Leah L.

Manaig
4BSN3/Group 7

About Nursing: What You Should Know About Professional Nursing!

You need COMPASSION to be a good nurse.

You need TECHNICAL SKILLS to be a good nurse.
You need an in-depth SCIENTIFIC and LIBERAL EDUCATION to be a good nurse.
You need a lot of HEART to be a GREAT nurse!

The POWER to CHANGE lives!

Nurses are the largest single group of healthcare providers in the United States. Over the Years,
professional nurses have shed their handmaiden role to become caregivers on the frontlines of
health care. Purdue's four-year baccalaureate nursing program prepares you to work with any
group of people, in any setting, at any time.

From surgery rooms to neonatal intensive care units to community health clinics, exciting and
unlimited career opportunities are available for nurses:

 You can work in the emergency room of a large metropolitan hospital.

 You can help people in underdeveloped countries as a nurse in the Armed Forces or Peace
Corps.
 You can deliver home health care to elderly or lower income families as a community
health nurse.
 You can work in hospitals all over the world as a nurse employed by one of many
traveling nurse agencies.

What Can You Do to Jump-start Your Professional Nursing Career?

Volunteering and community service will increase your self-esteem and teach you to appreciate
the simple joys of life. It also gives you hands-on experience with the nursing profession and the
healthcare industry.

Hospital Volunteer

Most hospitals have volunteer programs that enable participants to experience various
areas of the hospital - from emergency room to intensive care to pediatrics to physical
therapy.
Home Health Care

During the last decade, more sick people have been cared for in their own homes. Often,
these "patients" need a visiting nurse or home health care service to provide for their
advanced medical needs. Volunteers help with small tasks, like reading to a patient. This
is a great way to experience the special relationships that form between patients and
caregivers.

Extended Care Facility (ECF)

Formerly known as nursing homes, ECFs fulfill residents' basic needs and medical
requirements. Since residents also need contact with the outside world, most ECFs
provide a variety of extracurricular activities. From chair aerobics to singing to adopt-a-
pet programs, volunteers are always needed.

What else can you do?

Look around your community. Do you see people who need help? Don't be afraid to get
involved. Community service is an important part of your future success, no matter what
career you choose.

Talk to as many nurses and health care professional as possible. Interview them for a
school report or ask if you can observe them on-the-job for a day. There may even be
mentoring programs already set up through your school.