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The transition from an RN to NP is an exciting process that requires adequate planning and preparation. This career advancement can be a stressful process thus you should find ways to ease your transition. Finding ways to transition smoothly will help you build confidence in your independence and practice. Here’s how you can smoothen the process of transition.
Find a Mentor
Navigating a new career alone can be exhausting both physically and mentally. It would be best if you find an experienced nurse practitioner as a mentor to guide, advise and emotionally support you in your transition. There are several ways you can utilize it to find a mentor. A workplace program can be one of the best mentorship offered. You may be lucky to find an employer who formally offers mentoring programs that will familiarize you with your workplace expectations and specific roles.
Professional networking plays an important role in helping you find a mentor. You may consider engaging your former colleagues, employers, professors, and preceptors because they are familiar with your strengths and background. When you fail to get a personal mentor, national, local, and state nursing organizations offer career guidance and mentorship by connecting the new nurses to seasoned ones as their guides.
Become Board Certified
Board certification differs from state to state. Being board certified as an NP enhances your marketability and confidence. If you are a California resident, for instance, you should check out what their requirements are for board certification. First, you must find an RN to MSN program for Californians and undergo the career advancement to transition. Secondly, you ought to get the certification that allows you to practice as a nurse practitioner having proven the certifying bodies with your respective completion of the degree program.
Set Realistic Goals
Transitioning to a nursing practitioner can cause you anxiety as it is a new career opportunity. You should understand that you are a newbie in the profession. Do not pressurize yourself into understanding everything at first; give yourself time to learn and adapt to your new profession. Be sure to look out for the imposter phenomenon where new NPs feel unqualified for the job but they want to prove to their bosses they are qualified and end up making mistakes. Set smart goals as you learn carefully about the new role. You can always enquire about issues you feel are lacking in knowledge.
Build Strong Relationships
RN to NP transition requires building strong relationships and as a result, this collaboration improves patients’ outcomes. Be sure to foster productive and positive relationships with your colleagues. Productive relationships will help you know what triggers you to avoid or escalate conflicts which will essentially help you manage disagreements.
Effective collaboration also encourages knowledge sharing among you. For instance, if you are having a challenge in diagnosing a patient and planning their treatment, you can consult your colleague and ask them to chip in some knowledge you might be missing to make a correct diagnosis.
After you find ways to transition smoothly, you must remember to evaluate your employers carefully. Be sure to ask about job expectations, especially as a novice NP to avoid burnout in the early transitional stages. Keep in mind your respective state’s nurse practice act to ensure the services you will be offering resonate with it. remember to take up mentorship because nursing is one field that is demanding and guidance is critical.