Becoming a Registered Nurse: 2-Years Career Plan - Essay Example

"Becoming a Registered Nurse: 2-Years Career Plan" is a delightful example of a paper on care.
In my life, I have witnessed many cancer patients succumb to this chronic disease. The pain and sorrow that engulfs the cancer patients and family members have pushed me to the oncology nursing career path. Oncology nurses or hematology are nurses who offer care to cancer patient populations. The freshly graduated BSN nurses aspiring to become oncology nurses must complete a practicum that entails the didactic component and working together with the nurse-preceptors. So, I plan to seek an internship at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital to complete the required practicum and study the role. The apprenticeship will equip me with practical and didactic knowledge. Also, in year one, I will seek certification to become a Registered Nurse (RN). I plan to take the NCLEX-RN exams in 2021 so that I can obtain the RN certification. I am aware that the demand for RNs is high. Thus, I will dedicate enough time to study for the NCLEX-RN examination.

Target Employers

The New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center are my target employers. The two hospitals are famous for offering specialized cancer treatment. The New York-Presbyterian Hospital ranks number twenty-five nationally for cancer care while Montefiore Medical Center tops in colon cancer surgery. Working in the two institutions will be rewarding since it will help me learn how to use the latest technologies in caring for cancer patients. Equally, the staffs in the two healthcare organizations are highly supportive and usually work in a team. So, I stand gaining a lot if I get an opportunity to work in these reputable institutions.

Professional Organizations

During my first two years, I will join the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and the Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON). The two nursing professional organizations will help me advance my career by learning from nurse leaders in oncology. ONS is a professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence in oncology nursing. The organization connects its members with essential resources and support to offer critical, quality care to the patients. The ONS members receive a significant discount on some ONCC certifications. Also, the organization provides many leadership opportunities to its members to develop their profession. The organization also arranges for conferences and networking opportunities that help oncology nurses to share experiences. More importantly, ONS offers its members current information on oncology (ONS, 2020).

On the other hand, APHON is a professional organization for oncology and hematology nurses. The organization offers its members useful resources to empower them to offer better care to the kids, teens, and young adults who have cancer. APHON provides leadership and expertise to its members by defining and espousing the highest care and practice (APHON, 2020). Joining the two organizations will help me grow my knowledge in offering optimal care to cancer patients.

Plans for Advanced Certification and Education

My advanced certification plans in my nursing specialization entail taking three advanced courses between years two and five of my career. The advanced certifications that I will take include Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse, Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner, and Advanced Oncology Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist. The three certifications will help me to advance my career and earn a higher salary. They will also equip me with the vital knowledge and skills that I require to offer better care to cancer patients.

Concerning education, I plan to go back to college after working for two years. I will pursue a masters` degree in oncology. The program will assist me in upgrading my knowledge in oncology and preparing me to take advanced job positions. The master's in cancer will allow me to learn about molecular mechanisms underlying the growth of the cancer cells, the impact of cancer on the patients` life, and the impact of risk factors (Shockney, 2019). All these will help me to offer better care and make better contributions to the field.

Features of Organization I would like to work for

My dream organization ought to have an excellent organizational culture that values all stakeholders. The organization should treat equally all patients and employees irrespective of their economic or social status. I want to work in an organization where I am valued, and all people are respected. The second characteristic of my dream organization is that it should promote career progression. The organization should allow the employees to take paid leave to advance their careers. Allowing career progression will enable me to become a better professional. Also, the organization should have a good reputation and the potential to grow. In my life, I like associating with people or organizations that are growing since they will allow me to grow as well.

Course aspect that helped me most

The study about various nurse leaders and their philosophies and theories is one aspect that most helped me to develop as a nurse leader. I learned the experiences of several nurse leaders and their contributions to nursing. I will use their contributions to grow my leadership skills so that I can become a better nurse. Likewise, I will employ some of their strategies in solving difficult situations to prepare for my transition.