by The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International

---

The tremendous changes that have occurred in nursing over the last 50 years have brought significant challenges along with terrific opportunities. Cycles of boom and bust, as well as high unemployment and shortages of workers, have been common and change has been the norm. These changes have created an environment in which individual nurses must take control of their careers and futures. Nurses' dependence on others to define their futures for them is a phenomenon of the past.

Career planning, a continuous process of self-assessment and goal setting, helps nurses adapt to changes in their own development, in the profession and in the world in which they live and practice. The process is really about the development of a life skill, one that nurses can apply not only in their workplaces but in their personal lives as well. It is an individual responsibility, a life-long activity, and a necessary skill in a changing world of work and health care. When one engages in the process, a sense of enjoyment, pride and energy is also realized.

Career development is an iterative and continuous process. It requires individuals to understand the environment in which they live and work, assess their strengths and limitations, validate that assessment, articulate their personal career vision, develop a plan for the future that is realistic for them, and then market themselves to achieve their career goals.

To assist nurses in taking control of their careers and futures, we developed a five-phase career planning and development model.

Scan Your Environment
Take stock of the world in which you live. This involves understanding the current realities in the nursing and work environments as well as the future trends at the global, national and local levels in society and health care. Through the scanning process you become better informed, learn to see the world through differing perspectives and are able to answer the question: What are the current realities/future trends? These trends will influence career opportunities.

Self-Assessment
Completing your self-assessment and reality check enables you to identify your values, experiences, knowledge, strengths and limitations, and then to marry those with your environmental scan. This will help you create your career vision, and identify the directions to take as you plan your future. As you begin your self-assessment, you will first identify all the attributes that make you who you are and what you have to offer to the environment. This process allows you to give honest and accurate answers to these two questions: Who am I? How do others see me?

Create Your Career Vision
This answers the question, "What do I really want to be doing?" Without knowing where you want to go, you will most likely react to events as they occur, rather than choose a direction that helps you take advantage of an opportunity. Your career vision is the link between who you are and what you can become. Having a career vision is a powerful motivator for reaffirming your current situation or for making a change.

Make a Plan
Developing your strategic career plan is critical to taking control of your career. Designing a plan is not something someone else can do for you. You must do it for yourself to ensure you are continually and satisfactorily progressing towards your personal career goals. Answer the question, "How can I achieve my career goal?" This will ensure you have a plan that is both uniquely yours and easily converted into action.

Market Yourself
This involves articulating your professional and personal qualities, attributes and expertise so you can effectively communicate what you have to offer and why you are the best person for the service that needs to be delivered. How can you best market yourself? For nurses, marketing is facilitated by establishing a network, acquiring a mentor and developing written and verbal communication skills. Your strengths, coupled with a commitment and belief in yourself, make you your own best marketer.

This article was written by Gail J. Donner, RN, PhD, and Mary M. Wheeler, RN, MEd, who are partners in Donner & Wheeler, a consulting firm based in Canada that specializes in career planning and development within the health and human service sectors. Article provided courtesy of the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.