rd, 2023. This helps you to not feel isolated, and to know that the concerns you see in your med-surg patient population are being felt by others as well.

So, if you are like me, and feeling the cold of the long winter, know there are options and ways to bring in the feelings of spring and summer when you need it most!