Reflection of Nursing Career Pathway

My Career Pathway

Nursing is a profession in which you evaluate and make a judgement on what care and support is needed to improve individuals, families and community’s overall health. There are many different types of nurses, each one is trained in a specialized practice so depending on what that may be will have a different learning pathway and outcome. I am interested in becoming a Registered Nurse a job where I will experience assessing and treating both common and complex conditions. I believe that in order to fill this role a level of emotional stability, empathy and respect needs to be obtained also.

The first step for me to becoming a Registered Nurse means having to complete the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Preparation (level 4) at North Tec Kerikeri. This program helps me develop the skills and knowledge needed to apply for the Bachelor of Nursing in Whangarei. My last year of secondary schooling was in 2017 at Kerikeri High School, I did not gain my level 3 science or university entrance which has been a challenge for me as I had limited myself to options for the future. I could not undergo any further studying through a university without having to do a preparation program. Throughout studying at North Tec I will complete four courses; Skills for Academic Study L4, Mastering Calculations, Essentials of Human Body and Cell Biology. I will need to maintain and average grade of B’s throughout all four courses to be able to be accepted into the Bachelor of Nursing program.

In July 2019, I started my New Zealand Certificate in Study and Preparation. I am currently in my third month of this program and once completed I should have gained the qualification needed to apply for the Bachelor of Nursing at North Tec Whangarei, in February 2020. For me to become a registered nurse I would need to complete a three-year program that will prepare me for entry into the Nursing Council of New Zealand Register of Nurses. Within those three years I would have experienced a minimum of 1100 hours in multiple types of clinical placements. Over 50% of the program will be interacting with patients and experience what working in certain practices are like. I think a challenge would be living in Northland we have quite limited resources and if I was to major in something specific then I would have to move in order to do that. However, if I decided to not continue my studies and start working in the Nursing industry I would also need to pass:

• An assessment of Nursing Council Competencies for Registered Nurses
• An examination for Registered Nurses set by the Nursing Council of New Zealand

I must also register with the New Zealand Council in order to have a current practicing certificate and am able to work legally.

Once the three-year nursing degree has been completed, there are multiple recruitment processes that help graduate students enter the workplace. This allows graduate nurses to gain the confidence and skills required in a clinical practice for the first year of working full-time. One of the programs offered is called NETP which stands for ‘Nurse Entry to Practice – General Adult/Child Health stream,’ this provides new nurses with the right help, safety and support to advance into becoming a competent practitioner. This is a program that I would consider going through once finishing my studies. I would undertake practices such as, wound management, administration of fluids, patient diagnosis and assessment. Having a good support system will only make entering the work force easier, I learn a lot quicker when seeing things been done and working along-side someone correcting me when needed.

I am looking forward to learning and practicing in a wide range of places including’ homes, communities and hospitals. I want to ensure that I undergo the best training possible so I can provide the best work possible and I think by following the steps I’ve studied I will be able to accomplish this. I thrive in an environment where it’s social and really people focused, I feel like nursing is a profession that does that specifically, everyone in that workforce is so driven to make sure that things are going to be okay at the end of the day. Overall nursing and the studying required to become a nurse is going to be very full on but NorthTec and the people involved will make it possible. I’m excited to be a health care provider and really feel like I’ve made a difference. 

References

Artile title: New Graduate Nurse Programmes | Northland DHB

Website: Northlanddhb.org.nz

URL: https://www.northlanddhb.org.nz/working-with-us/nursing-and-midwifery/new-graduate-nurse-programmes/

Article title: Registered Nurse – How to enter the job

Website: Careers.govt.nz

URL: https://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/health-and-community/health/registered-nurse/how-to-enter-the-job#how-to-enter-the-job

Article title: Qualities that what makes a good nurse

Website: Nurse.com Blog

URL: https://www.nurse.com/blog/2019/03/04/7-qualities-define-what-makes-a-good-nurse/

Author: Eileen Williamson

Date: 06 March 2019

Article title: New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 4)

Website: NorthTec

URL: https://www.northtec.ac.nz/programmes/foundation-studies/nz-certificate-in-study-and-career-preparation-level-4

Article title: Nurse Education in Practice

Journal: Educating new graduate nurses in their first year of practice

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471595317304766?via%3Dihub

Author: Lesley Doughty & Ann Mcillop

Date: May 2019

Video title: Time it takes to feel comfortable as a new Nurse

Vlog: Registered Nurse RN

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DFPFKQGlJ0

Presenter: Sarah (BSN, RN) graduated from nursing in 2009 with honors