Nursing Professional and Academic Goals Essay

Ensuring the holistic and adequate preparation of doctoral students pursuing nursing programs at various levels -as registered and enrolled nurses- for the job market or future careers requires institutions of higher learning "to provide [them with] intensive professional development opportunities" (Heflinger & Doykos,2016, p. 344). This way, the nursing students' transition into the nursing profession, scholarly skills training, and employability will be greatly buttressed. One way of ensuring that nursing students acquire the necessary skill sets and knowledge through professional development to prepare them for future roles is to encourage them to formulate professional and academic goals.

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To help me stay focused on my professional goal now and throughout the program, I will use the Career Center's services to enrich my career, to guide me on how to explore various careers, and to enhance by resume building skills. The Career Center avails to students career enrichment, career exploration guide, and a resume-building program. Further, as part of my healthcare career planning process, the next steps I have identified include networking with fellow classmates and colleagues and attending nursing leadership workshops since I would like to attain a leadership position in healthcare once I complete my doctoral studies.

This course has enabled me to confirm and develop my professional pathway by helping me understand the requirements needed for one to be a good nurse leader. It has also made it possible for me to realize the various types of leaders in today's workforce and compelled me to do a self-reflection to single out the type of leader I want to be in the future depending on my role. Moreover, the program's professional skill development aspect has also imparted me with the relevant nurse leadership skills, integrity, professionalism, professional socialization, emotional intelligence, and mentorship. According to Jacob, McKenna, and D'Amore (2016), because the scope enrolled nurse practice has increased, practicing nurses' education is necessary to equip them with the requisite skills needed for their future roles.

My areas of interest within my specialization include simulation, palliative care, and geriatrics. Based on the media presentation on how to create a research topic, my initial idea about my Doctoral Capstone Project's proposed research topic is the outcome of the end of life simulation training program as measured by nurses in the nursing home. Also, to keep moving forward in the program, I will use strategies such as continuing to utilize the resources at the Career Center and seeking scholarly support from faculty and peers to help me prepare for my future role as a nurse leader.

Conclusion

In summary, professional skill development and education of nurses at the doctoral level are important for helping students acquire the necessary transferable skill sets that enhance their career pathways and employability. However, it is only through academic and professional goals formulation that students pursuing nursing programs can set the stage for the application of these skills in their future careers.

References

Heflinger, C.A., & Doykos, B. (2016). Paving the way: Exploring student perceptions of professional development preparation in doctoral education. Innovative Higher Education, 41, 343-358

Jacob, E.R., McKenna, L., & D'Amore, A. (2016). Educators' expectations of roles,employability and career pathways of registered and enrolled nurses in Australia. Nurse Education in Practice, 16, 170-175