Things They Don’t Teach You in Nursing School

Posted On September 9,2019

When it comes to getting you ready for a career in nursing, there’s what you can learn in school, and then there are the lessons that can only be taught once you arrive in the field. That’s not a knock on where you received your degree, those are just the facts. That’s why the nursing programs at Athena Career Academy includes both classroom experience and hands-on work to help you develop the instincts you need to be successful.

Clinical Skills Won’t Develop Until You Enter the Field

It can be one of the discouraging parts about entering the nursing field. If at first you feel that your nursing degree has left you somewhat unprepared for the career in front of you, you are not alone. Many new to the field find themselves in the same mindset, according to a study by BioMed Central Nursing. That feeling of being unprepared for what lies ahead led to many nurses developing anxiety or feelings of incompetence.

What many new nurses do not realize is those feelings are absolutely normal. Health care is a rapidly changing field. Technology, new techniques, and an ever-changing landscape combine to keep even the most experienced nurses on their toes.

So, how do you combat those feelings of inadequacy? Just because your degree program is complete doesn’t mean you stop learning. Take advantage of every learning and training opportunity you can, and soon you will find yourself up to speed and acclimated.

Dealing with Job-Related Emotions

No amount of classroom experience can prepare you for the heavy emotional toll the health care field can have on you. Nurses routinely encounter people that are not necessarily having their best days, hence why they have come to you for care in the first place.

While your nursing school professors can certainly speak to the emotional roller coasters they have found themselves on in the field, there’s no way to truly simulate it in the classroom. Developing effective stress management strategies is imperative early on in the job. Those that don’t risk evolving into emotionally covering up those tough days, which only leads to incredibly high burnout rates.

Importance of Self-Care

Obviously, those that choose a career in health care find themselves called to care for others. Inevitably, what sometimes gets overlooked is both the physical and mental health of the caregiver.

Physical health is many times a no-brainer. After all, it’s hard to care for patients every day if you are sick, injured, or otherwise not able to physically execute your duties.

Dealing with on-the-job emotions will challenge a nurse’s mental health. Such afflictions can be easier hid from your co-workers and patients, but they are no less a risk to you effectively executing your duties. The danger is ever-present, as studies have found that those in the health care field suffer from depression at a rate 17 percent higher than the rest of the population. While many of the manifest symptoms can be hidden, they can also result in physical pain. Failing to care for your own mental health can make it increasingly difficult to administer to others.

Learn More about OurLPN-RN Program

The universal truth of a career in the health care field is that even though you’ve graduated, learning never truly ends. That’s why it’s important to select a degree program that will ultimately prepare you for what lies ahead. While no nursing degree program can fully prepare you for life in the field, the LPN to RN program at Athena Career Institute will have you well on your way when you graduate. Contact us today to learn more.