How can mentorship, advocacy, and leadership inspire the next generation of nursing students?
Education is something which plays a vital role in daily life but something which is perhaps most crucial when building a successful career. For many jobs now, a degree-level education is a requirement. Nursing is an example of a career that requires specific, high-level qualifications to work in.
Have you ever thought to yourself: What are the reasons why I might want to become a nurse? Good rates of pay, excellent job security, and a sense of fulfilment are all great reasons to become a nurse. Furthermore, many become nurses in order to give back to their community. This can be achieved not only by caring for those in the community, but also by inspiring the next generation of nursing students who follow you through mentorship, advocacy, and leadership.
If you think this is a sector you would enjoy being part of, the ABSN program at Rockhurst University is a great place to start. This course not only teaches you everything you need to know to move into this field but is also ideal if you are switching careers and moving into nursing.
But just how do all these things provide inspiration to nursing students just starting out on their journey?
How can mentorship in nursing inspire the younger generation of students?
To begin with, it is perhaps best to focus on mentorship and how this helps to truly inspire the next generation of nursing students. Mentorship is an important element of nursing education, and students can receive mentorship on their course from nurse educators or from mentors on clinical placements.
Mentorship whilst a student is inspiring because it can provide the emotional support and wisdom students need to thrive. Speaking with a university mentor or a mentor on placement can help students feel motivated to get all they can from their studies. This in turn can see them develop a real passion for nursing and go on to forge a successful career in it.
Mentors in nursing at this stage can also offer advice on potential career options to consider, how to take control of your career, and exciting specialties you could move into after graduating. This can be inspirational for the younger generation of students, as it shows the vast range of possibilities that working in the sector offers.
Mentorship in nursing whilst studying is also important for helping students get inspirational advice on how to solve tricky problems they may be facing on placement or in their studies. This type of support can give them the boost they need to push on and overcome any challenges.
Mentorship in nursing post-gradation also helps to inspire students
In addition to the above, it is also key to address how mentorship programs for newly qualified nurses can have a positive impact on current nursing students. Many healthcare settings will run programs like this which see more experienced staff in a facility mentor a newly qualified nurse.
This kind of scheme gives current students the confidence to start their working life post-graduation, knowing that they will have expert guidance to call on when needed. This kind of mentorship ensures graduates feel secure in their new roles.
How can advocacy motivate younger generations of nursing students?
Advocacy work in nursing is similar to advocacy in other industries (such as social work). It involves speaking up on behalf of others on issues nurses feel are important to address. There are many ways nurses can advocate for patients. Nurses may also advocate on behalf of colleagues or around wider issues in healthcare.
But how does advocacy in nursing provide such inspiration for the next generation of students? To begin with, it sets an example for them to follow and shows how nurses can have a positive impact on key issues in the real world. By seeing current nursing professionals involved in advocating for better working conditions or better patient care, students feel they can do the same and become inspired to move into the industry.
Advocacy work also shows the younger generation of students that nursing is a sector that is firmly focused on justice, compassion, and doing the right thing. This is very inspirational for would-be or current students and helps recruitment levels in nursing. Social justice is something that many younger people feel is important and advocacy work in nursing shows them it is a profession that shares this view.
How can leadership in nursing be an inspiration for the next generation of students?
Leadership is crucial for providing inspiration and motivation in all sectors worldwide. This is certainly true for nursing; good leadership helps to positively impact students looking to move into the industry. But how is this achieved?
Effective leadership helps to set a clear direction for the sector to follow and sees it take concrete steps to engage the younger generation of nursing students. This in turn helps nursing to connect with these students on a meaningful level and give them the motivation to carve out a successful career within it.
Nursing leadership sets an example for students to follow
As with advocacy setting the example to inspire a younger generation of nursing students, leadership can also have the same impact. Students who see effective leadership have a positive impact can be inspired to become leaders themselves.
Nursing leadership also plays a key role for nursing students in terms of setting policies for professionals in the sector and driving the industry forward. If the younger generation of students can see leaders doing this in a positive way that makes nursing an attractive industry, they will feel more inspired to move into it.
Mentorship, advocacy, and leadership are all essential for the future of nursing
We all know how important education is for nursing and how it teaches students the core skills needed to work in the industry. But to really thrive, the next generation of students just starting their nursing journeys also needs the inspiration that mentorship, advocacy, and leadership in the industry provides.
