Regardless of the discipline you work in, experience is crucial in finding employment. Experience in your field not only helps you in finding the job of your choice but also prepares you for the professional world. For nurses, experience can be a great way to learn the skills that they will need to perform their duties in clinical settings. However, in order to gain work experience in nursing, you should be aware of the opportunities available to you. Knowing what kind of experience will benefit you the most as a nurse is also important.
Ways to Get Experience in Nursing
Here are some of the most helpful ways to gain experience in nursing:
1. Volunteering:
Volunteering is a great way to achieve the work experience you need to start working as a nurse. You will also be able to improve your communication skills while working as a volunteer. In the UK, there are many volunteer jobs available for nurses. You can decide whether you want to work within a traditional health centre or outside of it.
In health centres, trainee nurses often work with established healthcare professionals, which is why volunteering can be a great training opportunity for you. In some cases, nurses are also offered jobs by the organisers after completing their volunteer work. Due to these reasons, volunteering is one of the best ways for a nurse to gain experience.
2. Work as an Intern:
There are plenty of nursing internship programmes in the UK that can help you gain work experience by placing you in professional settings. As an intern, nurses work under the guidance of a licensed medical practitioner. One thing worth remembering is that the nursing internship programmes are not paid, which means you will have to work for free.
Interning as a nurse can help you learn crucial skills from a qualified professional. It is also a great way to get yourself ready for working in hospitals and clinics. If you intern under a specialist, it will help you with figuring out your career path as a nurse. Interns are often added to shortlists for permanent employment when open positions are available. So, working as an intern can also help you get employed quickly.
3. Experience in Nursing with a Summer Job:
Summer jobs prepare students for the professional world by teaching them various soft and hard skills. However, summer job opportunities will vary depending on your education and age. If you are a student nurse, you can work as a caregiver, lab technician, or camp nurse during the summer.
Student nurses can also work as assistants to camp nurses and lab technicians to learn important skills related to your field. Summer jobs on CV show recruiters how dedicated you are to learning and help you land the right job.
4. Work at Non-Clinical Positions:
Non-medical professionals are essential for the smooth working of medical facilities. By doing their jobs correctly, non-medical professionals make things easier for nurses and other healthcare staff. Working in a non-clinical position will also teach you about keeping things in order in medical facilities.
If you apply for a non-clinical position, you will be allowing nurses to focus solely on caring for patients. You will also get to learn how hospitals hire staff, generate income, and solicit funding. The experience of working in a non-clinical position will come in handy if you decide to take on administrative duties in the future.
5. Work and Attend Classes:
Multiple schools in the UK offer part-time programmes allowing students to work and attend classes at the same time. It is a great opportunity for nursing students to combine professional experience with their studies. By enroling in a part-time programme, you will get the chance to work in an entry-level role in hospitals or health centres.
One of the best options for student nurses is to work as an assistant in patient care. It will teach them the basics of nursing and help them with developing skills needed in the medical field. Some courses also offer job placements once the degree finishes. You can do your research and then pick the option that suits your requirements the most.
If you are a registered nurse looking for a job, then get in touch with ESGO. We will help you find the best nursing jobs with competitive pay and benefits.
