Nursing

Nursing Department Home Page

What Could I Do?

A career in Nursing requires a compassionate spirit and offers a wide variety of career opportunities with great personal reward. The nursing field has been profoundly affected by technological advances in the last few decades. Use your time at Bethel to become familiar with computer and internet technology as well as the health care technology you come across in class and internships.

Occupations in Nursing:

Medical/Surgical	Pediatrics	Emergency Room
Critical Care Units	Newborn	Labor & Delivery
Detoxification Units	Research	Transplant Unit
Home Health Care	Rural Nursing	Clinician
Chronic Health Care	Midwife	Anesthetist
Occupational Health	Teaching	Marketing/Sales
Product Manager	Entrepreneur	Quality Assurance

How Do I Get There?

Here's how to build skills as a Bethel student that will prepare you to compete for some of the most popular Nursing jobs today.

Staff Nursing

(Medical/Surgical Specialties, Pediatrics, Operating Room, ER, Critical Care, Labor & Delivery, Newborn, Research, Transplant)

Strategies:

Pursue graduate school for clinical and administrative positions
Gain experience through internships and volunteer positions
Develop excellent organizational skills
Demonstrate ability to work well under stress
Seek opportunities to work with people from diverse cultures

Long-Term Care Agencies

(Chronic Health Conditions)

Strategies:

Pursue graduate programs for advancement
Develop patience and strong oral communication skills
Consider a minor in social work
Gain experience with geriatric and home health populations

Community / Government Agencies

(Home Health Care, Public/Community Health, Rural Nursing, Occupational Health, Government Agencies, Armed Services)

Strategies:

Consider graduate school for advanced positions
Develop skills in management, decision-making, mediation
Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills
Expand knowledge of health issues in area of specialization
Obtain internships and volunteer positions
Become familiar with other cultures, languages, and beliefs

Independent Practice

(Clinician, Anesthetist, Midwife, Private Duty)

Strategies:

Consider a double major or minor in business
Pursue graduate programs and certification in your state
Acquire internships or part time work in area of specialization
Become fluent in at least one language for marketability
Develop motivation, self-direction, and attention to detail

Education

(Teaching, Counseling, Training)

Strategies:

Pursue graduate programs for nearly all positions
Consider certification in social work as well
Develop patience and sensitivity to needs
Volunteer in programs with age population of choice
Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills

International Fields

(Government Agencies, Missions Boards, Ministries, International Programs)

Strategies:

Pursue graduate school to be more marketable in other cultures
Consider a minor in religious studies or business
Achieve competence in several foreign languages
Become fluent in at least one language for marketability
Develop motivation, self-direction, and attention to detail

Prospective Employers

Hospitals
Community Health Clinics
Migrant Centers
Educational Institutions
Private Homes
Rehabilitation Centers
Nursing Homes
Public Health Departments
Prisons
Physicians' Offices
Military
Mental Health Institutions
Industry

Nursing Employment Web Sites

General Career Exploration Website - http://online.onetcenter.org
Spotlight on Careers Website - www.spotlightoncareers.org

For current employment websites, type keywords such as "nursing employment" in an online search engine.

Professional Nursing Organizations

Adapted From:
http://www2.gasou.edu/sta/career
http://careers.wcu.edu/majors