The rate of change in career paths in many professions has been unprecedented in the last three decades. In addition, the number of disciplines in almost all fields has been growing in line with increasing amount of knowledge. Furthermore, job requirements of traditional careers have been evolving very rapidly. This means that the future professional growth of any person in any career requires careful thought and deliberate planning. Otherwise, the risk of becoming irrelevant is increasing with time. As a nursing professional, I recognize that the field of medicine is developing fast. The changes range from legislative and regulatory demands, to technological advances in nursing. Keeping up with the changes is mandatory for any nurse who expects to keep practicing in the years to come. The need to adapt to these changes is stronger for nurses who want to advance their careers. I would like to become a Nursing Supervisor in the near future. I admit that achieving this goal depends on how well I prepare for it. This paper addresses various issues that I need to take into account in preparation for my future career as a Nursing Supervisor.
Goals
Goal setting is one of the power strategies that I need to become a person of influence (Yoder-Wise, 2011). Nursing Supervisors must project power for them to handle their jobs successfully. I have four main goals in my professional development plan.
My first goal is to develop a clear picture of the work done by Nursing Supervisors. I already know that Nursing Supervisors handle leadership and management duties as well as professional and technical work in the course of their careers (Yoder-Wise, 2011). I would like to understand the scope of these duties as I prepare to play this role in the future.
My second goal is to develop a strategy for maintaining competence and relevance throughout my nursing career. I understand that it is impossible to rise in ranks within the healthcare sector if there are any questions concerning my competence. A Nursing Supervisor must be a very competent nurse to command respect.
The third goal is to develop the relevant skills needed to qualify as a Nursing Supervisor. My basic training in nursing concentrated on the technical and professional aspects. I need to develop leadership skills to qualify as a Nursing Supervisor.
The fourth objective is to develop a strategy for finding vacant Nursing Supervisor positions. After preparing to become a Nursing Supervisor, I will need to find an appropriate vacancy. In this regard, I must develop a system for search and evaluation of the relevant job openings.
Current Strengths
I could consider four strengths that I believe will help me achieve my professional goals. First, I have good time management skills as the time management is crucial for personal success (Yoder-Wise, 2011). Working schedules are usually very strict for nurses because timeliness can save a patient’s life (McEwen & Wills, 2011). I intend to harness the time management skills I have developed over time to become eligible for appointment as a Nursing Supervisor.
Secondly, I have good record keeping skills. My ability to keep records contributed towards several appointments as secretary to various clubs and societies in school. I know that a Nursing Supervisor must be a very organized person, thus, I will use this strength to prepare for my future career as a Nursing Supervisor.
Thirdly, I am passionate about the nursing field. This feeling came from the desire to help people in need. My friends always told me that I was very compassionate when dealing with others. In this regard, nursing was a natural fit for me. I often get frustrated when I see nurses constrained by bureaucratic red tape, which is the main motivation for my decision to pursue the career under consideration because it will give me the opportunity to reduce the bottlenecks that affect the quality of care that nurses provide.
My fourth strength is that I am a goal-oriented person. When I decide to do something, I fully devote myself to it. Therefore, I will focus on the process of becoming a Nursing Supervisor until I achieve this goal.
Areas of Improvement
At my current skill level, I feel that I cannot make a very effective Nursing Supervisor. I am competent as a nurse in terms of offering the nursing care. However, I need to polish my leadership and administrative skills to make a proper impact as a Nursing Supervisor. I realize that the work of a Nursing Supervisor primarily involves managing professionals (McEwen & Wills, 2011) that is why I need to work on the following areas.
First, I should develop my expertise both as a nurse, and as a leader. Developing one’s expertise is a power strategy necessary for career growth (Yoder-Wise, 2011). I will endeavor to become a better nurse and a better leader.
The second area that I need to improve is working with other people. I tend to take my work very personally and struggle to trust others with work. I fully understand that it is impossible to handle the work of a Nursing Supervisor without trusting others.
The third area that I should address is getting into a mentoring relationship with more experienced nurses. I have already benefited a lot from mentorship relationships with more skilled professionals in proving care. On the other hand, I have not had strong mentorship relationships with Nursing Supervisors that could have built my management skills.
Time management is the final area that I need to keep improving. I have good time management skills. However, I believe that I need to acquire more knowledge in this area. A Nursing Supervisor must support nurses who may not have good time management skills.
Specific Tasks and Timelines
Table 1 below gives a summary of the specific tasks and timelines that I will use to achieve my career objectives.
Table 1: Tasks and Timelines.
Skills and Knowledge I Hope to Acquire
In the process of implementing this plan, I hope to acquire the following skills. First, I am going to get stronger stress management skills. People in high positions in many organizations tend to experience more work-related stress as compared to those in lower ranks (Temple, 2012). I must find ways of dealing with stress as I ascend the career ladder.
The second skill I would like to acquire is leadership and management skills. I have glaring weaknesses in my leadership skills, so it is strongly desirable that I obtain certifiable management and leadership skills to increase my competitiveness as I look for opportunities to work as a Nursing Supervisor.
One element that is also clear to me is that I need to build my skills as a chairperson. The ability to hold meetings is indispensable when working as a Nursing Supervisor (Yoder-Wise, 2011). This explains why I would like to participate more in committee meetings that will help me see how best to handle future arrangements, and the pitfalls to avoid.
The fourth skill I would like to build is the ability to work in team. I must learn how to trust others if I expect to become a better leader. A Nursing Supervisor can only empower nurses to do their jobs, but cannot do all the work in the Nursing Department.
References
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. (2011). Theoretical Basis for Nursing. Philadelphia, PA: MPS Limited.
Temple, J. (2012). Becoming a Registered Nurse: Making the Transition to Practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Yoder-Wise, P. S. (2011). Leading and Managing in Nursing. St Louis, MO: Mosby.