What Are Your Goals for this Job? (Nursing)

00:01 There is a book called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in which friends of different shapes, sizes, and walks of life miraculously all fit into the exact same pair of pants.

00:13 This idea may work for a book, but it is not reminiscent of real life.

00:19 The job that best fits your needs may not be the job that best fits others.

00:26 The ideal job for someone else may not be the ideal job for you.

00:33 So what questions should you ask? And what should you be looking for when determining the best fit job for your goals? Here are a few questions that you should keep in mind.

00:47 First, you should ask, how will you fit into this role? And how will this role fit into your life goals? Think about this.

01:00 Do you desire to move into leadership within the department? Do you desire to move into another area of care? Do you desire to move into a higher acuity of care? Is this the job that you would like to do for the foreseeable future? There is no right answer, but there is a right answer for you.

01:26 Some people are looking for a long term commitment.

01:31 I was working with one nurse's aide that absolutely loved her opportunity to make a positive impact and had done the job for 15 years.

01:43 She was passionate about her role in the overall patient experience and was excellent in her role.

01:51 She had no desire to move elsewhere in the system and the patient load experience and culture are a good fit for her.

02:01 If you are looking for a long term commitment, then you should highly consider the stability, culture, and compatibility of the unit and organization.

02:14 Be very intentional to ask questions about the relationships, On the other hand, some people are looking for a launching pad.

02:24 I was working with a another nurse's aide who had a different goal.

02:29 They enjoyed being a nurse's aide, but they desired to one day become a nurse and possibly a nurse practitioner.

02:38 Their goal for the role was different.

02:42 They saw their position and their unit as a launching pad.

02:47 This person was looking for opportunities for growth, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.

02:54 They were more focused on the networking aspect of the team, but weren't as concerned about the long term stability and compatibility.

03:04 This was important, but it was a different mindset.

03:09 With a one to two year timeframe.

03:12 This person sought to prove themselves, learn as much as they could, and then use those insights to be an excellent nurse practitioner in the future.

03:24 If you are seeking to use your position as a launching pad, that's great.

03:30 You should look specifically for the opportunities that will offer your relevant experience for your long term goals.

03:39 Look for cross trading opportunities for an even more expanded healthcare view.

03:46 A word of caution with this goal and mindset is to be intentional to continue to build and maintain relationships with those in your unit.

03:56 Healthcare is a tight knit community and burn bridges or bad impressions can spread quickly.

04:03 And last a long time.

04:05 Make sure that the unit you are using as a launching pad is left with a positive impression.

04:12 If you are looking to start your career somewhere as a launching pad, you should look specifically for the opportunities that will offer you relevant experience for your long term goals.

04:25 Some people do not yet know where they would like to go within the healthcare system.

04:31 That is absolutely fine.

04:33 Do not worry, there is plenty of opportunity to make a big impact in the lives of your community through health care.

04:42 I was working with a another nurse's aide who did not know what they wanted to do in the medical field.

04:49 But they knew that they were passionate about helping people through health care.

04:55 And they were doing the job as a way of discovering their ideal path.

05:01 Maybe you know the position you want.

05:04 Maybe you know the unit.

05:06 But there is some opportunity for exploration.

05:11 In this situation, I want you to look at the flexibility of the unit, the elasticity of the organization.

05:19 Look at the continuing education opportunities to explore new ideas and units and examine a float pool opportunity.

05:29 Examine the culture of the entire organization and discover the specific nuances of culture among different units of care.

05:40 All of these are plausible, and seasons of life, and different needs that you might have in your career.

05:49 Recognize that in these different seasons of life, your mindset for your new career may be different.

05:57 The questions you ask and the factors that you weigh in importance should be different.

06:05 So, here's what I want you to do.

06:08 I want you to imagine your overall goals in the health care profession.

06:14 It could be to find a solid community and make an impact in the same place for a long time.

06:22 That is a powerful means of helping others.

06:26 It could be using this opportunity as a stepping stone for future impact.

06:32 It could be a goal of exploration and finding clarity in your goals.

06:38 I want you to identify a goal and determine how this role will help you get there starting today and leading into tomorrow.