What is Great Workplace for Nurses?
Several things come to mind immediately when one thinks of a great working place. For some these are good pay, outstanding benefits, proximity to home, a friendly and supportive environment, clean and safe working conditions, opportunities for promotion, or a challenging, stimulating environment. All these are important factors when it comes to finding a nursing job worth keeping for years.
As a nurse you may find out that even though all the above key factors are important, what stands out is the flexibility of your schedule, the possibility of moving up the ranks, the positive atmosphere and supportive attitude of your colleagues. How do all these things create a workplace with a low RN turnover? It is a known fact that many nurses work alternating days and nights and the shifts are usually twelve hours long. Most of the time the work schedule is determined a month in advance and any unexpected change will have an effect on the schedules of other nurses. This is why having a flexible schedule and understanding, supportive coworkers is important.
A nurse may need time off to care for a sick family member or to take care of a unplanned emergency. When the unit supervisor and other nurses find ways to cover her shift and support each other in instances like this, then flexibility is achieved and a strong bond is created between the nurses on that unit. A nursing job worth keeping is one that offers a professional environment, as well as opportunities for personal and career growth. Good pay and strong benefits will ensure that nurses are satisfied and reimbursed properly for the work they perform and not looking for better job opportunities.
A professional environment is one in which a nurse is respected for her experience, knowledge and skills without regard to race, gender or ethnicity. Personal growth is encouraged in such an environment and novel ideas or efforts to improve oneself and the facility are welcomed. At a good work place professional growth is supported through continuing education classes, seminars, and certification opportunities in the chosen specialty.
Would you consider your nursing job worth keeping if there were no opportunities for advancement? Most nurses will answer no to this question. Nurses need to be encouraged towards professional growth and given support through scholarships and tuition reimbursement programs. There are many licensed professional nurses who aspire to become registered nurses as well as RN with a two-year degree who wish to pursue a four-year degree in nursing. More education translates into greater knowledge and inevitably, better care for the patients in a health care facility.
Nurses who wish to pursue supervisory or administrative positions should be given ample opportunities for training while those eager to become preceptors to novice nurses would have supplemental education and teaching sessions. A nursing job worth keeping is one that makes you fill fulfilled and appreciated even for the small things. Nurses keep their job if they get along well with their co-workers, if there is a sense of family among employees, of belonging, and of caring about each other.
Additional Nursing Resources
Why you Should Consider Working as a Travel Nurse | New Graduate Nurses Working in the ICU | Medical Surgical Nursing | Night Shift Nurses | Tips for Helping Nurses Get Enough Sleep | Foreign Educated Registered Nurses | What You Should Know About the Boards of Nursing | What Makes a Workplace Better than Another for Nurses? | What to Do When a Patient Requires Extra Confidentiality? | New Jersey Nursing Schools | About the Influence of Ethics on Nurse Retention | NCLEX Practice Questions | Financial Aid for Nursing Students | Online Nursing Schools and Programs | Why Become a Nurse? | How to Study and Review for the NCLEX Examination | Online Master Degree Programs in Nursing | Neonatal Nursing Jobs | Free College Scholarships
