Most nurses have aspirations to take their career forward and climb the ladder in order to get greater job satisfaction, earn more money and have a bigger impact on the healthcare system. Climbing the ladder can bring many benefits to a nurse that is driven, but the fact that so many have aspirations of doing this means that it can be competitive and hard to stand out from the crowd. So, what are a few of the best ways to climb the ladder as a nurse? Whether you are just getting started or you are a nurse with a few years of experience, here are a few of the best ideas for progressing your career.

Start Working Harder

The first place to start when looking to advance your career is to start making more of an effort and improving your daily performance. You need to be able to show that you are committed to the role and a hardworker before you start asking and looking around, so try to improve your performance each day and bring positive energy to work. This should include being willing to go the extra mile, especially when it comes to supporting your patients and their loved ones.

Improve Your Bedside Manner

Following on from this, bedside manner is extremely important when it comes to nursing, yet an area that many nurses lose focus on as they get more experienced. Good bedside manner is a key part of the patient experience and essential for developing trust, showing compassion, and providing a high level of care. It is easy to improve your bedside manner, but it is being consistent and providing a high level of care to each and every patient that many find a challenge.

Support Your Fellow Nurses

Any nurse who is a team player and willing to support their colleagues will always be looked upon favorably. It is also helpful for building relationships and developing a positive reputation. While nursing can be competitive, it is also extremely demanding, so nurses need to be there for one another to provide help and support. This can also give you the opportunity to develop and demonstrate your leadership skills, which will be so important if you want to make it to the top.

Learn from Experienced Nurses

Leading on from this, you should also look to the nurses above you and those that specialize in areas of interest to you to learn all that you can from them. You can do this simply by observing them, but it will be more effective to ask questions and to seek advice – you might even find that they take you on as a mentor who can be a great way to develop your abilities and improve.

Commit to Self Improvement

Nobody is perfect, but the nurses and other healthcare professionals that are able to climb the ladder and reach the top are the ones that are aware of their weaknesses and work on them to become well-rounded. This commitment to self-improvement will not only allow you to improve your abilities but will also show your passion for what you do and help you to stand out from the crowd. It is not always obvious what your strengths and weaknesses are, so it is also a good idea to ask for feedback that will show your commitment to self-improvement and help you identify the areas to work on, which will help you to get noticed.

Speak to Your Boss

The above should all help to get you noticed, but this will not be enough, and you will need to share your goals with your boss and discuss how they can be achieved under their supervision. They should be able to help you by suggesting areas to work on, offer training, mentorship, or additional responsibilities. Not only this but when you discuss that you want to progress, it will also stick in their mind as they will know that you could potentially move to another hospital if you are not able to progress with them.

Explore Other Opportunities

Leading on from this, you might prefer to progress at the same place that you are working at, but this will not always be possible. It might require a change, and sometimes the best way to progress will be to move around, so you need to be willing to do this if you want to climb the ladder. It is not always easy to move, especially when it comes to nursing, where you form strong relationships, but sometimes it is the best option for your career.

Network Often

Networking might not be everyone’s favorite activity, but it is something that you are going to need to make the effort with. Not only does it help to improve your professional reputation, but it can also open new doors, so it is certainly worth the effort whether you are attending healthcare events, training, or networking online. In addition to building relationships, keep in mind that these need to be maintained over time, so be sure to check in with people and show a genuine interest.

Take an Online MSN to DNP Program

Further study and qualifications are essential if you want to climb the ladder, and for those that want to rise to leadership positions, post masters DNP programs will be a smart move. MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice programs will develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to affect change and manage in the constantly changing healthcare system. With this qualification, you will be able to lead teams, systems, and practices with confidence, and the fact that it is an online course enables nurses to fit it into their already busy schedule.

Continue Learning

In addition to further study, nurses should also look to continue learning and keeping current with the latest developments in nursing and healthcare. These are both areas that are constantly going through change due to trends, technological developments, global issues, and regulations. It is important that you keep up to date with all of this to stay current and show your dedication to your field. Nurses that climb the ladder are ones that see their profession more as a way of life, so you need to have passion and do all that you can to stay current. You can stay current by attending seminars and other industry events, networking, reading journals, and listening to podcasts, just as a few ideas.

Always Be Organized

One of the hardest aspects of being a nurse, but one which is vital for performing to a high standard and standing out from the crowd, is being well organized. Nurses that have excellent organizational skills will be able to deliver a high level of care to every patient, prioritize their workload, and never appear to be flustered or overly stressed. You can improve your organizational skills. This is certainly worthwhile if it is an area that you struggle with, particularly when you consider that this skill becomes even more important and valued when you start to climb the professional ladder.

Learn from Your Mistakes

Mistakes happen in nursing, and it is how you respond to these that will determine your ongoing success. Many young nurses make a mistake that sets them back and sees them lose their confidence, while others will make a mistake and see it as a chance to learn. Obviously, mistakes can be incredibly serious in this field, so you need to do all that you can to avoid mistakes, but when they are made, you need to take them in your stride and make sure that the same thing never happens again.

Look After Your Own Health

If you are to climb the ladder as a nurse, you must also make sure that you are in good health, both physically and mentally. Nursing is a physically demanding, stressful, and often upsetting role, and this only increases with experience, which is why it is so important that you look after your own health, and this is something that will help you to stand out. This will mean leading a healthy lifestyle and making the most of your free time, finding ways to unwind and de-stress, and reaching out for support if you need it. When you are in good health, both physically and mentally, it should help you come in with a positive energy, improve your performance, and get noticed for the right reasons.

If you have aspirations to climb the nursing ladder, then these are all effective strategies that will help you to do so. Climbing the ladder allows you to have a bigger impact on healthcare, get greater job satisfaction, and obviously earn more money, but nursing is also competitive, and it can be hard to stand out. It will require a lot of hard work, effort, and patience, but only those who are willing to put in the effort that will stand out, so this needs to be something that you are willing to do.

‘Does reading do any good?’ might be a recurrent question in the mind of Australian parents who read to their children. Science tells the world that reading has visible results in the child’s development.

Reading is a Constructive Habit:

Doctors who research cognitive functions recommend parents to read books to their children right from a young age. Reading children Bible stories books can build good feelings, happy associations, and a passion for books.

Cultivating this habit from infancy and doing it continuously throughout their elementary schooling is ideal. This practice will ensure that the children will view reading as an enjoyable activity in the future.

It is a Foundation for the Future:

Encouraging the habit of reading in one’s home will later boost the children’s school performance. Apart from the many benefits, they also

• Enhance Vocabulary
• Builds Verbal Communication skills
• Encourages Brain Stimulation

 Researchers used MRI scans to confirm that the habit of reading makes use of an intricate network of circuits within the brain. As the ability to read becomes stronger, these circuits/networks also become sophisticated and more powerful.

 In 2013 doctors found that the brain of people who had meticulously read continuously showed higher rates of activity in MRI scans. The results showed that brain connectivity considerably increased in areas like the somatosensory cortex. It is the part that responds to movements and physical sensations like pain.

Increases Empathy:

Children are a sponge that drinks up knowledge offered to them. So by feeding the right information, parents can cultivate good habits in them. Reading to children, Bible stories books increases the ability to comprehend feelings and sympathise/empathise with their fellow beings.

 Reading about God’s love for them and others gives them valuable lessons to follow throughout their life. Studying the Bible characters and their lives builds in children their ability to relate with other people. Scientists refer to this as “theory of mind.” This aspect includes skills that are vital for their life and in maintaining or building social relationships.

Builds Vocabulary and Imagination:

Fortunately or funnily enough, researchers call it the “Matthew Effect”. It refers to the verse from the Bible in the book of Matthew Ch 13: Verse 12, where it says that those who have will be given more.

This effect explains the theory that applies to vocabulary. The more one works on it, the more it will develop and grow. Children who start reading from a young age have a better vocabulary than their counterparts. It is vital in different parts of life, from standardised tests to career opportunities, vocabulary can have a big say on one’s future.

 Books are powerful tools to build and improve one’s imagination. Reading activates centres of the brain that deal with creative activity and intelligence. Developing these areas will help the children become innovative thinkers and leaders who deliver out-of-the-box results.

Christian Books Build Christian Growth:

Picture reading to them the story of the brave David, in bed as they fall asleep. They will start to believe in their uniqueness and strength. It will build confidence, faith, and trust. Or consider the story of David’s reliable friend Jonathan. He stood by his friend, no matter what. Such stories teach them invaluable lessons about friendship and how to become a person of impeccable character.

Conclusion:

Reading about the acts of God in children’s books will open their eyes to the wonders of a relationship with God. It will bring them closer in their walk with the maker. As the Bible says, “teach them the way they should go” encouraging them to read from their infancy will help them stick to these habits.

The notification for UPSC Civil Service Examination 2021 will be released on February 10, 2021. This notification will help the candidates to finish their application process in a smooth manner. The application forms are different for prelims, mains and interview stages of UPSC Civil Service Examination. UPSC Apply Online registration process is a simple process. UPSC Apply Online registration involves creating an account on the UPSC website, once it is done, candidates will have to pay the requisite exam fees.

UPSC Civil Service Exams is a multi-tiered examination with stringent criteria for selection of candidates into the civil services of India. UPSC Prelims for 2020 was held on 4th October 2020. The results of UPSC Civil Service Prelims were released on October 23, 2020. Candidates who successfully cleared the prelims examination had to appear for UPSC Mains examination which was scheduled on 8th January 2021. UPSC Mains result will be announced after the examination is completed. A few thousand candidates who cleared the UPSC Mains examination will have to appear for the Interview stage of the examination. The Interview is tentatively scheduled for March 2021 and the results are expected to be announced in April 2021. As per the UPSC Mains result, it will usually have twice the number of vacancies to be filled. The interview carries a weight-age of 275 marks with no minimum qualifying marks.

The IAS 2021 Prelims examination will be conducted in June 2021. The results would be declared within 45 days from the date of the examination. One can tentatively expect the results in August 2021. Candidates can easily check the results of the examination by visiting the official website upsc.gov.in. Just click on the UPSC results link which will be given in the home screen of the website. The results will contain the list of roll numbers selected for the next stage of the examination. After the completion of UPSC Mains examination, the UPSC Mains Result can be found in the official website of the UPSC. It will contain a pdf with a list of roll numbers of candidates that have cleared the mains examination and are eligible for the next round i.e. interview round.

In the mains stage of civil service examination, two papers are dedicated for optional subjects.The optional subjects are Geology, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Agriculture, History, Medical Science, Public Administration, Sociology, Philosophy, Physics, Statistics, Law, Economics, Anthropology, Botany, Electrical Engineering, Management, Zoology, Political Science & International Relations, Commerce & Accountancy, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science.

The duration of all the nine papers are 3 hours. Paper A and B are of 300 marks each and Papers I to VII are of 250 marks each. Overall in the Mains stage of the UPSC Examination, the candidates will be assessed for a maximum score of 1750 marks. Candidates who clears the mains examination will move onto the next and final stage i.e. interview stage. In the Interview stage, candidates will be assessed for a maximum score of 275 marks.

Paper A is a compulsory Indian Language and UPSC has given plenty of options for candidates appearing for the UPSC civil service exam. The languages which can be chosen are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Manipuri, Punjabi, Telugu, Bodo, Dogro, Maithili, Santhali, Sindhi, Punjabi, Odia, Nepali, Konkani, Kashmiri.