Written by: Mary Ghazarian, MN, NP-PHC
If your stethoscope could talk, would it say something like, “Warning: Nurse approaching burnout levels-proceed with caution!” Are you ready to transform your nursing career into a source of empowerment and personal fulfillment? I’m about to unveil my secret sauce to nursing success.
It’s called Nursing WISELY—a framework that nurses across the globe are embracing to find their true calling, reignite their passion, and ensure they are not just surviving but thriving.
The Nursing WISELY acronym, and my bestselling book of the same title, stands for Worthwhile, Interesting, Sustainable, Empowered, Limitless, and putting Yourself first.
1. Worthwhile: Finding Purpose in Every Shift
For some, nursing is a calling, and for others it is just a job.We all have different criteria for what makes nursing worth our time and energy. The compensation whether that is financial, because you need to put food on the table, or emotional, like the personal satisfaction of making a difference in the lives of patients, should reflect your unique needs. These needs may change over time. Make it a point to revisit them regularly to make sure your career is in alignment.
2. Interesting: Embracing Lifelong Learning
Nursing evolves rapidly. Embrace the opportunity to learn continuously. Attend workshops, take courses, and stay up-to-date with the latest advancements. But, don’t just follow the crowd. You need to choose the path that is most interesting to you. Not just the path that sounds good. Remember, curiosity keeps your nursing journey engaging.
3. Sustainable: Long-Term Thinking
Sustainable nursing means prioritizing self-care, establishing boundaries, taking control of your time, connections, and finances. By taking care of yourself in these areas, you ensure longevity in your nursing career. You may even consider leaving a legacy beyond retirement.
4. Empowered: Advocating for Your Professional Growth
Nurses are often the best advocates for their patients. But don’t forget to advocate for yourself too. Speak up about your career goals, seek mentorship, and explore opportunities for advancement. Empowerment in nursing comes from taking control of your career trajectory and actively seeking growth.
5. Limitless: Exploring Diverse Nursing Paths
Nurses are socialized in a very specific way from the start of their schooling. Perfectionism and altruism are often at the core. Once you start practicing in the real world you take on additional norms and beliefs from mentors and colleagues. Unfortunately, many of these ways of thinking are limiting. Be open to examining what you think you know, ignore the naysayers, and open your mind to limitless possibilities in your career exploration.
6. Putting Yourself First: Achieving Work-Life Balance
Your well-being is paramount. Achieving work-life balance is not selfish; it’s necessary. Set clear boundaries for your working hours, and use your time off wisely. Pursue activities that recharge your energy. Hydrate, sleep, eat well, meditate or connect with your spirituality. Remember, a happy, healthy, well-rested nurse is a more effective nurse.
By finding purpose in your work, embracing lifelong learning, prioritizing self-care, advocating for your growth, exploring diverse nursing paths, and achieving work-life balance, you can ensure not only a successful but also a fulfilling nursing career. Organizations like Operation Happy Nurse are there to support you on this journey. Keep these nurse insights in mind as you navigate the challenging and rewarding world of nursing, and remember that by following the Nursing WISELY framework, you can become a happier, more effective nurse, providing the best possible care to your patients while nurturing your own well-being.
Bio:
Mary Ghazarian, MN, NP-PHC
Bestselling author of, “Nursing Wisely: How to Build a Nursing Career that is Worthwhile, Interesting, Sustainable, Empowered and Limitless by Putting Yourself First”, Mary Ghazarian, MN, NP-PHC, is a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Psychotherapist dynamic nurse leader with a passion for inspiring positive change. She works to advance the nursing profession and improving patient outcomes through the sharing of knowledge and innovation. Through her passion for nurse career and business coaching, Mary uses her extensive expertise to empower nurses in achieving their professional goals and creating fulfilling careers.
Instagram: @nursingwisely