Working in the healthcare industry is both challenging and rewarding. Every day brings something new, and it’s a given that no two days will ever be the same. If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you might be looking to level up your nursing career into a new field or a senior role within your existing field.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your professional career, here are some things you can do to prepare yourself for a more senior role.

Map out your goals

Before you look into ways to level up your career, think about what it is you want out of your job. Do you want to progress with your current role or specialise in a different department? Are you wanting to manage a team or manage a department? Do you want to step away from the hands-on aspect to focus on the more general running of tasks, or do you still want to be involved in the thick of things?

Considering these questions can help you define every aspect of your career aspirations and whether there are any parts you need more clarity around.

Further your education

Education is one thing you can never have enough of. Once you know whether you’re planning on specialising or advancing your career, it’s time to start looking into what education you need to qualify for the job. Whether it’s a short course, certification or university degree, there’s generally always some further education required to upskill you into a new role.

Aside from further education, undertaking professional development in your own time can show your employer that you’re taking the initiative in your role. Professional development can be anything from reading news articles online, signing up for newsletters, conducting your own research or listening to podcasts. All these bits of knowledge can help you learn more about your role from those more experienced.

Get a mentor

What better way to further your knowledge than to learn directly from those in your desired career? Enlisting the help of a mentor will help give you a one-on-one view of what life in that role is like. Having a mentor is highly beneficial as - unlike courses where you learn from a textbook – you can ask your mentor for guidance on specific situations. Shadowing them is another great way to see first-hand some of the skills you need that you can’t learn from a textbook. These can be things like leadership, developing others and dealing with challenging situations effectively.

Taking notes while someone mentors you can come in handy when your career does advance. If you have an external mentor, this is a fantastic way to get a foot in the door of the place you’d like to work.

Research the in-demand areas

If you want to advance your nursing career but aren’t 100% sure about what you’d like to do, it’s a good idea to research the industry and what jobs are experiencing growth or high demand. There may be a specialist area that you’d never considered going into, or you may come across something like a rural placement or opportunity that you’d be interested in.

Step outside your comfort zone

Imposter syndrome is extremely common in the healthcare industry. While many of those who experience it are – in fact – more than capable of doing their job, it can feel difficult (even for someone with a lot of experience) to know their worth and what they bring to the role. For this reason, it might feel as though you ‘need more experience’ before taking on a senior position. If you’re comfortable in what you’re doing and are looking for a bit of a challenge, take it! Coming out of your comfort zone doesn’t mean doing a completely new task unsupervised rather, it could mean:

Network

As with many other industries, it’s not about what you know but whom you know. Networking with as many people as you can in the industry can help you with career progression in the future and give you a support crew of those in similar professions to you. Some fantastic ways to build your network include:

• Attending job fairs, conferences, local community groups and recruitment open days
• Creating a LinkedIn account where you can reach out to other healthcare professionals or employers
• Joining a professional organisation
• Using platforms like Facebook to join groups of likeminded people

Make sure you remember to keep a record of those you speak to, including contact details and their place or area of specialisation of work. Let them know that you’re looking to further your nursing career and see whether they have any tips they can give you about their field of work and what it entails.

Sabbatical and secondments

Another less common thing to consider is taking a sabbatical or secondment. A sabbatical or secondment is when you negotiate a temporary period of time away from your current job to do something else. It’s good for employers because it allows you to gain skills, knowledge or qualifications that could then be put to good use within their service and workforce. It could be for study, research, volunteering, or completing a placement with another company. The time varies but can be anything from a few weeks to a few years. Double-check with your employer that this is something that they offer first. If they don’t, think about how you can build a case for yourself around being granted this opportunity.

Advancing your nursing career is exciting. Not only do you get to remain in a job where no two days are the same, but you get to specialise in an area that you love. Aside from undertaking further education, there are many other things you can do to level up your career and take your work to another level!

Looking for the comfiest scrubs to level up in? Head to the Biz Care website to find your match.