Long Term Career Plans for Nurses

Well so far, the work I've done over the last couple of years has been around the sexual health and HIV arena and have seemed to have found a passion for it. However, I've tried not to let this colour my vision too much in case I miss opportunities to explore other avenues during my training. For the last 4 or 5 years, I've done a variety of voluntary work in all different areas and I have to say sexual health is an area I like. But that wasn't in a 'registered nurse' capacity, which may pose a slightly different view or scope on what I've already experienced.

I think it's important that before you specialise in whatever area you want to go into, you should work on a general/acute ward for the first couple of years just to set a foundation. People at work and friends who are nurses seem to really stress this - is this an out of date view or does anybody think it is still vital? However excited and enthused I may be about wanting to go into sexual health, especially HIV, I think it would be worth doing the general bit first of all. If I still want to go into sexual health/HIV after I've qualified I could start my career in a number of ways for the first couple of years. Cardiology may be good to work to start with, as a lot of HIV positive patients have associative-cardiac problems too. Urology and gynaecology will also be very useful as it's dealing with the genito-urinary tracts which is what sexual health is mostly about. Dermatology may be an area to go into as well, thinking about the the very prevalence of human papillomavirus. Even working on an acute/general ward to start with won't be a bad thing to do, as at least you'll understand a good variety of health problems, illnesses and diseases.

So lot's to think about, but I've decided not to think too much about it right now. I've got 3 years of training to do first! I do want to work my way up the career ladder in nursing, staying as clinical as I can, although I may have to appreciate the higher you go the further away you move from patient contact! I think eventually I would like to go into teaching. I remember my grandad saying that he never had an apprentice when he worked as a blacksmith (for 60 years!) and always said his knowledge would die with him - so I kind of feel the same about whatever I may/will learn one day to pass on to others.

You never know I may completely change my mind by the time I've qualified! However, I don't think I will...(some might say that's unhealthy to think like that!).

Well so far, the work I've done over the last couple of years has been around the sexual health and HIV arena and have seemed to have found a passion for it. However, I've tried not to let this colour my vision too much in case I miss opportunities to explore other avenues during my training. For the last 4 or 5 years, I've done a variety of voluntary work in all different areas and I have to say sexual health is an area I like. But that wasn't in a 'registered nurse' capacity, which may pose a slightly different view or scope on what I've already experienced.

I think it's important that before you specialise in whatever area you want to go into, you should work on a general/acute ward for the first couple of years just to set a foundation. People at work and friends who are nurses seem to really stress this - is this an out of date view or does anybody think it is still vital? However excited and enthused I may be about wanting to go into sexual health, especially HIV, I think it would be worth doing the general bit first of all. If I still want to go into sexual health/HIV after I've qualified I could start my career in a number of ways for the first couple of years. Cardiology may be good to work to start with, as a lot of HIV positive patients have associative-cardiac problems too. Urology and gynaecology will also be very useful as it's dealing with the genito-urinary tracts which is what sexual health is mostly about. Dermatology may be an area to go into as well, thinking about the the very prevalence of human papillomavirus. Even working on an acute/general ward to start with won't be a bad thing to do, as at least you'll understand a good variety of health problems, illnesses and diseases.

So lot's to think about, but I've decided not to think too much about it right now. I've got 3 years of training to do first! I do want to work my way up the career ladder in nursing, staying as clinical as I can, although I may have to appreciate the higher you go the further away you move from patient contact! I think eventually I would like to go into teaching. I remember my grandad saying that he never had an apprentice when he worked as a blacksmith (for 60 years!) and always said his knowledge would die with him - so I kind of feel the same about whatever I may/will learn one day to pass on to others.

You never know I may completely change my mind by the time I've qualified! However, I don't think I will...(some might say that's unhealthy to think like that!).

Is it wrong the only thing in looking ahead too right now is qualifying...or even just passing my CFP assignments/exams?! lol..or even getting through tomorrows lectures on literature critiquing....

I'm kind of interested in critical care, I've enjoyed doing first aid and first response work so working in A&E or ICU is interesting me right now, long term wise i'd like to start off working as a staff nurse, get married..have a few kids, and i think i'll definately take some time out then out of my career or go part time, then maybe consider doing a masters or advanced nursing, maybe looking into going into specialist nursing, practitioner..consultant etc etc

as for teaching, well i think i'll miss the clinical contact!!! Loads of areas interest me right now, so i guess its just seeing how i find each placement and where my career takes me. I'm spending a few weeks in london later this year working with some research and HCA work on some clinics, so maybe going into that area may interest me?

I'd like to work possibly with a mother and baby team: in regards to post natal depression and other illnesses,

or maybe some service users with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I'm planning to focus on one of these for my electives. Yet no idea what I want to do in the long term. x

\hopefully after getting some experience in somewhere such as a&e/ theatres I'd be interested in going into midwifery. And then perhaps a masters at some point also. I am rather keen on doing as much clinical and research as i can, would defo try and get up to PhD level.

you are a number you are a qualified bum on a seat , because nursing does not have formal post registration specialisms you can be moved at the whim nursing management, forget having a career plan, if it happens it happens

smilee it's not cynical it's the reality of the NHS under zanuliarbore, where A4C was perverted if people banded 'wrongly' ... by sudden decisions to have skill mix reviews which ripped the heart out of teams and put the public at risk to meet some pointless metric or to meet some false assumption about banding and budgets.

That's a rather cynical view don't you think? I know for a fact the job I'm going into now that I can't be moved 'at their whim' and none of the things I want to do in my longer term career will happen without my input. If I want to work in the community it's me that has to find those jobs; If I want to do more research or training it's me that has to find those posts. It's a shame you don't have any longer term plans and are happy with 'what happens, happens.'

zippyRN, I've worked in the NHS for about 2 years now so I guess I'm still an NHS baby. But from this thread and others you do seem to be quite cynical and down-putting towards other people wanting to go into the nursing - has something disgruntled you? Or jealousy? I can't work it out...But may be I don't need to.

You make nursing sound as though it's a bad career choice - and it's exactly what nursing doesn't need right now with trying to attract more people into the profession. There are loads of people in the NHS who are cynical and I hope I'm not because I actively make sure I don't. My advice would be to everyone just ignore the cynics! Nursing is so enjoyable and is better off with out cynicism.

zippyRN, I've worked in the NHS for about 2 years now so I guess I'm still an NHS baby. But from this thread and others you do seem to be quite cynical and down-putting towards other people wanting to go into the nursing - has something disgruntled you? Or jealousy? I can't work it out...But may be I don't need to.

You make nursing sound as though it's a bad career choice - and it's exactly what nursing doesn't need right now with trying to attract more people into the profession. There are loads of people in the NHS who are cynical and I hope I'm not because I actively make sure I don't. My advice would be to everyone just ignore the cynics! Nursing is so enjoyable and is better off with out cynicism.

zippyRN, I've worked in the NHS for about 2 years now so I guess I'm still an NHS baby. But from this thread and others you do seem to be quite cynical and down-putting towards other people wanting to go into the nursing - has something disgruntled you? Or jealousy? I can't work it out...But may be I don't need to.