Nursing career is synonymous with nurturing abilities of an individual. For this reason, a desire to help others and a knack for anatomy is a prerequisite in the field of nursing. In particular, critical thinking skills make an individual a topnotch nurse. To achieve these prerequisite conditions, one has to undergo through a robust system at the college level in readiness for the task ahead. Moreover, nurses are the backbone of the health care system and therefore needs adequate training and experience in order to render quality services to the clients.
The performance of the clinics and hospitals solely depend on the experience, skills, and the knowledge capacity of the nurses. In so doing, the prospective novice nurses should attain professional maturity and ethical conducts during the course work. It is for this reason that this paper highlights how college experience and skills gained during the campus prepares me to a nursing profession.
To begin with, college education and experience boosts the ability to think critically. Critical thinking by definition means problem identification, coming up with sound and amicable solutions to the problems identified and finally choosing the best method of reaching those solutions. To become a professional nurse, it requires full transition from the nursing student to graduate nurse; making the college experiences the most stage in the professional journey of the candidate (Lindsey 54). Therefore, college experience represents the end process of the initial educational preparation for a multidisciplinary professional. This is exciting, but numerous challenges impede the process if the student does not have sufficient knowledge and experience to handle the challenges.
It is during the college education and training that the nursing students should learn to develop skills and knowledge in relation to implementing such decisions in the patient’s situation. Ultimately, training equip the students with competencies levels such as skills, knowledge, judgment and other attributes necessary to perform all other nursing tasks competently. To be prepared, students need competent training and practice that psychologically prepares the student to demand and expectations in the nursing career. Clinical learning and training therefore, gives the student sense of confidence, responsibility, efficiency, and self-directedness in service delivery.
Clinical practice will enable me as a finalist student with the basis and background of the nursing profession (Kosicek 48). This is because; this stage allows socialization of the student into the profession. This transition period offers a supervised clinical experience for students to develop responsibility and accountability skills. The socialization aspect during the class work prepares the learner to develop significant personal and professional growth capable of fitting into the complex health environment.
In the contemporary society, there are numerous challenges that face nursing professionals due to the ever-growing healthcare environments. This trend facilitates the need for both competency and preparedness among the students before they take an active role in the healthcare team. Achieving these goals necessitates incorporation of practices and community services before the final year of studies. This practice compels all the students to attend placement before leaving colleges for labor market.
What is more, the placement services ensure smooth transition from student into professional registered nurse. It is during the placement that the learning process provokes the state of anxiety and fear synonymous with finalists in the colleges. College experience thus mitigates the impact of inconsistencies between the academic and work skills required at the labor market.
In conclusion, nurse students require critical and creative skills to leverage several skills and knowledge learnt during the course work into real life situation of registered nurses. Creative and critical thinking embeds nurse’s routine jobs. For example, the practical skills acquired during the coursework enables learners to make rational decision. Therefore, without flinching, students will not make rational decisions critical in saving the life of patients in the hospitals and clinics. Moreover, critical thinking skills learnt during the course enable students to gain practical knowledge necessary in solving critical issues in future career.
Works cited
Lindsey, Leigh. Mentoring of Nurse Managers the Experience of New Nurse Managers in Rural Hospitals: Does Mentoring Make a Difference? New York: Sage publishers, 2012. Print.
Kosicek, Carmen. Nurses, Jobs and Money: A Guide to Advancing Your Nursing Career and Salary. New York: Allworth Press, 2014. Print